The early part of today's Asia-Pac session....>

FOREX: The early part of today's Asia-Pac session saw UK PM May & EU Commission

President Juncker stress the temporary nature of the Irish backstop, as they

emerged from their meeting on the eve of the key Brexit vote in the Commons. GBP

rallied across the board, extending on yesterday's gains stemming from Brexit

optimism, even as some eurosceptic MPs noted that EU pledges fall short of exp.

AG Cox's ruling on the matter will be key ahead of this evening's Commons vote,

while the DUP has chosen not to give a view on the developments at present.

- CNH garnered support from a Xinhua report which noted that top U.S. & Chinese

officials held a phone call re: the next steps in trade talks.

- The yen underperformed in the G10 FX space, as risk appetite was aided by

optimism re: Brexit & Sino-U.S. trade relations, while major regional stock

indices operated in the green, with the Nikkei 225 adding ~2.1%.

- Focus today turns to UK industrial/m'fing production & trade balance, U.S. CPI

and Swedish CPI. Elsewhere, RBA Dep Gov Debelle, ECB's Enria & Lautenschlaeger,

as well as Fed's Brainard will speak. The Brexit vote in the UK House of Commons

will be closely watched, and is expected at some point after 19:00 London.