Todays Markets

Bloomberg: Stock Slump Resumes in Asia; Pound Drops, Oil Up: Markets Wrap
A rebound in global equities Friday saw no traction at the start of the week, with markets in Asia dropping on Monday. The pound slipped as a Brexit deal hung in the balance with just days to go until a critical deadline. [more...]

Bloomberg: Saudis Vow to Hit Back Against Any Measures Over Khashoggi
Saudi Arabia threatened on Sunday to use its economic clout to retaliate against any punitive measures, hitting back after U.S. President Donald Trump said he could take action against the world’s largest oil-exporter over the disappearance of a government critic. [more...]

Bloomberg: Saudi Stocks Sink as Tension With U.S. Escalates Over Khashoggi
Saudi Arabian equities slumped on concern the nation’s relationship with the U.S. may sour over the disappearance of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. [more...]

Bloomberg: U.S. Yield-Curve Steepening May Already Be Over
The brief steepening of the U.S. yield curve may have already run its course, according to UniCredit SpA. Investors would need to make “quite aggressive” assumptions on the level of future interest rates for the Treasury yield curve to enter into a protracted period. [more...]

Bloomberg: JPMorgan's Dimon Is Latest to Shun Saudi Investment Conference
Jamie Dimon became the latest corporate leader to drop out of Saudi Arabia’s “Davos in the Desert” event in the wake of the mysterious disappearance of a prominent government critic in Turkey. [more...]

Bloomberg: Macedonia Heads for Make-or-Break Name Vote or Snap Elections
The Republic of Macedonia’s parliament is facing a vote that will either approve a deal that will open the way to NATO and European Union entry or trigger an early election. [more...]

Bloomberg: Tremors Rattling World Economy: Takeaways From IMF Talks in Bali
Woken one night by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake at the IMF annual meetings in Bali, global finance chiefs spent the week assessing the tremors now rippling through the world economy. [more...]

Bloomberg: Pound Falls After Brexit Negotiations Hit Stumbling Blocks
The pound fell in early Sydney trading after a weekend of intense talks failed to produce a Brexit deal that some market participants thought could be announced as early as this week. [more...]

Reuters: Asian shares resume decline, Saudi tensions lift oil prices
Asian shares slipped on Monday as worries over Sino-U.S. trade disputes, a possible slowdown in the Chinese economy and higher U.S. borrowing costs tempered optimism despite a rebound in global equities late last week. [more...]

Reuters: Higher U.S. tariffs on Japanese cars less likely, trade war posing risk: Reuters poll
Higher U.S. tariffs on Japanese car exports are less likely now the two nations agreed to start new trade talks, economists said, but most think U.S. trade friction with China and other economies will have a significant impact on Japan. [more...]

CNBC: The case of the missing Saudi journalist is creating major worries around the oil market
As Saudi Arabia pushes back against international pressure that it played a role in the disappearance of a prominent journalist, analysts are warning there could be fallout for global oil markets. [more...]

CNBC: Why international pressure against Saudi Arabia could 'escalate very quickly' and bring pain for everyone else
With Saudi Arabia denying a role in the sudden disappearance of a prominent journalist — and vowing to push back against any effort at international retribution — the chances are growing that the crisis could escalate, and ricochet across the global economy. [more...]