As President Trump indicated he anticipated the war in Iraq would end within two to three weeks, market expectations of de-escalation triggered a plunge in oil prices, causing a sharp rise in British and European government bonds, with yields falling across the board. Yields on French, Italian, and British government bonds all fell by 10 basis points or more. The yield on Germany's benchmark 10-year bond fell 6 basis points to 2.94%, hitting its lowest level since March 18. ING strategists, including Benjamin Schroeder, noted in a report that after signals of communication from both sides, the market is closely watching whether this will translate into a substantial de-escalation path. However, given the damage already caused, how quickly energy supplies can be fully restored remains an open question. (Jinshi)