In Asian Equity Markets Japan’s Nikkei share average ended lower in choppy trade on Friday, while mining shares and financial firms under-performed the market. The Nikkei closed 0.2 percent down at 23,631.88, after oscillating in and out of positive terrain in early trade. For the week, the Nikkei declined 0.7 percent. Bucking the declines, Fujitsu Ltd ended 1.2 percent higher after it said it was in talks about selling its mobile phone business to investment fund Polaris Capital Group, a deal that local media reported could fetch up to 50 billion yen ($456 million). Mining stocks lost ground, with Inpex Corp sliding 1.9 percent and Japan Petroleum Exploration declining 2.1 percent. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group closed 1.5 percent lower, Dai-ichi Life Holdings ended 1.6 percent down and Nomura Holdings closed down 1.0 percent.

In Currency Markets the US dollar traded above its recent lows against major rivals on Friday, having bounced after U.S. President Donald Trump said he wanted a “strong dollar”, contradicting earlier comments made by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Trump told CNBC in an interview in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday that he ultimately wants the dollar to be strong, adding that Mnuchin’s comments had been misinterpreted. Against a basket of six major currencies, the dollar last traded at 89.176, staying above a three-year low of roughly around 88.43 set this week. The dollar index has fell more than 3 percent so far in January. The euro last traded at $1.2424, up 0.2 percent on the day but down from Thursday’s high of $1.2538. Against the yen, the dollar held steady at 109.42 yen, staying above a four-month low of 108.50 yen struck on Thursday.

In Commodities Markets oil prices fell on Friday ahead of the end of the peak-demand winter season in the northern hemisphere, although ongoing supply cuts and the weakening dollar offered broad support to the market. Brent crude futures were at $70.22 per barrel down 0.3 percent, from their last close. Brent the previous day marked its highest since December, 2014 at $71.28. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $65.38 a barrel, down 0.2 percent from their previous close. WTI also touched its highest since December, 2014 in the last session at $66.66. Gold prices rose on Friday, after falling from 1-1/2-year highs in the previous session, as the dollar remained weak despite U.S. President Donald Trump backing a stronger currency. The metal has gained 1.5 percent so far this week.

In US Equity Markets the Dow and S&P 500 closed at their highest levels ever on Thursday although indexes relinquished bigger gains after President Donald Trump said he wants a strong dollar. Biogen Inc jumped 2.09 percent after the drug-maker reported fourth-quarter revenue that beat estimates on higher sales of recently launched drug Spinraza. The rise lifted the S&P healthcare sector 0.89 percent as one of the best-performing S&P groups. Shares of Caterpillar Inc fell as much as 3.5 percent and rose as much as 2.8 percent in the wake of its quarterly earnings. The stock ended 0.61 percent higher. The Dow rose 0.54 percent to end at 26,392.79, its highest close ever. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite were both flat for the day. In extended trade, Intel rose 2.45 percent after the chip-maker reported its quarterly results.

In Bond Markets U.S. Treasury debt prices rose on Thursday, boosted by solid demand for 7-year notes and comments from President Donald Trump saying he wants a strong dollar, contradicting comments by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin a day earlier. Benchmark U.S. 10-year note yields fell to 2.626 percent, down from Wednesday’s 2.654 percent. U.S. 30-year bond yields also fell to 2.888 percent , down from 2.937 percent late on Wednesday. Treasury prices were also helped by strong demand for U.S. 7-year notes in an auction. The note picked up a yield of 2.565 percent, the strongest level since April 2011. The yield also came in well below the expected 2.577 at the bid deadline. After the auction, U.S. 7-year note yields fell to 2.551 percent, down from 2.579 percent on Wednesday.

Today’s inflection points

• 10:00 GMT+1 EUR Money supply (M3)
• 11:00 GMT+1 EUR ECB’s Coeure speaks in Frankfurt
• 14:30 GMT+1 CAD CPI
• 14:30 GMT+1 USD GDP, 1st release
• 14:30 GMT+1 USD PCE core, preliminary
• 14:30 GMT+1 USD Core capital goods orders, preliminary