•The dollar consolidated overnight losses on Friday and is set for its biggest weekly drop in 10 months as the threat of a U.S. government shutdown and lower bond yields on the back of concerns of slowing economic growth weigh.
“I think the markets are focusing more now on U.S. economy-specific risk rather than global
• Against a basket of its rivals, the dollar was broadly steady at 96.69 but is set to fall 1.2 percent for the week, its biggest weekly drop since mid-February.
The dollar received little support from the bond markets, with yields on 10-year U.S. Treasury debt settling at 2.80 percent, well below a more than
• Some liquidation of long dollar positions, one of the most crowded trades in global markets, was also evident a day after the Federal Reserve raised policy rates and delivered an outlook that was less dovish than traders had anticipated.
The safe-haven Japanese yen benefited from the nervous sentiment, strengthening 0.08 percent against the dollar to 111.37 yen.
Adding to pressure on the dollar was news that U.S. President Donald Trump has refused to sign legislation to fund the U.S. government unless he got money for a border wall, risking a partial federal shutdown on Saturday.
The euro was 0.59 percent higher at $1.1376, just below a 1-1/2-month peak of $1.1486 the previous day. It was headed for a 1.4 percent gain on the week.
The pound gained 0.21 percent to $1.2628.
• The advisers of President Donald Trump have discussed in recent days arranging a meeting between him and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell in the coming weeks, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing a source.
Trump has recently been critical of the Fed for raising borrowing costs this year, especially as U.S. stocks have tumbled and yields on U.S. government debt have begun to signal a possible recession ahead.
• U.S. President Donald Trump has privately discussed the possibility of firing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, a move that could roil already volatile financial markets, two sources familiar with
• U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Saturday that President Donald Trump told him he had “never suggested firing” the chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve.
Mnuchin said in a tweet that Trump had told him that he “never suggested firing” Fed Chairman Jerome Powell. Trump also told Mnuchin he did not believe he had the right to fire Powell.
• A partial U.S. government shutdown was almost certain to drag through the Christmas holiday after the Senate adjourned on Saturday without breaking an impasse over President Donald Trump’s demand for more funds for a border wall.
With no deal in sight on a bill to fund the government, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell sent senators home until Thursday. While he said he would call them back if a deal was struck, the decision all but guaranteed a partial shutdown would stretch at least until then.
• U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday said he was replacing Defense Secretary Jim Mattis two months earlier than had been expected,
• The Italian government won a grueling vote of confidence on its 2019 budget in the upper house in the early hours of Sunday, as it races to get the package approved before a year-end deadline.
• Oil prices extended this week's sell-off on Friday, posting the worst weekly performance in nearly three years, as global oversupply kept buyers away from the market ahead of the long festive break.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil ended Friday's session down 29 cents at $45.59, the lowest closing price since January 2016. WTI earlier fell to $45.13, its lowest intraday price since mid-July 2017.
Brent crude was down 40 cents at $53.95 per barrel by 2:30 p.m. ET, bouncing from the session's 15½-month low at $52.79. Brent was on pace for a decline of more than 10 percent for the week.
• OPEC and allied oil producers are ready to hold an extraordinary meeting and will do what is needed if the current cut in oil output by 1.2 million barrels per day does not balance the market next year, the United Arab Emirates’ energy minister said on Sunday.
Reference: CNBC, Reuters