Risk aversion is the prevailing sentiment for financial markets early on Tuesday, with the main stock indices in Asia and Europe in the red and US futures pointing in the same direction. It is therefore hardly surprising that the Dollar has recovered some of the ground lost over the last few days, after hitting a 3-week low versus other major currencies on Monday. The greenback’s gains versus risk-related currencies result from a setback in the development of a Covid vaccine by Johnson & Johnson, the continued stand-off between bipartisan lawmakers in Washington preventing the approval of an economic stimulus package plus a new addition to the party in the shape of a fresh dose of Chinese assertiveness banning the import of several key commodities from Australia. The latter factor reminds us that the latent trade and tech conflict between the Asian giant and Western economies continues to cast a shadow over global economic growth perspectives.
