Currencies

• EUR/USD George Soros comments: Euro break-up may cause global meltdown

• USD/CAD The yen weakened against major currencies after Japan issued a high trade deficit in 31 years. Speculations were raised that the fiscal health may deteriorate.

Commodities

• Oil Crude traded below $100 a barrel in New York as signs of rising U.S. stockpiles countered a report that showed gasoline demand rose last week in the country, the world's largest oil consumer.
  • Crude for March delivery was at $99.05 a barrel. Yesterday, the contract fell 63 cents to $98.95, the lowest settlement since Jan. 20. Prices have climbed 15 percent in the past year.

• Gold Gold increased, rallying from its biggest drop in four weeks, before the U.S. central bank releases interest-rate forecasts for the first time, potentially weakening the dollar and boosting commodities demand.
  • Spot gold advanced as much as 0.4 percent to $1,672.32 an ounce and traded at $1,668.38. The metal dropped 0.7 percent yesterday, the most since Dec. 28. Gold for February delivery advanced 0.2 percent to $1,668.50 an ounce

Equities

• Asian stocks Asian stocks rose, with the regional benchmark index set for the highest close in almost three months, after the yen fell.

• U.S. stocks U.S. stocks fell, ending a five-day rally in the Standard & Poor's 500 Index, amid a issues between European finance ministers and Greek bondholders over how to resolve the crisis.

• European stocks German Stocks fell after Siemens Shares Decrease as Earnings Miss Estimates

Sources: Bloomberg, FT