In the currency markets, mixed market sentiments have cast a shadow Australian and New Zealand Dollar, making them a tad softer. Swiss Franc seems eager to further its selloff from last week. Meanwhile, both Dollar and Euro, along with Canadian Dollar, show signs of firmness. British Pound is making an attempt at a comeback, but the momentum remains tepid. Meanwhile, the Yen is leaning on the softer end of the spectrum. As the week progresses, eyes will be keenly set on inflation data releases from Australia, Eurozone, and US, potentially guiding the subsequent moves in currency markets.
Asian equities witnessed an upswing today, buoyed by China's announcement of several initiatives aimed at enticing investors back into the market. Among these measures, the decision to trim the stamp duty on stock transactions and a more gradual roll-out of initial public offerings captured investors' attention. Adding to the positive sentiment was the unexpected move by regulators to impose restrictions on share sales by major stakeholders of companies whose share prices have plunged below IPO or net asset values. Additionally, regulators have tweaked the margin ratios for leveraged trades, a move that took many by surprise.
On the currency front, major currency pairs and crosses are bounded within Friday's range for now, with the market awaiting the next move. Releases of PMI data from Eurozone and UK might trigger some volatility today. However, traders' primary focus will undeniably be the upcoming high-profile events - FOMC and ECB interest rate decisions - set to unfold later this week, along with several key economic data releases.
The financial markets are rather steady in Asian session today, showing little reaction to the brief "uprising" in Russia. Major indexes generally traded in tight range, with the exception of China which is just catching up the holidays on Thursday and Friday. In the currency markets, Aussie is the worst performer for now, followed by Kiwi by a distant. Yen is the stronger one, followed by Canadian. But overall, other than a few Aussie pairs, major pairs and crosses are bounded inside Friday's range.