Headlines:ECB’s Knot: 25 bps rate hike in July is realisticRisk appetite improves further in European morning tradeDollar retreats on risk optimismEurozone Q1 GDP second estimate +0.3% vs +0.2% q/q prelimUK April claimant count change -56.9k vs -42.5k expectedOPEC+ continues to produce well below required level in AprilJapan takes first steps in reopening borders for tourismRussia says talks with Ukraine are not taking place ‚in any form’Markets:GBP leads, JPY lags on the dayEuropean equities higher; S&P 500 futures up 1.7%US 10-year yields up 3.4 bps to 2.913%Gold up 0.3% to $1,829.47WTI crude up 0.7% to $114.99Bitcoin up 1.6% to $30,421The market is embracing a more positive risk mood and that is pretty much setting the tone for trading on the day.Equities are surging higher while bond yields also ticked up, with the dollar seen retreating against its peers. The moves are pretty decent with the likes of the euro, aussie and kiwi gaining nearly 1% against the greenback. Meanwhile, the pound is indeed up over 1% against the dollar as cable comes up for some air.EUR/USD moved up from 1.0420 to 1.0480 before catching an added bid following ECB policymaker Knot’s remarks on a potential 50 bps rate hike in July. That sees the pair now near 1% gains at around 1.0530.GBP/USD pushed higher from 1.2380 to 1.2490 and is holding up 1.3% on the day around 1.2475 now ahead of some resistance around 1.2500. The pound is also helped by more solid UK labour market data earlier as well.Meanwhile, the aussie and kiwi are benefiting from the more optimistic risk mood with US futures extending gains during the session. S&P 500 futures were initially up around 0.3% before rising up to gain by 1.7% now.AUD/USD pulled up from 0.6990 to 0.7040 as buyers look to try and test a hold above 0.7000 for now.US retail sales data and Fed chair Powell’s speech on inflation will be the next two key risk events coming up later.

From a technical perspective, the pair is also seeing a modest bounce off support around 1.0400 if you go by the weekly chart. With broader risk sentiment also faring better today, the dollar is seeing a bit of a pullback against other major currencies.But EUR/USD did get a jolt from 1.0480 to 1.0520 on the back of Knot’s remarks here. At this stage, a July rate hike is all but a given but he floated the idea of a potential 50 bps rate hike and that is getting markets a tad bit excited.The ECB does have its fair share of courting the dramatic but one must take into account that Knot is one of the more hawkish members and for a central bank that hasn’t hiked rates in over a decade, it is tough to buy into a sudden major shift in mentality from a majority dove to an uber hawkish one.Nonetheless, money markets are now pricing in roughly 105 bps worth of rate hikes before year-end by the ECB. That compares with the roughly 95 bps as of yesterday.EUR/USD has now cleared its 200-hour moving average @ 1.0494 and a hold above 1.0500 does allow for buyers to establish some breathing room after an unrelenting push lower since the start of the year. The region around 1.0580-00 will offer some minor resistance next before we start to really come up with potential Fib levels to be tested.

ECB needs to normalise policy50 bps rate hike should not be excluded if data in next few months suggests that inflation is broadeningHe may be a hawk at heart but I think a 50 bps rate move would be a bit much, on the balance of things. I mean, this would mark the first rate hike by the ECB in over a decade. That pretty much tells you how set in stone their policy settings have been, so forgive me if I don’t quite buy such a stark shift in mentality.

The devastating events of the past few
months have put the financial markets in a tight spot with tremendous global
effects. As a trader, you have probably witnessed the impact of these events
when it comes to your daily investments. Almost every asset class of the markets have
endured shockwaves, making traders unsure of their next move.

While we cannot possibly predict the
final outcome of this global crisis, our team at XPro Markets has looked
back and made some fundamental conclusions to help you gain a better
understanding of what is happening.

So, let’s take a look at some of the
most noticeable changes in the markets.

The
focus of attention

Since the mid-1950s, oil has been the
world’s most important source of energy. As of 2014, oil and gas accounted for
over 60% of Russia’s exports and over 30% of the country’s GDP. The rising
tensions between Russia and Ukraine have spiked oil and gas to new record
highs.

Among the assets most heavily
influenced is Brent Crude Oil, after it shattered through the $100/barrel
threshold in March. The sanctions imposed on Russia and avoidance of Russian
oil by buyers have already led to a drop in output, raising concerns about
further losses in the future.

However, recent updates regarding the
new lockdowns in China have sparked fears about declining demand for oil from
China, the world’s biggest crude importer. This influenced Crude Oil, making it
drop below 100$.

A
safe-haven surge

Due to the uncertainty of these
challenging events, people are seeking to trust their funds in safe-havens,
such as precious metals, Gold, and Silver. Despite their high volatility, these
assets still appear to be among the most popular options for traders.

As a traditional safe-haven asset, gold
has historically provided protection during severe equity market declines and
financial turmoil. Consequently, traders tend to turn their backs on riskier
asset classes such as stocks and cryptos.

Inflation
on the rise

Inflation refers to the gradual
increase in the prices of goods and services over time. This essentially means
that a dollar bill cannot buy you as much as it did in the past. What causes
inflation usually has to do with increased consumer demand or increases in
production costs.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI), which
tracks data on 80,000 products such as food, energy, medical care, and fuel, is
one of the most closely monitored factors of inflation in the US.

Russian and Ukrainian exports account
for about 20% of the world’s corn and 25% of the world’s wheat, which is
driving up prices for a number of agricultural commodities. Therefore, the
conflict in Eastern Europe could enhance the market’s current preferences,
including a preference for value names over growth stocks.

What
can you do?

As you already know, online trading
always comes alongside the risk of losing. Due to the constantly fluctuating
prices, you can never be certain of your trading decisions. Especially during a
global crisis like the current Russia-Ukraine conflict, it is essential for
traders and investors to keep up to date with every economic event that could
affect their investments.

For this reason, prioritize your market updates and trading knowledge with XPro Markets’
educational tools and resources.

OPEC+ compliance with its oil output cuts rose to 220% in April, up from 157% in March. That comes despite the easing of its output caps in recent months. Of note, the bloc’s production was seen 2.6 mil bpd below the required level in April with Russia producing 1.28 mil bpd below its own required level last month.Yup. In other words, don’t expect much help from OPEC+ in trying to balance out the supply side of the equation.