Yesterday's yet another record high in the S&P500 (as well as Germany's Dax) sparked some initial momentum in Asian markets, but the MSCI Asia Pacific regional index soon cooled off: the Topix in Tokyo, after rising 1,1 % marks (at 14.30 Japanese) a modest +0,1%.
The upward revision of world growth (first by the World Bank and soon by the IMF) is comforting the markets and the dollar has strengthened against both the yen (104,7) and the euro (1,362).
The Australian dollar (which, despite the modest size of the economy, is the fifth most traded currency on the world's foreign exchange markets) slipped sharply to 0,88 against the dollar: jobs decreased in December (against expectations of a modest increase) and expectations for another key rate cut have strengthened.
The price of oil, sensitive to the growth of the real economy, rose to over 94 $/b (WTI – Brent at 106.8). The yellow metal, after the assault on 1250, scores 1241 $/ounce.
