Global FX TESTING DATA:

• • • ASIAN MARKET
      
      Asian shares inched closer to a record high on Friday as U.S. jobs data pointed to firm economic growth although the greenback was soft as the spectre of benign inflation capped domestic bond yields.
       
    • GOLD
      
      Gold prices rose in Asia on Friday with US nonfarm payrolls key for the precious metal and a reading of 190,000 new jobs added in December expected today.
       
    • OIL
      
      Oil prices fell on Friday, dropping away from highs last seen in 2015, as soaring production in the United States undermined the 10 percent rally from lows hit in December that was driven by tightening supply and political tensions in OPEC member Iran.
       
    • INDIA
      
       India on Thursday began investigating a report that access to its database of the identity details of more than 1 billion citizens was being sold for just $8 on social media, in what could be one of the giant programme’s biggest security breaches.
       
    • EURO
      
       The euro hovered near a three-year high against the sagging dollar on Friday, while improving investor risk appetite weighed on the yen.
       
    • EGYPT
      
      Egypt forward Mohamed Salah was named African Footballer of the Year for 2017 on Thursday, finishing ahead of his Liverpool team mate Sadio Mane of Senegal and Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
       
    • MEXICO
      
      Mexico’s acting attorney general said on Thursday prosecutors were already working to improve investigations and cooperation with other countries following an international report that blasted the country for failing to punish money launderers.
       
    • CHINA
      
      China’s insurance regulator issued a notice on Friday banning insurers’ asset management arms from using private equity investment schemes as a channel to increase local government debts.

    • IRAN
      
      Iranian Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi urged the United States and international community to support nationwide protests in Iran with political sanctions and not economic measures that could hit the general population.
       

    • NORTH KOREA
      
      North and South Korea will hold official talks next week for the first time in more than two years after Pyongyang accepted Seoul’s offer for dialogue, just hours after the United States and South Korea delayed a joint military exercise.
       

    • US
      
      The United States said on Thursday it was suspending an undisclosed amount of security assistance to Pakistan, which two officials said was worth more than $255 million, until Islamabad takes action against the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network.