Global FX DATA:

• • • ASIAN MARKET
      
      Asian shares fell on Thursday after the U.S. government launched a national security probe into auto imports that could lead to new tariffs, and President Donald Trump’s comments indicated fresh setbacks in U.S.-China trade talks.
       
    • GOLD
      
      Gold prices edged higher for a second session on Thursday as the dollar extended losses after minutes of the latest Federal Reserve meeting hinted at a dovish approach to interest rate hikes in the United States.
       
  • • OIL
      
      Oil prices fell on Thursday on expectations that OPEC members will step up production in the face of worries over supply from both Venezuela and Iran.
       
    • INDIA
      
      Indian billionaire Anil Agarwal often talks about his dream to turn his London-listed company Vedanta Resources into a global resources giant. He has already bought stakes in big mining companies, such as Anglo American Plc and says he plans to spend at least $1 billion on investments in Africa.
       
    • DOLLAR
      
      The dollar lost momentum on Thursday after the double-whammy of dovish-looking minutes of the Federal Reserve’s last policy meeting and the threat by U.S. President Donald Trump of imposing new tariffs on imported cars.
       
    • CRYPTO CURRENCY
      
       Bitcoin prices fell on Thursday amid reports that India is proposing a crypto tax in the form of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

    • US
      
      The U.S. State Department said on Wednesday it has ordered two Venezuelan diplomats to leave the United States within 48 hours, a move that follows Venezuela’s decision to expel two American diplomats.

    • MALAYSIA
      
      Former Malaysian premier Najib Razak, whose near 10-year rule ended two weeks ago, returned to an anti-graft agency on Thursday to resume his explanation for the suspicious transfers of $10.6 million dollars into his bank account.

    • SINGAPORE
      
      Singapore’s economy grew at a slightly faster pace in the first quarter than initially estimated, as factory activity remained robust, while an improvement in global demand prompted the government to upgrade its 2018 growth forecast.

    • CHINA
      
      China’s investments in Germany are in order and favourable to Germans, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People during a two-day visit to China.

    • SYRIA
      
       Syrian state media and a military media unit run by Lebanon’s Hezbollah group said early on Thursday that the U.S.-led coalition targeted Syrian army positions in Syria’s desert, but U.S. military officials denied any knowledge of the strikes.

    • INDONESIA
      
      Indonesian ride-hailing and online payment firm Go-Jek on Thursday said it would enter Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines in the next few months, investing $500 million in its international push.