US stock markets made a positive start after positive jobs data and as oil prices eased back, while pressure mounts on the European Central Bank to take tough action on interest rates after a record for eurozone’s consumer price index.
The currency area’s main inflation measure hit 9.1%, with the ECB’s governing council due to meet next week.
Brent crude yesterday fell back from $105 a barrel to below $100, while the pound has weakened to below $1.17 as confidence in the UK economy also deteriorates.
