In European Equity Markets indices closed lower Thursday as investors monitored inflation data, U.S.-China trade talks and new earnings reports. The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed provisionally down 0.75 percent with every sector and major bourse trading in negative territory.  Shares of Logitech jumped 6.5 percent, and led the gains across Europe, after announcing that there could be an increase in its gross margin targets. BPost fell 13 percent following an announcement that its full-year results will come at the low end of its guidance. Adidas fell 6.8 percent following its first-quarter results. The company reported better-than-expected net profit but its Reebok business saw a disappointing performance.

In Currency Markets the U.S. dollar was little changed in choppy trading on Thursday as investors took profits from a rally that sent the greenback to its highest levels of the year and awaited Friday’s payrolls data for April. The dollar has erased all its 2018 losses in the past two weeks on expectations the Federal Reserve will continue to raise interest rates while other central banks, including the European Central Bank, take longer to reduce stimulus. The dollar index was up 0.02 percent at 92.522, below Wednesday’s 2018 high of 92.834. Friday’s employment report for April will be evaluated for further indications of the strength of the U.S. labor market and inflation pressures.

In Commodities Markets oil prices slid lower on Thursday as swelling U.S. crude inventories and record weekly U.S. production offset concerns over OPEC supply cuts and the potential for new U.S. sanctions against Iran. Brent crude oil futures were at $72.74 per barrel, 62 cents below their last close. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were 40 cents lower at $67.53 per barrel. Prices have seesawed, edging lower during Asian trading hours, then higher at the start of the day in Europe, as the market grappled with conflicting fundamental signals. On Wednesday, a report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed a 6.2-million-barrel jump in U.S. crude inventories.

In US Equity Markets indexes fell more than 1 percent in a broad slump on Thursday as investors remained wary about the outcome of U.S.-China trade talks and potential for rising interest rates, while a slew of disappointing earnings reports also weighed. The S&P 500 was down 1.37 percent, at 2,599.69 and the Nasdaq Composite fell 1.35 percent, at 7,005.10. All 11 major S&P sectors were in the red, led by the financial sector’s 2.2 percent decline. Among earnings, AIG  fell 9.3 percent after the insurer reported a lower-than-expected quarterly profit, while Cardinal Health declined 18.7 percent after the drug distributor cut its annual earnings forecast.

In Bond Markets Euro zone government bond yields fell across the board on Thursday after a report showed April inflation in the region slowed, a headache for the European Central Bank as it looks to unwind monetary stimulus later this year. Inflation fell to 1.2 percent in April, according to the Eurostat flash estimate. Economists polled by Reuters had expected it to be unchanged from 1.3 percent in March. Germany’s 10-year Bund yield shed 5 basis points on the day to settle at 0.53 percent, and was set for its biggest daily fall in six weeks. The gap over 10-year U.S. Treasury yields was 240 bps, close to the widest in almost three decades.