Risk-off mood has eased somewhat as U.S.......>

FOREX: Risk-off mood has eased somewhat as U.S. officials ramped up rhetoric re:

upcoming stimulus measures. U.S. Tsy Sec Mnuchin outlined his daily meetings

w/Fed Chair Powell & said that Pres Trump is ready to use "all economic tools."

The POTUS floated the idea of implementing a payroll tax cut & said he will

unveil planned steps on Tuesday. Safe havens have lost ground alongside upticks

in U.S. equity futs (cash equity benchmarks in Asia remain in the red). USD/JPY

has added as much as ~1.1 fig. & consolidates on the Y103.00 handle.

- NOK & CAD lead gains in the G10 pile, as the only currencies to outperform USD

in the G10 basket. They benefit from firmer oil prices, even as WTI & Brent

continue to hover above multi-year lows in the wake of y'day's oil mkt crash.

- NZD has faced opposing pressures as local off'ls spoke. It softened a touch as

FinMin Robertson urged NZ banks to pass on any RBNZ rate cuts, but found some

relief as RBNZ Gov Orr said that NZ doesn't need unconventional MonPol.

- KRW outperforms in Asia, amid better sentiment & with off'ls talking up

potential for stabilising mkts. CNH firmer ahead of China's inflation data.

- Focus turns to final EZ GDP, French & Italian IPs & Norwegian CPI.