Asia-Pac hours saw a slight correction of.....>

FOREX: Asia-Pac hours saw a slight correction of yesterday's moves driven by the

latest tit-for-tat on U.S.-China front. Speculations re: a potential weaker PBoC

fix, which would serve as a means of retaliation against U.S. measures, were

disproved by reality. China's central bank set its USD/CNY mid-point roughly at

yesterday's level and below exp. Offshore yuan rose against the greenback.

- The Antipodeans benefited from a stronger yuan and topped the G10 pile, while

safe haven FX landed at the bottom, even as JPY showed a modicum of strength

early on. AUD faced some brief selling pressure as local Westpac consumer

confidence gauge slid to a 4-year low, while NZD ticked higher when ANZ raised

its Fonterra milk price forecast. It should be noted, however, that those moves

were very limited. GBP softened a tad, weighed on by the Brexit chaos.

- South Korean markets are shut for a holiday. THB outperformed in Asian FX; the

latest BoT minutes revealing policymakers' concern over the baht's strength.

- Familiar risk themes remain in focus. Data highlights today include U.S.

wholesale inventories and Norwegian GDP. We will hear from Fed Chair Powell,

while U.S. FOMC will publish the minutes from its most recent MonPol meeting.