- US indices finished yesterday's session higher. The Dow Jones climbed 1.1%, S&P 500 jumped 1.3% and Nasdaq gained 1.3%.
- Positive moods prevail in the Asian markets today. Nikkei rose 0.14%, Kospi added 0.40% and Hang Seng gain 0.86%. S&P/ASX 200 added 0.8%.
- DAX futures point to a slightly lower opening of the European session
- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday invited congressional leaders to discuss government funding and coronavirus relief bill
- Republicans leaders McConnell, McCarthy and Democrat Schumer are all saying they believe an agreement is reachable and that talks are making good progress.
- Australian government reportedly urged Beijing to clarify reports of import restrictions on Australian coal, adding any restriction would breach the WTO rules.
- China has further reduced the number of negative list for investment to 123 from 131 sectors previously. Foreign companies are now allowed to explore for, and produce, oil and gas in China, while the restriction on foreign firms seeking to carry out carbon emission assessment was also lifted, according to Reuters.
- API data showed a surprise crude oil inventory build of 1.97 million barrels in the US.
- Japan Services PMI fell to a three month low of 47.2 in December from a final 47.8 in the prior month, flash data showed, while Manufacturing PMI rose to 49.7 in December from a final 49.0 a month earlier, preliminary data showed.
- The IHS Markit Manufacturing PMI in Australia rose to 56 in December from 55.8 in November and Services PMI increased to 57.4 in December from 55.1 in November.
- Irish PM Martin hopes that we will have clarity on Brexit trade deal by the weekend
- BOC Gov. Macklem said, that Q4 Canada GDP will be greater than 1%
- NZD and GBP are leaders among major currencies while CAD and USD lag the most
Over 587 thousand new coronavirus cases were reported yesterday. Source: worldometers, XTB
