Slow start to week in Asia. USD, JPY are very marginally weaker EUR/USD up at 1.4230 from a North American close Friday around 1.4205, while EUR/JPY is up at 134.95 from around 134.60.
Risk sentiment remains in pretty good shape, Asian stockmarkets posting nice gains.
Sentiment will have gotten a boost from news South Korean consumer sentiment for July rose to 109, highest read since 2002.
Despite this, EUR/JPY continues to struggle to hold above 1.4250 and USD/JPY above 95.00, recent reports of China selling North of said levels an ongoing inhibiting factor.
UK’s hometrack has reported house prices flat for the third consecutive month in July . The year on year decline slowed to -7.7% from previous 8.7%. Hometrack believes a broad-based recovery is still a long way off, rising unemployment and shortage of mortgages continuing to weigh.
US, China hold a strategic and economic dialogue in Washington Monday, Tuesday. Expectations China will confirm commitment/desire to continue buying U.S. treasuries.
Not too much to get excited about on the European data front today;
06:00 GMT: German import price index June expected +0.6% m/m. -11.0% y/y
06:10 GMT: German Gfk consumer confidence August expected 2.9
08:00 GMT: Euro zone M3 money supply s.a June (3m) expected 4.0%, 3.5% y/y
