Last week was a positive affair for the world’s major stock markets with all closing comfortably higher than last week.
In Europe over the course of the week, the FTSE was up on last week’s close by 2.3% at 7446.9, ending Q1 up by 6.5%; the Dax ended at 12010, 4.2% up on last week’s close and ending the Quarter up by 7%; the CAC was up by 2.4% to end the session at 476.2, making 13% on the quarter.
The Dow ended the week up by 1.9% to close at 26425, it made 11% over Q1. The Nasdaq composite index was up by 2.7% over the course of the week at 7938.7, making 15% over the quarter.
The Nikkei 225 ended the week’s trading up by 2.8% to end the session at 21808 and it made 18% over the quarter.
On the currency markets last week, the Dollar enjoyed the best of the trading again. The Dollar was stronger against Sterling last week closing at $1.3011 to the Pound, a gain of 0.18% on the week but a weakening of 2.3% over Q1. The Greenback was stronger against the Euro last week, rising by 0.1% to close at $1.1218 to the Euro, it made 1.6% over the quarter.
The Dollar strengthened against the Japanese currency closing at 111.7 Yen to the Dollar, making a gain of 0.9% during the week, and making 2.2% over Q1.
The Euro was stronger against the Yen ending at 125.3, a gain of 0.81% over the course of the week. it made 0.58 over the quarter. It was stronger against Sterling last week, the close saw one £ buying €1.1598, a gain of 0.08% on the week, but it fell by 4% over Q1.
The Euro now buys 1.1221 CHF, a gain of 0.3% on the week but a fall of 0.57% over the quarter.
On the commodities market, the price for Brent crude ended at
$70.34 per barrel, a rise of 4.1% over the course of the week’s trading and 18% in Q1. The value of gold was lower last week closing at $1290.4 per ounce, a fall of 0.03% on the week, but a gain of 0.64% over the quarter.
The data that supports this article is drawn from Bloomberg, The Financial Times and X-rates.