US DATA: The Chicago Fed reports its Financial Conditions Index was
-0.27 in the week ended Jan 13 versus -0.18 in the prior week. The move
last week represents the indexes fifth consecutive weekly decrease. The
Chicago Fed said the NFCI shows a reversal of much of the tightening in
financial conditions that occurred in September and October of 2011.
However, it remains almost 0.3 standard deviations above its level from
six months ago.