Gold Prices Steady as Hormuz Tensions Fuel Fed Rate Concerns 
Oil Prices Set for Steep Weekly Losses as Hormuz Deal Stalls 
Asian Stocks Slide as Semiconductor Selloff Weighs on South Korea and Japan 
Philippine GDP Growth Slows to 2.3% in Q2 
Dollar Holds Near Six-Week Low as Yen Loses Momentum Ahead of U.S. Jobs Data 
Gold Prices Fall Amid Rate Jitters; Copper Steady as China Stimulus Eyed 
UK Services PMI Returns to Growth in July as New Orders and Confidence Rebound 
Oil Prices Surge as Iran Hormuz Restrictions Renew Supply Fears 
The Australian bonds remained flat during morning trading hours Wednesday ahead of the country’s labour market report for the month of January, due to be released on February 20 by 00:30GMT.
The yield on Australia’s benchmark 10-year note, which moves inversely to its price, hovered around 1.044 percent, the yield on the long-term 30-year bond slipped 1 basis point to 1.638 percent and the yield on short-term 2-year too steadied at 0.749 percent by 04:10GMT.
Risk appetite appeared to struggle overnight, with S&P500 closing lower post-Apple’s earlier guidance warning, and UST bonds bull-flattened with yields generally 2-4bps lower and the 10-year yield at 1.55 percent, OCBC Treasury Research reported.
China reported 132 new deaths to bring the death toll to 2,000, albeit Hubei added 1,693 new cases (lowest since the methodology change last week), the report added.
"Asian markets may start on a firmer tone this morning, taking the cue from a more China-friendly sounding Trump, but the key is whether momentum can sustain", OCBC further noted in the report.
Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 index traded tad 0.33 percent higher at 7,081.50 by 04:15GMT.
