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US stocks are aiming for fresh record highs as stimulus payments arrive at American bank accounts and after the UK signed off on the COVID vaccine from AstraZeneca and University of Oxford. Risk appetite remains unfazed to the current dark period of COVID in the US that is recording over 3,000 daily

European markets open the week in heavy selloff on worries over a new strain of coronavirus discovered in the UK, which was seen as “out of control” by the Health minister. At the time of writing, DOW future is also down around -500 pts. Dollar is staging a broad based rebound on risk aversion today

Final Projection Materials for 2020 improves GDP and unemployment forecasts. Fed holds interest rate steady, sets conditions for bond purchases. Promises to continue QE until “substantial progress toward maximum employment." Equity and credit markets see modest improvement, dollar gains then loses.

Concerns about the ever-increasing coronavirus cases benefitted the safe-haven gold. Positive COVID-19 vaccine news boosted investors’ confidence and might cap the upside. Technical set-up favours bulls and supports prospects for a move towards monthly tops. Gold built on its intraday positive move