Morning Wrap (18.01.2024)

Indexes in the Asia-Pacific region are experiencing a mixed session. Chinese indexes are slightly rebounding from recent deeper losses, gaining 0.50-0.60%. Japan's Nikkei 225 is trading with little change, South Korea's Kospi is up 0.40%, and Australia's S&P ASX 200 is down 0.15%.

In the first part of today's forex market session, there are no significant changes. The session is calm, with most currency pairs limiting changes to a range of -0.20 to 0.10%.

The euro is among the stronger currencies, while the U.S. dollar (USD) is among the weaker ones. The EURUSD pair is up 0.20% today, returning above 1.09%.

Pakistan has begun retaliatory missile attacks on separatist militant hideouts in Iran, two days after an Iranian attack that exacerbated relations between the two countries.

Taiwan's Ministry of Defense reported detecting 18 Chinese military aircraft operating around Taiwan and conducting "joint combat readiness patrols" with Chinese warships on Wednesday, marking the first large-scale military activity since Taiwan's elections.

Australian labor market data came out slightly worse than expected. Although the unemployment rate matched consensus, employment change and labor market participation were weaker. Detailed labor market data for December:

• Employment Change: current -65.1K; forecast 17.6K; previously 72.6K;
• Full-Time Employment Change: current -106.6K; previously 57.0K;
• Unemployment Rate: current 3.9%; forecast 3.9%; previously 3.9%;
• Labor Market Participation: current 66.8%; forecast 67.1%; previously 67.3%;

Japan's industrial production for November met analysts' expectations:

• Capacity Utilization: current 0.3% month-over-month; previously 1.5% month-over-month;
• Industrial Production: current -0.9% month-over-month; forecast -0.9% month-over-month; previously 1.3% month-over-month;

Gold rebounds 0.30% to $2012 per ounce after testing the psychological levels of $2000 per ounce yesterday.

Low volatility continues in the cryptocurrency market. Bitcoin is trading with little change below $43000.