Asian stocks were under renewed selling pressure this morning as global trade concerns and chaos across emerging markets weighed on risk appetite. Global trade developments have certainly placed investors on an emotional roller-coaster ride this week with the initial optimism over NAFTA talks outweighed by U.S.-China concerns. Market sentiment is likely to remain cautious, especially after President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw the United States from the World Trade Organisation.

Crude oil is being driven by more plotlines than an afternoon soap opera. With upcoming sanctions on Iran, the Fed on pace for gradual interest rate increases, strikes in the North Sea and a big drop in the U.S. oil rig count (which fell by 9 rigs, the biggest drop since May of 201), there is enough drama for both the bulls and the bears.

Rumours surrounded this week going from shrinking Chinese appetite of U.S. bonds to speculation that the United States would pull out of NAFTA and while real economic indicators on Friday showed stronger U.S. inflation and retail sales it did little for the struggling US dollar. Economic growth outside of the US is accelerating and monetary policy is expected to tighten more abroad putting pressure on the greenback.

After stocks and the dollar surged on Tuesday, following a Politico report that Trump’s team have taken a significant step on tax reforms, the President’s threats on Tuesday night to shut down the government and terminate the NAFTA agreement, were not well received by investors, who responded by dragging both equities and the dollar lower.

The U.S. dollar is weaker against most of the majors after a week where there was little on the U.S. economic calendar with the spotlight on Washington's rising political tensions. The investigation into Russian ties during the presidential election, the lack of momentum in policy reform put the emphasis on political uncertainty that punished the U.S. dollar.

A draft executive order to withdraw the United States from the North American Free Trade Agreement is under consideration, a senior Trump administration official said on Wednesday, confirming an earlier report from Politico.

The United States, Mexico and Canada are likely to reach a basic accord over reworking the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) by the middle of next year, the head of the biggest U.S. business lobby group said on Sunday.

President Donald Trump told a group of chief executives on Tuesday that his administration was revamping the Wall Street reform law known as Dodd-Frank and might eliminate the rules and replace them with "something else."

The U.S. trade deficit fell more than expected in February as exports increased to a two-year high and slowing domestic demand weighed on imports.

The Trump administration is seeking mainly limited changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing an administrative draft proposal circulated in Congress by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.