In Asian Equity Markets indices started off the trading week mostly on the back foot as major indexes in South Korea, China, Hong Kong and Singapore fell. The market in Japan is closed for a public holiday. The Shanghai composite fell about 0.49 percent while the Shenzhen component index fell 0.59 percent. In South Korea, the Kospi declined nearly 0.6 percent as tech names in the country declined. Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest smartphone maker, fell 0.62 percent while its chip-making rival SK Hynix declined 4.15 percent.

In Currency Markets the U.S. dollar rose versus the Australian dollar and kiwi dollar, gauges for global risk appetites, as investor sentiment was hurt by trade data increasing concerns China could have a sharp economic slowdown. The data took its toll on the Australian dollar and New Zealand dollar, which both fell more than 0.4 percent. China is Australia’s largest trade partner and negative sentiment about its economy does not bode well for the Aussie dollar. Monday’s risk-off mood led traders to bid up the safe-have yen, which rose 0.4 percent versus the greenback.

In Commodities Markets oil prices fell by almost 1 percent on Monday, with Brent crude falling below $60 per barrel, after Chinese data showed weakening imports and exports in the world’s biggest trading nation and second-largest crude oil consumer. International Brent crude oil futures were at $59.91 per barrel, down 57 cents, or 0.9 percent from their last close. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were down 47 cents, or 0.9 percent, at $51.12 a barrel. China’s December overall exports fell by 4.4 percent from a year earlier, the biggest monthly decline in two years.

In US Equity Markets indices fell slightly on Friday, breaking a five-session rally, as energy shares declined and investors looked ahead to earnings season, which kicks off next week with Citigroup, JPMorgan and other big banks. The S&P 500 index ended down 0.38 points at 2,596.26. For the week, the S&P 500 rose 2.5 percent, the Dow added 2.4 percent and the Nasdaq picked up 3.4 percent. Netflix Inc rose 3.98 percent, bringing its gain in 2019 to 26 percent, helped by analysts’ optimistic forecasts for subscriber growth ahead of its earnings next week.

In Bond Markets U.S. Treasury prices gained on Friday as stocks opened weaker and after data showed a decline in consumer prices during December, while bonds were also helped by the weight of new Treasury supply this week being lifted from the market. Benchmark 10-year notes gained 9/32 in price to yield 2.699 percent, down from 2.731 percent late Thursday. Canadian government bond prices were higher across a flatter yield curve in sympathy with U.S. Treasuries. The 10-year rose 32 Canadian cents to yield 1.948 percent.