A mixed session for equities - ANZ

Analysts at ANZ noted that it has been a mixed session for US equities.

Key Quotes:

"Technology was up on speculation that Washington may be adopting a more conciliatory stance on trade talks ahead of meetings with China’s vice premier Liu He in Washington this week; energy rose as oil prices remained buoyed by possible US sanctions on Iran; and interest sensitive equities dragged as the US yield curve bear steepened (the US 10-year yield edged higher to 2.99%)."

"The S&P500 was up 0.1% and the Dow Jones up 0.3%."

"In Europe, the focus was more on remarks by ECB’s Villeroy that rates would stay low past QE for quarters, not years."

"The benchmark 10-yr bund yield rose 5.5bps to 61bps, marginally underperforming Italian BTPs despite the unfolding political situation in Italy."

"Both the DAX and FTSE fell 0.2% and the CAC 40 was unchanged. WTI rose 0.5% to $71/bbl and gold was down 0.3%."