• ECB’s Stark: EU will not save Greece – Italian newspaper interview
  • Shanghai share index down 0.8%
  • German EconMin: Germany must remain anchor for euro stability
  • China CBank: Will maintain basically stable yuan
  • Euro zone December services PMI (final) revised down to 53.6 from flash estimate of 53.7. But still 25-month high
  • UK December services PMI 56.8, marginally above median forecast of 56.6
  • Fitch: Central/Eastern European banking systems remain sensitive to event risk
  • Euro zone November producer prices +0.1% m/m, -4.4% vs median forecasts +0.2%, -4.5% respectively
  • Euro zone October industrial orders -2.2% m/m, -14.5% y/y, weaker than median forecasts of -1.1%, -11.6% respectively
  • Japan PM Hatoyama: Accepts letter of resignation from Fujii. Kan new finance minister
  • France’s Sarkozy: EURO/DOLLAR disparity is a “considerable problem.” He cannot rule out companies moving activities to dollar regions to keep market share
  • Japan’s Sengoku: Must come up with fiscal reform scheme after 2010/11

Active morning session. Lot of huffing and puffing for not too much change. Main feature is probably yen weakness.

EUR/USD sits at 1.4357, almost where it started out the morning. Inbetween its been as low as 1.4285 and as high as 1.4382. The pairing sat around 1.4350 when comments made by ECB’s Stark, that the EU will not save Greece, hit the wires. We saw a violent knee-jerk sell-off which got us to the session low pretty darn quick.

Reports soon came in that the BIS and an ACB were buying under 1.4300 and there was also talk of various “sovereigns” lying in wait down at 1.4280. We popped quickly back over 1.4300 and then came reports the BIS was still buying above 1.4300. Another Swiss name was a noted buyer around 1.4340 and we eventually got as high as 1.4382 before settling back.

USD/JPY has had a much more straight forward day. Started firmer around 92.05, with Japanese securities houses notable buyers during Asian session. Went up to a session high 92.50 in fairly orderly fashion, where it duly ran into Japanese exporter sell orders which have so far capped the rally. Stops said to be gathering around 92.60.

EUR/JPY is up at 132.75 from an early 132.15.

Fujii has officially gone as Japanese finance minister and there are worries that losing his experienced hand on the tiller could lead to even greater fiscal indiscipline. Elsewhere media reports are saying that Development Bank of Japan (biggest creditor) and Japanese finance ministry favour bankruptcy proceeedings to restructure JAL.

Cable sits at 1.5985, marginally firmer from an early 1.5955, but well off session high 1.6064. It was interesting to see comments from Goldman’s Jim O’Neil in an interview with Dow Jones. He feels concerns over UK and US sovereign credit ratings are overdone. He also says one of his favourite trades for 2010 is being long GBP/JPY. The cross has had a good morning, presently up at 147.75 from an early 146.90.