Global FX DATA:

• • • ASIAN MARKET

      Shares in Asia inched higher on Friday, following gains on Wall Street overnight after news of robust U.S. economic growth, with the chairman of the Federal Reserve saying the United States does not face a large chance of near-term recession.
       
    • GOLD
      
      
      Gold prices inched up on Friday but held near six-week lows hit in the previous session, as the dollar firmed after upbeat U.S. economic data supported the Federal Reserve's resolve for steady interest rate hikes over the next year.
       
  • • OIL
      
      Oil prices inched up on Friday, with investors trying to gauge the potential impact on supply from looming U.S. sanctions on Iran's crude exports.
       
    • DOLLAR
      
      The dollar was in fine fettle against its peers on Friday, advancing to a nine-month high versus the yen, after data reinforced upbeat views about the U.S. economy and backed the Federal Reserve's signal for a steady course of rate increases over the next year.
       
    • CRYPTOCURRENCY
      
      Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies advanced on Friday morning in Asia. Italy is set to sign the European Blockchain Partnership today in Brussels.
       
    • INDIA
      
      Shareholders of Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd (IL&FS) are considering a restructuring proposal to focus on the management and execution of infrastructure projects, and exit the financing of long-term projects.
       
    • HONG KONG
      
      The number of companies filing to go public in Hong Kong has jumped almost threefold this year, driven in part by China’s burgeoning technology sector, but they will have to contend with weaker markets which could hurt deals.
      
       
    • VIETNAM
      
      Vietnam’s economy is estimated to have grown 6.98 percent over January-September this year, the fastest nine-month growth since 2011, buoyed by upbeat production in manufacturing and agricultural sectors.
       
    • VENEZUELA
      
      Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said that U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet was welcome to visit any time after she urged Caracas to allow an international investigation of the humanitarian situation in the country.

    • US
       

      The United States is working on a counter-offer to stop Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd from building internet infrastructure in Papua New Guinea.

    • CHINA
       

      China still has to address a series of “weak links” in enforcing pollution rules, the environment ministry said that after publishing its latest investigations into the compliance records of seven provinces and regions.

    • MEXICO
       

      Lawmakers from Mexican president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s party submitted a constitutional reform bill that would allow for a referendum to cut short the six-year presidential term, a promise he made on the campaign trail.

    • AUSTRALIA
      
      A powerful inquiry into Australia’s financial industry delivered a scathing assessment of the sector’s culture, conduct and compliance.
       

    • JAPAN
      
      
      Japan M&A volumes are set to break a 19-year-old record and steal the spotlight in Asia this year from cooling Chinese deals, led by blockbuster takeovers such as Takeda Pharma’s $62 billion swoop on British drugmaker Shire.