- Traders awaited crucial inflation data and assessed the economic threat of the omicron strain as US futures gained on Friday.
- After benchmarks ended a three-day rally, futures rose. The Stoxx 600 index in Europe declined. The dollar, treasury yields, and oil prices all went up.
- After chairman Jerome Powell stated the central bank might explore withdrawing assistance at a faster pace, investors are looking to the inflation data and a meeting of the Federal Reserve next week for signals on the pace of tapering and interest rate rises. The consumer price index for November may indicate the greatest inflation rate since 1982.
- Meanwhile, the United States appears to be on the verge of a holiday disaster, as virus cases and hospital admissions rise, while in the UK, thousands of London-based companies are being told to work from home. As the pandemic continues to decimate long-haul travel markets, Hong Kong is prepared to strengthen quarantine laws, and Heathrow Airport indicated passenger numbers are likely to return to just half of pre-covid levels next year.
- BoE Survey: 60% of respondents predicted interest rates to rise during the next year, up from 43% in August.
- France's Europe Affairs Minister Beaune: We will ask the European Commission to announce litigation if the fishing issue is not resolved by this evening.
- According to industry sources, at least two North Asian refiners will receive full Saudi crude allocation in January.
- Japan's PM Kishida: The sales tax rate will not be adjusted for the time being.
