Chinese and US equities offered contrasting performances yesterday as trading in currencies, US and emerging market bonds was subdued by the closure of most European markets and parts of Asia for Easter Monday.
Oil prices sank more than $3 a barrel to below $50 a barrel after the International Energy Agency said that demand in 2009 might decline to its lowest level for five years.
Chinese data released over the weekend showed that banks had continued to lend for new investment projects with record new loans of $277bn in March. China's latest trade numbers revealed signs of stabilisation for both exports and imports over the past year to March.