Global equity markets reacted positively to an eventful week of economic and geopolitical news and corporate earnings results.

U.S. equities were mixed last week as concerns that the new year bull rally in prices could be a bit premature weighed on trading early in the week while strong corporate earnings announcements and encouraging reports on the future of Federal Reserve monetary policy helped to spark a late-week rally.

Rising optimism on developments in the trade dispute between the U.S. and China fueled stock returns for the fourth straight week of gains.

Global equities continued their New Year rally this past week, driven by optimism over U.S.-China trade negotiations as well as more patient and adaptive commentary on future monetary policy from the Federal Reserve that signaled greater willingness to pause rate hikes.

U.S. stocks opened the New Year with a choppy week of trading capped off by a notable rally on Friday that recouped and surpassed the week’s prior losses.