Latest data released by CBI – 19 February 2021
The CBI readings are a survey on manufacturers to rate the level of volume for orders expected during the next 3 months.

Bloomberg reports on the matter
The report says that China is conducting a review of its rare earth policy and looking into possibly banning the export of rare earth technology to countries or companies it deems as a threat to state security, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Gold keeps lower by 0.3% but off the lows earlier in the day
That might just be the story for gold as it fails to catch a respite even as the dollar has slumped by quite a bit in European morning trade.

AUD/USD climbs to a high of 0.7837, its highest level since March 2018
The dollar is slumping further across the board and that is helping to lift AUD/USD to its highest levels in almost three years as the pair looks to break resistance at around 0.7800-20 and keep a break towards 0.8000 potentially next.

Latest data released by Markit/CIPS – 19 February 2021
That is surely a welcome development as it keeps the already more optimistic focal points of the market i.e. vaccine rollout and BOE not rushing into negative rates, in an even better spot as we navigate through Q1 this year. Markit notes that: