• US indices finished yesterday’s trading lower. S&P 500 dropped 0.46%, Dow Jones declined 0.92% and Russell 2000 slumped 1.23%. Nasdaq gained 0.13%

  • Stocks in Asia traded mixed. Nikkei and S&P/ASX 200 gained, Kospi traded flat while indices from China dropped
  • DAX futures point to a flat opening of the European session
  • United Sales announced the first weapons sale to Taiwan (worth $750 million) since Biden took over as US President. Move risks further deterioration in US-China ties
  • According to Reuters report, Biden consider allowing only fully vaccinated foreigners into the United States
  • Fed Clarida said yesterday that conditions for US rate hike may be met by the end of 2022
  • Fed Bullard said that pick-up in Delta cases should not have a big impact on the economy
  • Fed Daly said that she expects Fed to be able to taper by the end of this year or at the beginning of the next
  • China state media criticized the fact that gaming companies in China enjoy the same tax benefits as software companies while causing people to be addicted to video games. Report called for higher taxation of gaming companies
  • Bitcoin climbed back above $39,000 mark
  • Precious metals trade a touch lower, oil posts minor gains while industrial metals trade mixed
  • AUD and CAD are the best performing major currencies while CHF and JPY lag the most