Asian stock markets are in retreat mode as USD swings into further strength going into tonight’s trading session. Bitcoin has matched its previous week high at above the $38K level as momentum picks up on the four hourly and daily charts:
Gold however alongside silver is breaking down, losing more than $15USD per ounce so far and making a new monthly low:
The Shanghai Composite is down exactly 1% going into the close, crossing back below the 3500 point barrier while in Hong Kong the Hang Seng Index is down over 1.2% to be at 28953 points. Japanese markets are doing exactly the same, with the Nikkei 225 taking back its previous gains to finish 1% lower at 28352 points with the USDJPY pair finding a bit more life as it sailed into a stall pattern overnight, now knocking back resistance at the 105 handle:
The ASX200 was the best off relatively speaking, down only 0.8% to finish at 6765 points with the Australian dollar still just above the 76 handle after putting in a very small blip higher that has now retraced, leaving the Pacific Peso still in a weak state:
Eurostoxx and S&P futures are falling in kind with Asia markets, with the four hourly chart of the S&P500 showing a 1% drop back down to the 3800 point level after stalling overnight:
The economic calendar is US centric, with weekly initial jobless claims and factory orders for December.