Reuters

The European Union agreed on Friday to move Brexit talks onto trade and a transition pact but some leaders cautioned that the final year of divorce negotiations before Britain’s exit could be fraught with peril.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ brand of economic nationalism is pushing Mexico to seek sanctuary in more open commercial ties elsewhere to soften the blow of a possible breakdown of the NAFTA.

Italian bonds were set for their worst week since July on Friday as talk of a March election renews focus on the political risks facing the euro zone’s third biggest economy, while broader debt markets drew support from wrangling over a U.S. tax bill.

Euro zone government bond yields are close to multi-month lows just as the European Central Bank is on the verge of cutting its bond-buying scheme by half, leaving some investors worried that a sharp correction may be due in 2018.

Asian shares erased earlier modest gains on Friday but were still on track for a weekly rise, as sentiment was hurt by Wall Street’s weakness on concerns about the progress of U.S. tax reform.

Here are some key quotes from a news conference by Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz following a year-end speech in which he said the central bank is growing increasingly confident that the economy will need less stimulus over time.

U.S. retail sales increased more than expected in November as the holiday shopping season got off to a brisk start, pointing to sustained strength in the economy that could pave the way for further Federal Reserve interest rate hikes next year.

The U.S. dollar gained against the euro on Thursday after the European Central Bank raised growth and inflation forecasts for the euro area, but stuck with its pledge to provide stimulus for as long as needed.

The European Central Bank raised growth and inflation forecasts for the euro area on Thursday but stuck to its pledge to provide stimulus for as long as needed, predicting inflation would remain below target into 2020.

China’s central bank on Thursday nudged up money market rates as authorities sought to defuse financial risks without imperiling the economy, a balancing act that they have managed successfully so far this year as activity remained broadly steady.