2016 Highlights

Politics, economics and markets were all turned on their head in 2016, and investors are looking ahead to 2017 following a turbulent year. Highlights: The Panama Papers, Diesel Gate settlement , Greek debt relief, Megabrew, the EU's tax crackdown, sale of Yahoo , nuclear test and impeachment in Korea, Pokemon Go, Twitter  takeover rumors, Brexit and sterling's plunge, the Italian referendum, panic at Deutsche Bank  and Monte dei Paschi , OPEC's output deal, and following Donald Trump's election - a Fed rate hike, the dollar's surge and soaring treasury yields. The Dow, S&P and Nasdaq also partied like it was 1999 - the three markets all closed at historic highs for the first time in 17 years.

China ceeded as number one Creditor following decline in holdings of US treasury.

Japan has overtaken China as the biggest holder of U.S. government bonds, as figures for foreign ownership of U.S. Treasurys in October show that China's holdings declined to the lowest in more than six years as its central bank used its foreign exchange reserves to support the yuan. Japan's Treasury holdings also decreased but at a slower pace; Japan trimmed $4.5B of U.S. paper to end the month with $1.131T, while China's holdings plunged by $41.3B to $1.115T, the lowest level since July 2010 and capping a decline of five straight months. China has been dipping into its reserves, selling Treasurys to support the yuan, which yesterday fell to its weakest level vs. the U.S. dollar in more than eight years.

Global Currency Market recover against dollar

Global Market stable overnight, and the euro, yen and pound all recover a bit of ground against the dollar, as the greenback surged to 14-year highs vs. the euro and a broader basket of currencies yesterday as markets repositioned for a faster pace of Fed rate hikes over the next year. The yen has plunged 11% vs. the dollar since Pres.-elect Trump's election victory last month, surpassing the Mexican peso's 10% slide to become the worst performing major currency during the period. The weaker yen will make Japan’s exports more competitive and could boost growth, and the Nikkei index has gained for eight straight days, but bond prices have been under pressure amid a global debt selloff. In China, fears that a rising dollar will destabilize trading in the yuan has sent the currency to its lowest against the dollar in more than eight years and raised concerns that outflows could increase

Fed Outlook on rate hike?

The yield on 10 year Treasury Note is above 2.5% for the first time since October 2014, as investors eye a key Federal Reserve meeting which begins tommorow. The next notable yield is 3%, last hit in 2013. In equities: U.S. stocks are at all-time highs, with the Dow in striking distance of 20,000, but futures are sliding lower to start the week. Will expectations of a Fed rate hike put a dent in the Trump rally?

Fed Outlook on rate hike?

The yield on 10 year Treasury Note is above 2.5% for the first time since October 2014, as investors eye a key Federal Reserve meeting which begins tommorow. The next notable yield is 3%, last hit in 2013. In equities: U.S. stocks are at all-time highs, with the Dow in striking distance of 20,000, but futures are sliding lower to start the week. Will expectations of a Fed rate hike put a dent in the Trump rally?