China passes law to counter foreign sanctions – Reuters

The EUR/USD pair eases in the American afternoon and approaches the 1.1700 mark. The pair surged earlier in the day after the ECB left interest rates unchanged and upwardly revised inflation and growth figures. The US CPI rose 2.7% YoY in November, nearing Fed’s goal.

The GBP/USD pair stalls the previous day's pullback from the vicinity of mid-1.3400s and a nearly two-month high, though it struggles to attract meaningful buyers during the Asian session on Friday. Spot prices currently trade around the 1.3380-1.3385 region, up only 0.05% for the day, amid mixed cues.

Gold price declines to below $4,350 during the early Asian trading hours on Friday. The precious metal edges lower due to some profit-taking and weak long liquidation from shorter-term futures traders. 

The latest inflation report released on Thursday in the United States sparked a wave of volatility in the crypto markets. The US Consumer Price Index rose 2.7% YoY in November, below forecasts of 3.1%, and lower than September's 3.0% reading, according to the Bureau of Labour Statistics.

The Bank of England has cut rates to 3.75%, but the decision was more hawkish than expected, leaving market rates higher and sterling slightly stronger. It's a close call whether the Bank cuts again in February or March.

Ripple (XRP) is trading between a key support at $1.82 and resistance at $2.00 at the time of writing on Thursday, reflecting the lethargic sentiment in the broader cryptocurrency market.