Weak German economic data and a profit warning from Daimler impacted European stock markets as investors reined in any bets on a fourth week of gains before G20 meetings that may see more trade talks between the US and Chinese presidents.

Irish exporters appear to have shaken off concerns over Brexit and global trade wars — but only for the time being — while consumer spending remains lacklustre, according to the evidence of official data and surveys.

US shares were hit sideways but European markets were relatively unscathed as President Donald Trump insisted he was in no rush to settle the China trade spat.

Last year turned out to be an uncertain, volatile and generally difficult one for equity market investors, writes Jim Power.

Sterling continued to climb for a second day, on the view that an unlikely Brexit deal will be struck, if not this month then sometime before the end of the year.

What a difference a few months can make and what damage a Twitter-happy finger can do.

Dax Restaurant, 23 Pembroke Street Upper, Dublin 2.

World markets spluttered, irked by the failure of German coalition talks which sent the euro and the price of oil lower.

Munster props James Cronin and Brian Scott, Connacht second-row Quinn Roux and Leinster’s Jordi Murphy make their first starts in the famous colours of the Barbarians who face Tonga at Thomond Park tonight (7.30pm).

Sterling fell to a near four-and-a-half week low against the US dollar today, as reports of a Tory plot to topple UK Prime Minister Theresa May cast fresh doubt over her future.

The pound was heading towards 15-month highs against the US dollar following stronger than expected UK retail sales data.

Stocks around the world jumped on Tuesday, and the Standard & Poor's 500 had one of its best days of the year, as markets put a shaky last couple of weeks further behind them.

US stocks inched higher on Monday as the Standard & Poor's 500 index steadied following back-to-back losses over the last two weeks.

US stock indexes nudged higher today after energy companies clawed back some of their sharp losses from earlier in the week.

Energy stocks dropped again in the US on Wednesday as oil fell to its lowest price since last summer, extending their dismal start to the year.

London’s top flight index tumbled below 6,700 yesterday as investors baulked at a bleak economic update from the UK manufacturing industry.

Germany, one of Europe’s cheapest stock markets, is starting to see a resurgence in investor interest.

European stocks slid to their lowest in nearly four months and sterling continued to fluctuate as investor jitters intensified ahead of Britain’s EU membership referendum next week.

The London market edged back into positive territory as a rise in the price of oil eased the pressure on top-flight stocks.

Investors were warned that the worries about global growth and the health of Europe’s banks that sent markets reeling at the start of this year have not gone away.

PAUL O’CONNELL never led any of his teammates to heroic acts of defiance by telling them their opponents were magnificent athletes, wonderfully skilful players, do-or-die competitors, and all-round good blokes who phoned their mother most nights.

German prosecutors have launched an investigation into fraud allegations against former Volkswagen boss Martin Winterkorn over the carmaker’s rigging of diesel emissions tests.

Wall St stocks jumped almost 2% yesterday in the latest volatile session as investors weighed the impact of a stumbling Chinese economy and global market turmoil on the Federal Reserve’s impending decision about when to raise interest rates.

For those who are not immersed in the world of economics and finance but who still have either an academic or a vested interest, the world has been a pretty depressing place since 2007.

China has rattled the financial markets by cutting the value of its currency - called the yuan or the renminbi – by almost 4% in two days.

The London market ended the week in positive territory after growing hopes that last-ditch reform proposals by Greece will lead to a bailout deal with its creditors.

Beijing’s increasingly frantic attempts to stem a stock market rout were finally rewarded as Chinese shares bounced around 6% yesterday, but the costs of heavy-handed state intervention are likely to weigh on the market for a long time.

Equities around the world jumped yesterday and the euro tumbled on signals the European Central Bank may accelerate its €1tn bond-buying programme over the next two months.

Encouraging economic news and a rare rise in oil prices helped give the US stock market its first gain in the new year.

The FTSE 100 Index enjoyed more festive cheer in the last full trading day before Christmas today though the pound took a knock after it emerged UK growth was not as strong as first thought.

Yesterday was a mixed day for European bourses as Germany, France and Ireland led the way. The Dax continued its recent solid run and the Iseq and Cac40 followed the trend

Fears over a political crisis in bailed-out Greece together with gloom over the outlook for the US deepened anxiety over the world economy as stock markets tumbled today.

Improved sentiment on Wall Street helped blue-chip shares shake off worries over Ukraine and wipe out early session losses.

Sean Cronin stares into the dregs of his Americano and up at the ceiling of the café in Clonskeagh as his thoughts slosh around and he struggles with a definitive answer.

For those with money to invest, and there are still many of those out there in the Irish economy, these are interesting, uncertain times.

UK fashion retailers set the pace on the London market after Next cheered investors with better-than-expected trading and a turnaround in the fortunes of its high street stores.

Global markets took cheer after a key player pulled out of the race to head America's central bank, lifting hopes that the US will keep the printing presses rolling.

Sluggish economic data from the world’s biggest economy offset gains by buoyant banking stocks, sending the FTSE 100 Index into the red and continuing a turbulent performance by the top tier.

Further cracks emerged in the eurozone’s shrinking economy to drag European stock markets lower and ensure another day of losses for the FTSE 100 Index.

Better-than-expected profits from blue chip heavyweight BP helped the London market bounce back after yesterday’s eurozone worries.

Asian stock markets rallied today, boosted by strong advances on Wall Street and a highly anticipated plan to assist debt-riddled countries in the eurozone.

The London market lost ground today as investors eyed events in the eurozone at the start of another vital week in its battle for survival.