The Traderszone Network

U.S. employers likely maintained a fairly strong pace of hiring in December, suggesting that a recent but sharp manufacturing-led slowdown in economic growth would be temporary. Nonfarm payrolls probably increased by 200,000 jobs, just a slight step down from the 211,000 created in November, according to a Reuters survey of economists. The unemployment rate is expected to have held steady at a 7-1/2-year low of 5 percent.

Initial forecasts from the Swiss National Bank now out
– loss on fx positions CHF 20bln
– loss on gold holdings CHF 4bln
– net result from CHF positions +1bln
CHF appreciation since the SNB removed the CHF cap almost a year ago has taken its toll but the initial result is not as bad as some feared which I reported

Crude-oil futures prices made a mild turnaround in Friday but the market remains on edge as fears of more volatility in the Chinese economy are keeping traders cautious.
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Central Bank of Ireland gov and ECB governing council member out on Reuters
– if data flows over next few number of months shows more QE needed then more can be done
Nothing we don’t already know

Here’s what the DTCC have listed for today and Monday
– USDJPY 117.05 (USD 200m) 119.20 (330m)
– EURUSD 1 1.1000 (534m)
– GBPUSD 1.4750 (GBP 240m) 1.4800 (365m)

Risk sentiment improved as China’s stock markets rose after authorities overnight decided to abandon a controversial ‘circuit breaker’ trading tool.
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