Fundamental Headlines • USDJPY – Japan’s export growth slowed for the second month in December which was reflected in the Japanese Adjusted Merchadise Trade Balance. The indicator which printed at 642.5B, down from 827.2B was weigh down by the recent U.S. economic slowdown, which saw U.S. consumer reduced their purchases of Japanese automobiles and electronics during the Holiday season. For more news and resources, visit the new Japanese Yen Currency Room. • GBPUSD – German firms have become more confident despite the recent equity sell off and U.S. economic slowdown, according to the German IFO. The indicator printed higher than expected across all three categories; Business Climate 103.4 vs. 102.3, Current Assessment 107.9 vs. 107.4 and Expectations 99.0 vs. 94.5. The most compelling number is that expectations rose the most in five months. These strong fundamentals and the already Hawkish stance of the ECB almost eliminates any possibility of a rate cut in the near term. Discuss this and other topics in our EUR/USD Forum. • Stocks poised for Higher Start (link) – Wall Street Journal • Societe General Hit by Fraud,Write Downs (link) – Wall Street Journal • NY Regulator Pushes Banks to Rescue Bond Insurers (link) – Bloomberg • Bush, lawmakers nearingEconomic Stimulus Accord (link) – Bloomberg • German January Business Confidence Unexpectedly Rises (link) – Bloomberg • Bank of America Cuts 25% of its Anlyst, People Say (link) – Bloomberg