In European Equity Markets stocks closed slightly lower on average Thursday as growth fears offset substantial gains on trade developments. Evotec climbed to the top of the pan-European benchmark after it gave a positive outlook for 2019. The biotechnology firm said it saw adjusted earnings improving by 10 percent this year. Shares rose by around 4 percent. Bayer stock fell after a U.S. jury said the pharmaceuticals giant should pay a claimant $80 million after allegations its glyphosate-based Roundup weed killer caused his cancer. Shares of the company fell more than 1 percent.

In Currency Markets sterling fell more than half a percent on Thursday as concerns grew that British Prime Minister Theresa May’s offer to resign failed to convince hardline eurosceptics in her party to back her Brexit withdrawal deal. The pound fell more than half a percent to $1.3102 on Thursday morning. Against the euro, it weakened 0.7 percent to 85.59 pence. British lawmakers’ effort to agree an alternative plan in a series of “indicative votes” fell short on Wednesday, leaving the Brexit process as deadlocked as ever.

In Commodities Markets oil prices were about 1 percent lower on Thursday, but recovered from the day’s worst losses that came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump called for the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to boost crude production to lower prices. Futures hit a session low immediately following Trump’s comments, but since have rallied above pre-tweet levels. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures for was down 57 cents to $58.85 a barrel. Earlier the contract fell to $58.20 a barrel.

In US Equity Markets stocks swung between gains and losses on Thursday, as optimism fueled by progress in U.S.-China trade talks was overshadowed by fears of an economic slowdown after a cut in fourth-quarter GDP growth. The S&P 500 was down 0.13 percent, at 2,801.72 and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.19 percent, at 7,628.78. PVH Corp gained 16 percent, the most among S&P 500 companies, after the apparel maker forecast full-year adjusted profit and sales above Wall Street expectations.

In Bond Markets core euro zone government bond yields held near multi-year lows on Thursday as speculation mounted that the ECB would introduce a tiered deposit rate to ease strains on banks amid continued low economic growth. European Central Bank chief economist Peter Praet told Bloomberg that ECB staff were examining the issue of tiering, but that it was premature to talk of its introduction. Germany’s 10-year bond yield rose 1 basis point to minus 0.07 percent, keeping Wednesday’s 2-1/2 year low of minus 0.09 percent in sight.