Global FX DATA:

• • • ASIAN MARKET
      
      Asian stocks tumbled to two-month lows on Friday after Wall Street shares suffered yet another big slide in the face of rapidly-rising bond yields, with perceived havens such as the yen and Swiss franc in demand amid the turmoil.
       
    • GOLD
      
      Gold held steady on Friday amid tumbling equity markets, but a firmer dollar and worries about rising global interest rates dragged on prices.
       
  • • OIL
      
       Oil prices fell for a sixth day on Friday after Iran announced plans to boost production and U.S. crude output hit record highs, adding to concerns about a sharp rise in global supplies.
       
    • NORTH KOREA
      
      North Korea’s ceremonial leader and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence are set for their first face-to-face encounter on Friday when they attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
       
    • DOLLAR
      
       The dollar hovered above its recent lows against major rivals on Thursday, benefiting from the euro’s weakness and higher U.S. yields but capped by concerns about recent equity market volatility.
       
    • CRYPTOCURRENCY
      
      Digital currency bitcoin fell more than 15 percent  to a nearly three-month low amid a slew of concerns ranging from a global regulatory clampdown to a ban on using credit cards to buy bitcoin by British and U.S. banks.
       
    • WASHINGTON
      
      President Donald Trump’s budget proposal to be unveiled on Monday will include a request for $3 billion as a down payment on building a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, a senior administration official said on Thursday.

    • SYRIA
      
      Two British Islamic State militants known for their role in the torture and killings of Western hostages were captured by Syrian Kurdish fighters.The men were the last of a group of four militants known as the “Beatles,” for their English accents, to remain at large.

    • CHINA
      
      Chinese ride hailing giant Didi Chuxing said it will set up a venture with SoftBank Group Corp to provide ride-hailing and other services for the Japanese taxi industry.

    • NEW YORK
      
      About a half dozen tankers carrying diesel from the Middle East and India are making rare journeys to New York, including the first cargo from Qatar in two years, as shippers take advantage of recent three-year highs for U.S. diesel prices.
       

    • JAPAN
      
      Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, speaking before leaving for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, said on Friday he wanted to convey to the world that cooperation among the United States, Japan and South Korea on the North Korean threat remained firm.

    • NEWZEALAND
      
      Analysts have lifted their forecasts for the Australian and New Zealand dollars, although the antipodean currencies still seem set for a remarkably dull year despite raging volatility in global markets recently.
       

    • SOUTH KOREA
      
      South Korea is considering several options regarding General Motors Co's operations in the country, the finance minister said on Friday after the U.S. automaker called for cooperation over its restructuring efforts.

    • MEXICO
      
      Mexico's telecommunications regulator, IFT, said on Thursday that any operator could participate in a spectrum auction this year, opening the door for billionaire Carlos Slim's America Movil to bid.
       

    • US
      
      U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Thursday called a thwarted attack on U.S. and U.S.-backed forces in Syria overnight “perplexing,” saying he had no idea what motivated pro-Syrian government forces to attempt the coordinated strike.