Bessent Says U.S. Must Strengthen Supply Chains and Economic Security 
Oil Prices Slip as Iran Sanctions Relief and Hormuz Shipping Recovery Ease Supply Concerns 
Oil Prices Drop as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Supply Concerns 
South Korea Stocks Tumble as AI-Fueled Rally Faces Profit-Taking Pressure 
Malaysia Central Bank Moves to Support Ringgit Amid Foreign Fund Outflows 
France Faces Long Road to Economic Rebalancing as Weak Demand and High Rates Weigh, Says Citi 
Japan Keeps Markets Guessing as Yen Nears 40-Year Low, Raising Intervention Risks 
Asian Stocks Slip as Oil Rebounds Amid Fed Rate Hike Fears 
Gold Price Rises as Investors Weigh U.S.-Iran Talks and Fed Policy Outlook 
The U.S. Treasuries gained during Friday’s afternoon session ahead of the country’s retail sales for the month of January, scheduled to be released today by 13:30GMT and the industrial production for the similar period, also due today by 14:15GMT.
Besides, FOMC member Mester’s speech, to be delivered today by 16:45GMT, will add direction to the debt market.
The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield slumped 2-1/2 basis points to 1.593 percent, the super-long 30-year bond yield plunged nearly 4 basis points to trade at 2.041 percent and the yield on the short-term 2-year slipped 1 basis point to 1.430 percent by 12:30GMT.
In the US, the most notable economic data today will be retail sales figures for January, expected to report a solid increase at the start of the year following a relatively slow holiday shopping season, Daiwa Capital Markets reported.
In contrast, the IP report for the same month seems likely to disappoint, with manufacturing output forecast to have more than fully reversed the increase in December and production cuts at Boeing a notable downside risk, the report added.
Meanwhile, the S&P 500 Futures remained tad 0.17 percent higher at 3,383.12 by 12:35GMT.
