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Risk appetite extended across markets during the last session of the week, boosted by signs that inflation in the US may have peaked while consumer spending remained strong at the start of Q2, according to the April’s PCE report.

Investors continued to trade with a risk-on mood on Thursday, lifting demand for “buying the dip” and after the release of positive economic data (e.g. the decline in weekly jobless claims in the US).

Investors traded with an optimistic mood as the minutes of the FOMC last meeting showed a wide consensus among its members on the following steps on the interest rate path. Most participants think that further 50bp interest rate hikes in the coming two meetings (June and July) would be appropriate.

In yesterday’s session traders searched for safe-haven assets, following weak economic data and hawkish comments from some ECB members, arguing in favor of a 50bp hike in the policy rate in July.

Investors traded with a risk-on mood on Monday after Joe Biden signalled he would reconsider tariffs imposed to China by the Trump administration and Christine Lagarde offered a clear guidance on the next steps for the ECB.

On Friday, investors traded cautiously as they continued to assess the economic outlook for the main advanced economies. Stock indices rose modestly in the euro area while, in a volatile session, the S&P 500 closed barely flat. Emerging economies’ indices registered solid advances.

A global selloff in stock markets continued on Thursday, as worries mounted about the direction of the global economic recovery and the potential spillovers on the outlook for companies’ earnings.

Risk-off sentiment returned to financial markets on Wednesday, as investors reassessed the outlook for the global economy amid the jump in inflation and the rapid withdrawal of monetary policy accommodation. These factors are weighting in the earnings projections of the private sector.

Risk appetite returned to the fore on Tuesday, as “buy-the-dip” movements and solid economic data provided some comfort to investors’ sentiment, easing worries of an economic recession.

Volatility continued to dominate across financial markets at the start of the week, fueled by mounting concerns about the health of the global economic recovery, after the release of weaker-than-expected monthly economic indicators for April in China on Monday.

Investors' sentiment improved at the end of the week amid comments from Federal Reserve president Jerome Powell signaling that 75 basis points increases are, for now, off the table.

Investors traded with a risk-off mood in yesterday's session, fueling the demand for safe-haven assets. The main concern continues to be whether central banks will be able to tackle down inflation without triggering a recession.