In Asian Equity Markets stocks took a breather on Friday after several days of sizeable gains, while commodities were set on edge by the lack of progress in Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan eased 0.6 percent in early trade but were headed for a 3 percent weekly gain. Japan’s Nikkei rose 0.2 percent. China markets on Friday eased into the end of one of the wildest weeks in decades. The Hang Seng opened 1 percent lower while the mainland blue-chip CSI300 was down 0.5 percent in early trade.

In Currency Markets the U.S. dollar headed for its first down week in six versus major peers on Friday, languishing near a one-week low, as investors continued to assess the impact of the start of the Federal Reserve’s rate tightening cycle this week. The single currency was slightly weaker at $1.10795 on Friday, but up 1.60 percent for the week, its first winning week in six. Sterling added 0.05 percent to $1.31525. The risk-sensitive Australian dollar was little changed at $0.73725, putting it on track for a 1.08 percent weekly advance. The yen weakened 0.14 percent to 118.775 per dollar.

In US Equity Markets stocks rebounded from early session losses on Thursday as investors weighed economic implications of the Fed’s surprisingly aggressive interest rate stance, while oil prices rose on supply shortage concerns arising from the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The Dow rose 1.23 percent, to 34,480.76, the S&P 500 gained 1.23 percent to 4,411.67 and the Nasdaq Composite added 1.33 percent to 13,614.78. Accenture Plc rose 2.3 percent after the IT consulting firm forecast upbeat third-quarter revenue even as it warned of impact to operations if the Russia-Ukraine conflict escalates.

In Commodities Markets oil prices climbed 8 percent on Thursday, extending a series of wild daily swings, as the market rebounded from several days of losses with a renewed focus on supply shortages in coming weeks due to sanctions on Russia. Benchmark Brent crude futures added 8.79 percent, at $106.64 a barrel. U.S. WTI crude rose 8.35 percent, to $102.98 a barrel. Spot gold rose 1 percent to $1,948.06 per ounce. Spot silver rose 1.6 percent to $25.47 per ounce, while platinum inched up 0.6 percent to $1,024.00. Palladium rose nearly 5 percent to $2,529.13 per ounce.

In European Equity Markets stocks gained on Thursday, a day after the Federal Reserve’s widely anticipated U.S. interest rate hike, as investors eyed Russia-Ukraine peace talks. The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.5 percent, paring March losses spurred by the Ukraine conflict. British oil-majors lifted UK’s FTSE 100, which rose 1.3 percent, while the Bank of England raised interest rates as expected and struck a less hawkish tone on further hikes. British food-delivery company Deliveroo rose 6.3 percent after saying it aimed to reach breakeven core earnings around two years’ time.

In Bond Markets U.S. Treasuries yields were erratic on Thursday as the market digested the U.S. Fed’s first hike in three years while lack of a resolution on the Ukraine crisis continued to weigh on sentiment. The benchmark 10-year Treasury bond yields jumped after the Fed announcement on Wednesday as high as 2.246 percent from 2.149 percent a day earlier, but they eased back on Thursday, to around 2.19 percent. A closely watched part of the yield curve, the one comparing two-year Treasuries with 10-year notes, flattened to 24.5 basis points on Wednesday after the Fed announcement.