Reuters

Asian shares hit historic highs on Monday after Wall Street extended its record-breaking run, while the U.S. dollar retreat continued as investors priced in the risk of tighter policies elsewhere in the developed world.

The dollar languished at three-year lows against a basket of currencies on Monday, while the euro stood tall on investors’ hopes that European Central Bank policymakers could be poised to further trim their monetary stimulus.

Canada welcomes the suggestion by U.S. President Donald Trump that the deadline for concluding talks to modernize NAFTA could be extended beyond the end of March, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters on Friday.

Underlying U.S. consumer prices recorded their largest increase in 11 months in December amid strong gains in the cost of rental accommodation and healthcare, bolstering expectations that inflation will accelerate this year.

Sterling on Friday rocketed to its highest level against the dollar since the vote to leave the European Union in mid-2016, after a report that the Netherlands and Spain were open to a softer Brexit deal for Britain.

Benchmark Japanese government bonds edged down on Friday, though superlong maturities rose after a 40-year auction met with solid demand.

China’s exports and imports growth slowed in December after surging in the previous month, adding to signs of ebbing economic momentum as the government extends a crackdown on financial risks and factory pollution.

China’s yuan firmed against the U.S. dollar on Friday, on course for its fifth straight winning week, buoyed by rising corporate dollar sales and sustained strength in the country’s exports.

Oil prices eased on Friday after hitting their highest levels since December, 2014 the previous day. Despite the dip, analysts said market fundamentals going into 2018 were strong due to ongoing OPEC production cuts.

China’s exports and imports growth slowed in December after unexpectedly surging in the previous month, adding to signs of ebbing economic growth.