Europe: Marginal fluctuations without actual trend

The European stock markets closed Monday with marginal losses. Investors were unsure of the direction of the market should, and risk appetite was again up for debate.

The weekend's weak economic data from China and Japan suggest a slowdown in global growth, and new initiatives from the Chinese authorities can become a reality, just as the Federal Reserve, monetary policy meeting Thursday may result in additional quantitative easing to increase growth and specifically employment.

Commodities: Large price increases after Bernanke speech

Oil prices rose over the weekend on top of Jackson Hole Symposium and Ben Bernanke's speech, which did not offer clear signs of new quantitative easing, although unemployment in the U.S. economy worries head of the U.S. Federal Reserve. Meanwhile, the U.S. oil production is these days resumed after Hurricane Isaac, and is Monday morning up to 28 percent of normal capacity.