The first weeks of May are normally when spring begins. With holidays in many countries and the sun out, activity on the financial markets normally declines. Investors have a saying: Sell in May and go away! However, this year, things were different. While holidays were still taken and spring arrived, the financial markets were driven by rounds of stimulation. The European Central Bank (ECB) lowered interest rates by another 0.25 %, which aided the stock markets in Europe, and in Japan a new round of money supply to fight deflation sent the Nikkei index rocketing and the yen falling.

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