- US equity futures, Asian stocks, and crude oil fell amid concerns about more omicron-induced curbs, as well as a setback for President Biden's economic agenda, prompting Goldman Sachs to lower its forecast for US growth.
- The asia-pacific equity index of MSCI was on track to fall for the sixth time in seven sessions. Treasury yields fell, gold rose, and the dollar maintained its gains from Friday amid a cautious mood.
- Traders were assessing the latest remarks from US Democrat Senator Manchin who left Democrats with few options for reviving Biden's agenda after rejecting the roughly $2trln tax-and-spending package. Following the senator's move, Goldman economists reduced their forecasts for US economic growth.
- New omicron-related lockdowns in parts of Europe are also unsettling investors and weighing on risk sentiment.
- For the first time in 20 months, banks in China lowered the one-year loan prime rate, a key benchmark of borrowing costs. In the midst of a property sector crackdown that is weighing on economic growth, calls for easing have grown.
