Omicron & Yuan Matters Continue To Dominate Headlines

Below gives key levels of markets in the second half of the Asia-Pac session:

• Nikkei 225 down 135.15 points at 28725.47
• ASX 200 down 20.946 points at 7384.5
• Shanghai Comp. up 37.566 points at 3675.001
• JGB 10-Yr future down 4 ticks at 152.03, yield up 0.1bp at 0.051%
• Aussie 10-Yr future down 5.7 ticks at 98.313, yield up 5.7bp at 1.678%
• U.S. 10-Yr future unch. at 130-06+, yield down 1.2bp at 1.509%
• WTI crude up $0.70 at $73.06, Gold up $2.94 at $1785.93
• USD/JPY down 5 pips at Y113.62
• OMICRON FOUR TIMES MORE TRANSMISSIBLE THAN DELTA IN JAPAN STUDY (BBG)
• PFIZER WILL KNOW SHOT’S EFFICACY AGAINST OMICRON BY YEAR-END (BBG)
• SOUTH AFRICA EXCESS DEATHS JUMP (BBG)
• UK ACTIVATES COVID PLAN B, CALLS FOR FRESH FISCAL SUPPORT IN SOME QUARTERS
• ANALYSTS SEE FURTHER YUAN STRENGTH IN SHORT TERM (CSJ)
• RBA’S HARPER SEES ECONOMY RUNNING HOT WITHOUT RUNAWAY INFLATION (BBG)