USD is on the downside alongside JPY as global indices rally on willingness from the EU to diffuse Italy's budget excesses. This followed Thursday's drubbing as Italian 10-year yields blew out again on Thursday as the EU and Italian leaders dig in for an extended battle. The saga adds to the cynicism in broad markets that sparked a sharp risk-off tone that boosted JPY and weighed on GBP. Disappointed figures from US existing home saless, Canada CPI and retail sales kept USDCAD in check.The CAD trade was stopped out and a new CAD Premium trade has just been issued ahead of Canada's data. A new intraday index trade will also be issued.

USD and gold resume gains on a combination of the hawkish tilt in yesterday's release of the FOMC minutes and today's set of data beats in jobless claims and Philly Fed index. Gold, Aussie and Kiwi are the main outperformers vs USD with the yellow metal favoured by an upward tilt in inflation assessment from the Fed. That is also propping gold during equity sellloffs, which was not the case in Jan-Feb. UK retail sales fell by more than expected but GBP continues to hold alongside the 1.3080 support on emerging talks of an extended transition period post-Brexit. Both metals' Premium trades are in progress.