GBP/USD fell nearly 20 points in the short term to 1.2441.

Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC): A strike by Nigerian Exxon oil workers has been called off.

UK ASLEF union: Reject ludicrous wage proposals and set more strike dates.

Polish Central Bank member Duda: Inflation will slow, but it is too early to discuss potential interest rate cuts.

Kremlin: Every expulsion of a diplomat reduces the room for diplomacy, and Russia will respond in kind.

Regarding the expulsion of Russian diplomats from Europe, the Kremlin said: Relations between the two countries are at the lowest possible level.

Kremlin: Putin to hold phone talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan later on Thursday.

Kremlin: The stated goals in Ukraine still need to be met.

The financial website Forexlive commented on the final value of the consumer confidence index in the euro zone in April: it is consistent with the situation reflected by the PMI, that is, the confidence in the service industry is picking up, while the confidence in the manufacturing industry is weakening. Overall, this at least gives the ECB some room to stick to its existing policy stance.

The service industry sentiment index in the euro zone in April was 10.5, expected to be 9.4, and the previous value was 9.4.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg: Ukraine now has the military capabilities needed to take back the territory.

NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg: NATO allies have delivered almost all the combat vehicles promised to Ukraine.

CNOOC: The total production in the first quarter was 163.9 million barrels of oil equivalent, an increase of 8.6% year-on-year.

South Korea will issue 15 trillion won of government bonds in May.

Norges Bank: Banks expect household financing costs and lending rates to rise in the second quarter.

The BOK plans to issue 14 trillion won of currency stabilization bonds in May.

Norges Bank: Bank expects business demand to fall in second quarter.