Headlines:
- Commodity currencies hold lower as risk stays more defensive on the day
- Oil looks to be faltering at the final hurdle this week
- UK December retail sales -3.7% vs -0.6% m/m expected
- China premier Li says will not resort to flood-like stimulus
- PBOC calls on lenders to extend more credit to companies, households
- Fitch downgrades China Aoyuan Group to 'Restricted Default'
Markets:
- CHF leads, NZD lags on the day
- European equities lower; S&P 500 futures down 0.4%
- US 10-year yields down 4 bps to 1.79%
- Gold down 0.3% to $1,833.00
- WTI down 1.8% to $83.98
- Bitcoin down 6.0% to $38,826
It was a quiet session but one filled with uneasiness as equities stayed on the retreat after yesterday's drop.
A classic case of risk aversion is reverberating across markets as stocks fall and bonds are bid, while in FX the yen and franc are notable gainers in European morning trade.
USD/JPY kept around 113.80-90 for the most part, with large expiries perhaps anchoring price action a little. But USD/CHF fell from 0.9150 to 0.9120 as the franc was bid on the session.
Meanwhile, USD/CAD kept above its 200-day moving average at around 1.2520-30 levels while AUD/USD stuck around 0.7180-90 levels as commodity currencies were pressured throughout.
Elsewhere, oil is also seemingly stumbling at the final hurdle this week as it is dragged down by 2% to below $84. Bitcoin is another notable loser as price plunges 6% in a fall below $40,000 to its lowest since August last year.
