The S&P 500 index (SPX) has risen 11% since the start of the year, the tech-heavy Nasdaq (NDX) 33%, and the Stoxx Europe 600 (STOXX) 5%. The Stoxx Europe 600 has fallen 3.3%. ‘Higher for longer’ interest ratesThe world’s major central banks have spent the past two years hiking borrowing costs in a bid to control runaway inflation. High interest rates typically put pressure on stocks, since investors tend to favor bonds when they offer comparable returns as they are safer. An ailing ChinaA slew of disappointing economic data out of China has also put pressure on stocks.

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Persons: Michael Hewson, —, Cushing, Strategic Petroleum Reserve —, Goldman Sachs, Giovanni Staunovo, Brent, stoking Organizations: London CNN —, CMC, CNN, Nasdaq, Federal Reserve, Brent, Strategic Petroleum Reserve, UBS, country’s National Bureau of Statistics, Evergrande Group Locations: United States, Europe, Saudi Arabia, Russia, OPEC, Cushing , Oklahoma, Ukraine, Saudi, China, Hong Kong