ECONOMY & MARKETS

The rouble has staged a lightening-fast recovery to levels last reached in the days before Russia invaded Ukraine, defying predictions that the war would launch it into freefall.

Euro zone inflation surged to 7.5% in March, hitting another record high with months still left before it is set to peak, raising pressure on the European Central Bank to rein in runaway prices even as growth slows sharply.

Gold retreated on Friday and was set to post a weekly decline after robust U.S.

Gold eased on Friday and headed for a weekly decline as a stronger dollar and higher Treasury yields dented the appeal of zero-yield bullion, while investors also awaited a key U.S.

Chinese exports to Russia have been buffeted as the rouble swings in value, clear evidence of a ripple effect that Western sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine are having in China, even as it sticks by its neighbour diplomatically.

European shares rose slightly after early sluggishness on Friday, as a rally in bank stocks helped outweigh worries about economic growth and inflation, with Europe facing a deadline to start paying for Russian gas in roubles.

European shares rose on Friday as a rally in commodity-linked and bank stocks helped outweigh worries about economic growth and inflation, with Europe remaining on alert for a disruption to gas imports from Russia.

Plague, war and inflation define the year so far - but faith in the U.S. dollar seems to have made it through the first three months.

U.S. job growth likely continued at a brisk clip in March, with the unemployment rate falling to a new two-year low of 3.7% and wages re-accelerating, which would position the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates by a hefty 50 basis points in May.

U.S. employers maintained a brisk pace of hiring in March, driving the unemployment rate to a new two-year low of 3.6% while also boosting wages, resulting in a further tightening of labor market conditions and opening the door to a hefty 50 basis points interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve in May.

World stocks dipped further from recent six-week highs on Friday on worries about the Russia-Ukraine war and recession risks, and oil fell $2 a barrel on reserve releases.

Government bond yields resumed their upward climb on Friday on signs of persistent prices pressures, as world shares whipsawed in choppy trade and oil prices braced for a 13% weekly fall following reserve releases.

World shares bounced and government bond yields resumed their upward climb on Friday on signs of persistent prices pressures, while oil was poised for a 13% weekly fall following reserve releases.

Asian shares fell for a second straight session on Friday as worries about the Russia-Ukraine war and risks of recession punctured their rally, while plans to release oil reserves had crude prices heading for a sharp weekly drop.

U.S. stock index futures rose on Friday ahead of U.S.

Asian shares fell on Friday following the biggest quarterly drop in global equities in two years, as investors worried about the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war and rising risks of recession.

Government bond yields resumed their upward climb on Friday as a key part of the U.S.

The dollar extended a rebound versus major peers on Friday, also resuming its rally against the yen, ahead of a key U.S.

The dollar extended a rebound versus major peers on Friday ahead of a key U.S.

The dollar rose on Friday, helped by robust U.S. job growth numbers for March that firmed market expectations that the Federal Reserve will increase the pace of interest rate hikes in an effort to blunt rising inflation.

The dollar rose on Friday after data showed that U.S.

The euro fell on Friday versus a strengthening dollar ahead of a key U.S.

Global factory activity slowed in March as Russia's invasion of Ukraine tightened supply chain bottlenecks, dampened demand and whacked confidence, while soaring energy costs drove a broader surge in prices, surveys showed on Friday.

Oil dipped in and out of negative territory on Friday as members of the International Energy Agency (IEA) were due to discuss a further addition of oil reserves to the market alongside a planned 180 million barrel release by the United States.

Oil prices seesawed on Friday ahead of a meeting of consuming nations to discuss a new release of emergency oil reserves alongside a huge planned release by the United States.

Oil prices fell about $1 on Friday, ahead of a meeting of consuming nations to discuss a new release of emergency oil reserves alongside a huge planned release by the United States.

Oil prices fell slightly on Friday as they traded in a narrow range ahead of a meeting of consuming nations to discuss a new release of emergency oil reserves alongside a huge planned release by the United States.

Oil settled lower on Friday as members of the International Energy Agency (IEA) agreed to join in the largest-ever U.S. oil reserves release.

Inflation is picking up in India, but the country's central bank is likely to maintain its loose policy even as its global peers raise rates, potentially forcing it to play catch-up aggressively later, economists and analysts say.