Latest Irish Life weekly markets update

Key talking points include:

• Markets ended the week mixed as escalating US-Iran tensions renewed concerns over energy prices and inflation.
• The US economy added 162,000 jobs in August, comfortably ahead of expectations, pushing bond yields higher and strengthening expectations that the Federal Reserve could raise rates again.
• The S&P 500 rose by +0.1% (MTD +1.1%, YTD +12.7%) while the STOXX 600 in Europe fell by -0.8% (MTD +0.4%, YTD +9.7%).
• Attention now turns to Thursday’s ECB meeting, with a 25-basis-point rate increase widely expected and Friday's US inflation report. Futures imply roughly a 60% probability of a similar Fed increase at next week's meeting.