• The dollar struggled to push ahead on Monday, holding near six-month lows against a basket of currencies as investors assessed the impact of U.S. political turmoil and a resurgent euro.
The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six major rivals, inched up 0.1 percent from Friday's late U.S. levels to 97.235. But it was hovering not far from the previous session's 97.080, which was its lowest since Nov. 9.
Against its perceived safe-haven Japanese counterpart, the dollar added 0.2 percent to 111.43 yen, though the latest developments in North Korea did not give the yen much of a lift.
The euro inched down 0.1 percent to $1.196 after rising to a six-month high of $1.212 on Friday.
• North Korea fired a ballistic missile into waters off its east coast on Sunday, its second missile test in a week, which South Korea said dashed the hopes of the South's new liberal government for peace between the neighbors.
• Pyongyang said on Monday it has successfully tested an intermediate-range ballistic missile, indicating further advances in the ability to hit U.S. targets.
• U.S. President Donald Trump called on Arab leaders to do their share to fight "Islamist extremism" on Sunday in a speech that put the burden on the region to combat militant groups while urging unity among religions.
• Japan and other members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreed on Sunday to pursue their trade deal without the United States, as the Trump administration's “America First” policy created tension at a meeting of Asia-Pacific countries.
• Japan's exports rose in April to mark the fifth straight month of gains, an encouraging sign that more robust overseas demand could underpin a steady economic recovery.
Exports rose 7.5 percent in April from a year ago, below the median estimate of 7.8 percent annual growth, finance ministry data showed on Monday. It followed a 12.0 percent rise in March.
Japan's exports are expected to continue rising as global economic growth gains momentum, but concerns about U.S. President Donald Trump's pledges to adopt protectionist trade policies cloud the outlook for export-reliant Japan.
• China's economy will likely expand around 6.8 percent in the second quarter of 2017, the State Information Center said in an article published in the state-owned China Securities Journal on Saturday.
• British Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservatives have retained their lead over the opposition Labour Party ahead of the June 8 election, but with Labour gaining ground, an Orb poll published by the Telegraph showed on Saturday.
The poll showed the Conservatives with 46 percent, the same level of support versus one week ago, while Labour rose to 34 percent, up 2 percentage points, the Telegraph said.
• Euro zone finance ministers and the International Monetary Fund will seek a deal on Monday on Greek debt relief that balances the IMF's demand for a clear "when and how" with Germany's preference for "only if necessary" and "details later".
• Oil prices rose on Friday, closing out a second week of gains on growing expectations that OPEC and other producing countries will agree next week to extend output cuts.
Brent crude LCOc1 settled up $1.10, or 2.1 percent, at $53.61, the highest settlement for the international benchmark since April 18. U.S. benchmark crude oil CLc1 rose 98 cents to $50.33, the highest close since April 19.
U.S. crude gained 5.2 percent for the week, while Brent rose 5.4 percent.
• OPEC and other oil producers are on course to agree an extension of supply cuts at a meeting on Thursday, with Saudi Arabia saying most participants are on board with the plan to rein in a global supply glut.
Reference: Reuters