Oil has risen further following continued unrest in the Middle East, to $107.50 per barrel of North Sea crude. The rising energy prices are fuelling inflation concerns, with bond yields rising as a result.
Despite that, after yesterday's stock market decline, pre-market trading still indicates only small movements in Stockholm and on the major European exchanges. And in the US, futures trading points to slightly higher indices when Friday trading opens on Wall Street this afternoon.
In Asia, there were broad stock market declines during overnight trading.
This afternoon, inflation figures from the US will be released, which could set the interest rate agenda.
