France says that expects domestic travel restrictions to be lifted on 3 May 0 (0)

French government spokesperson, Gabriel Attal, comments
Adding that the base case scenario remains for bars, restaurants to reopen outdoor seatings by mid-May. That’s certainly optimistic but the hope here is that vaccinations will pick up significantly and outpace virus infections and hospitalisations, though the latter remains a key concern still for the time being.

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US MBA mortgage applications w.e. 16 April +8.6% vs -3.7% prior 0 (0)

Latest data from the Mortgage Bankers Association for the week ending 16 April 2021
–  -3.7%
– Market index 724.8 vs 667.7 prior
– Refinancing index 3,219.9 vs 2,916.7 prior
The jump in mortgage applications in the past week owes to both a spike in purchasing and refinancing activity, with the long-term rate seen slipping further from the high of 3.36%

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Japan PM Suga says to decide on state of emergency measures this week 0 (0)

Remarks by Japanese prime minister, Yoshihide Suga
This looks inevitable, so expect a formal announcement to follow later in the week. Earlier reports suggest that Tokyo will observe a state of emergency from 29 April to 9 May to start with, so that provides some idea of the proposal.

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