AUD/USD down 0.6% on the day to 0.7236 currently
The downside push in the pair is continuing as sellers keep near-term control and the latest risk aversion episode in European trading is helping to exacerbate the momentum.

EUR/CHF breaks critical support in fall to its lowest since July 2015
If there is one central bank that is going to be least satisfied with today’s moves, it has to be the SNB as we see EUR/CHF fall past key support at 1.0500 in European trading.

Nasdaq futures hit record highs
The earlier declines from the lockdown fears in Europe are being pared a little with the Stoxx 600 index now seen up by 0.1% again. There is still plenty of push and pull ongoing but pandemic fears in general are bringing back one of the market’s favourite bets last year i.e.

US futures also trim gains from earlier in the day
The Stoxx 600 has erased gains and we’re even seeing the likes of the DAX fall by 0.1% on teh day now as Austria’s lockdown and German health minister Spahn refusing to rule out a return to lockdown in Germany weigh on sentiment in markets.

USD/JPY plunges from 114.50 to a low of 113.90 on the day
We’re starting to see a classic case of risk aversion sweep across markets as European indices have erased gains on the day while in FX, the dollar and yen are broadly bid with bond yields tumbling across the board as well.

US futures have gradually inched higher in European trading
That is keeping the overall risk mood in a better spot going into the session ahead, following a bit of a light setback in trading yesterday.

The kiwi was bolstered by stronger NZ inflation expectations earlier today
The report earlier pretty much seals the deal for a rate hike by the RBNZ next week as the kiwi is staying buoyed so far on the day.

Remarks by the PBOC on the Chinese yuan
Here is a look at the offshore yuan, largely keeping in between 6.35 to 6.50 since:

OECD lifts French 2021 growth projection to 6.8% from 6.3% previously
Meanwhile, it also raises the 2022 growth projection to 4.2% from 4.0% previously, noting that consumer spending has bounced back robustly on the vaccination campaign.

ECB to bolster support for more QE next month, says HSBC
The firm argues that the surge in inflation pressures in the euro area isn’t going to deter the ECB from sticking with its easy stance, despite estimates of annual inflation hitting an all-time high of 4.5% in November, according to HSBC’s senior economist.