Currencies

• EUR/USD The euro strengthened 1.1 percent last week to $1.4397, and gained 2 percent to 1.1303 versus the franc.


• USD/JPY The yen retreated from near its postwar record against the dollar and the Swiss franc weakened amid speculation policy makers in both countries will seek to curb gains in their currencies that are hurting exporters.
  • The yen declined to as low as 77.21 per dollar before trading at 76.72 as of 6:49 a.m. in London from 76.55 on Aug. 19 in New York.

• AUD/USD The Australian dollar pared earlier gains against the U.S. currency. The so- called Aussie traded at $1.0407 as of 1:22 p.m. in Sydney from $1.0406 last week in New York.

Commodities

• Gold may climb the most in more than three decades this year as investors and central banks boost their holdings on concern that global economic growth may stall amid a worsening sovereign-debt crisis in the U.S. and Europe.
  • Gold for immediate delivery may reach $2,000 an ounce by the yearend, extending this year's gain to 41 percent.

• Oil Brent oil fell in London, narrowing its record premium to U.S. futures, as investors bet that Libyan production may recover after rebels entered the capital Tripoli in a push to force out leader Muammar Qaddafi.
  • Brent oil for October settlement dropped as much as $2.47 to $106.15 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange, and was at $106.28 at 1:58 p.m. Sydney time.

Equities

• U.S. stocks futures fell, indicating the Standard & Poor's 500 Index may extend its biggest four-week drop since 2009, as concern that the global economy is stalling outweighed the cheapest valuations since 2009.
  • S&P 500 futures expiring in September slipped 0.3 percent to 1,120.40 as of 2:57 p.m. in Tokyo.


• European stocks
  • The Stoxx Europe 600 Index fell 2 percent to 223.13.
  • The Stoxx 50 Index lost 1.9 percent to 2,121.51. The Euro Stoxx 50 Index, a benchmark measure for nations using the euro, dropped 2.2 percent to 2,159.07.

• Asian bank fell for a third day, with the regional benchmark index heading for its lowest close in almost a year, as speculation the U.S. Federal Reserve will announce further measures to stimulate the economy failed to temper concern Europe's debt crisis will worsen.
  • The MSCI Asia Pacific Index dropped 1.5 percent to 117.75 as of 2:57 p.m. in Tokyo, headed for its lowest close since Aug. 31, 2010.
  • Japan's Nikkei 225 (NKY) Stock Average slipped 0.8 percent, after swinging between gains and losses at least 17 times.
  • Singapore Straits Times Index fell 1.1 percent, heading for its lowest close since May 26, 2010.

Sources: Bloomberg, FT