Sterling a little firmer on the week

The euro traded in a range between $1.1750 and $1.1950 last week but closed out Friday little changed from the previous Friday trading at around $1.1850. Sterling recovered some ground over the course of last week, regaining about a penny to 91.5p against the single currency and  around a cent against the dollar to $1.29

US equity markets lost ground for a third week in a row last week, while European stocks ended lower as well. Benchmark US 10-year bond yields nudged up to almost 0.70%, while their German equivalents were flat on the week

As Dublin faces fresh restrictions for the next three weeks, Germany’s health minister said the trend of COVUD-19 cases in Europe is “worrying” while the UK’s Chief Medical Officer is set to warn later today that the UK is at a “critical point” in the fight against the virus

Consumer confidence in the US rose for a second consecutive month in September according to the University of Michigan’s regular survey, though it remains well below the level prevailing at the start of this year

Asking prices in the UK housing market rose by 5.0% in the year to September according to the latest Rightmove report, the strongest pace of increase in around four years

Data due this week includes flash PMIs in the Euro Area, UK and US – all on Wednesday