Government bond yields opened sharply down globally, to close broadly 20 b.p. lower in the euro area, while in the US, Treasuries closed flat after minutes from the FOMC March meeting showed the committee’s openness to hike rates in the following meetings would the inflationary pressures persist.
In equity markets, stock indices rallied all around the world, especially in the euro area and Asia, where they registered gains of up to 5%. In the US, gains were more modest, of less than 3%. In currency markets, the dollar retreated on the news of the ceasefire agreement, with the EUR/USD cross touching 1.17 and cooling later on the possibility of a rather hawkish Fed.