Headlines:

Markets:

  • NZD leads, JPY lags on the day
  • European equities mixed; S&P 500 futures up 0.5%
  • US 10-year yields flat at 1.974%
  • Gold down 0.4% to $1,890.60
  • WTI down 2.1% to $89.82
  • Bitcoin down 0.6% to $40,440

A meeting for late next week was set up between Blinken and Lavrov, and that helped to lift risk sentiment coming into Europe.

The more optimistic mood persisted though risk trades are still nursing off losses from yesterday for the most part. Equities are lightly higher but the aussie and kiwi continue to show much resilence, pushing higher on the day.

A remark by Ukraine's defence minister that any large-scale escalation with Russia has a low probability also helped to spur a more positive risk appetite on the session.

The dollar and yen are among the laggards with USD/JPY itself keeping around 115.10-20 levels for the most part.

Meanwhile, AUD/USD pushed up from 0.7200 to 0.7227 before gains eased a touch with AUD/JPY climbing from 83.00 to 83.32 and contesting daily trendline resistance @ 83.13. NZD/USD is also searching for a fresh daily break above 0.6700 so that is one to watch with the 10 February high @ 0.6733 in focus as well.

Looking over to stocks, European indices are mixed while US futures are pointing higher though gains are rather measured. S&P 500 futures are up 0.5% and isn't really running away to recoup the plunge from yesterday.

In the commodities space, gold is down slightly as sentiment improves but holding around $1,890 still. Elsewhere, oil is down by over 2% to below $90 as an Iran nuclear deal draws closer and as Russia-Ukraine tensions ease somewhat.