Fresh turbulence in U.S. banks and debt ceiling woes in Washington suggest recent stability in world markets will most certainly be put to the test in May.
Meetings at the U.S. Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and Australia's central bank top the agenda, while megacap Apple brings the U.S. earnings season to an end, as markets work through fresh banking tremors.
Investors are gearing up for a busy week ahead, when the bulk of the S&P 500 components report earnings, the dollar could see if it's regained any forex-appeal and the Bank of Japan's new governor chairs his first policy meeting.
The highest-ranking members of the Chinese Communist Party will gather in the coming days and are set to green-light another term for President Xi Jinping.
With a UN warning that "the clock is ticking loudly" ringing in their ears, governments attending the COP26 talks in Scotland will try to agree emissions cuts to cap global warming and avert a climate catastrophe.