At 457.1 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are in the upper half of the average range for this time of year.

Total motor gasoline inventories remained unchanged last week, and are in the middle of the average range. Finished gasoline inventories increased, while blending components inventories decreased last week. Distillate fuel inventories increased by 0.3 million barrels last week but are in the lower half of the average range for this time of year. Propane/propylene inventories decreased by 1.0 million barrels last week, and are in the lower half of the average range. Total commercial petroleum inventories remained unchanged last week.

Consumer sentiment narrowed its loss from mid-month, although it was still slightly below last month's decade peak. Overall, the Sentiment Index has remained largely unchanged since the start of the year at the highest levels since 2004. What has changed recently is the degree of certainty with which consumers hold their economic expectations. In contrast to the media buzz about approaching cyclical peaks and an aging expansion, with the implication of greater uncertainty about future economic trends, consumers have voiced greater certainty about their expectations for income, employment, and inflation. Inflation expectations have shown the smallest dispersion on record, and increased certainty about future income and job prospects has become a key factor that has supported discretionary purchases.

EURUSD: 1.1500-02 (EUR 1.2bln) 1.1650 (600m) 1.1700 (690m) 1.1750 (975m) 1.1775(360m) 1.1800-05 (1.12bln) 1.1825-30 (1.18bln) 1.1845 (385m) 1.1900-05 (1.57bln)

USDJPY: 112.00 (USD1.4bln) 112.70-80 (585m) 113.00 (680m) 113.15 (310m)

GBPUSD: 1.2900 (GBP 495m) 1.3250 (280m)

EURGBP: 0.8900 (EUR 390m)

AUDUSD: 0.7600 (AUD 555m) 0.7730-40 (1.2bln) 0.8080 (1.53bln)

USDCAD: 1.2545-50 (USD 1.0bln) 1.2780 (980m)

EURJPY: 130.25 (EUR 400m)

AUDNZD: 1.1220-25 (AUD 400m) 1.1300 (865m)

In the week ending November 18, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 239,000, a decrease of 13,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 3,000 from 249,000 to 252,000. The 4-week moving average was 239,750, an increase of 1,250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 750 from 237,750 to 238,500.

New orders for manufactured durable goods in October decreased $2.8 billion or 1.2 percent to $236.0 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This decrease, down following two consecutive monthly increases, followed a 2.2 percent September increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.4 percent. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 0.8 percent. Transportation equipment, also down following two consecutive monthly increases, drove the decrease, $3.5 billion or 4.3 percent to $77.1 billion. Shipments of manufactured durable goods in October, up five of the last six months, increased $0.3 billion or 0.1 percent to $241.0 billion. This followed a 1.0 percent September increase. Primary metals, up three of the last four months, led the increase, $0.3 billion or 1.5 percent to $19.9 billion.

• Romania did not take effective action reduce its budget deficit, should cut structural gap in 2018 by at least 0.8 pct/gdp

• Wants to close excessive budget deficit procedure against Britain

• EU countries must step up efforts to fight aggressive tax planning

• 2018 draft budgets of Estonia, Ireland, Cyprus, Malta, Slovakia are broadly in line with EU rules

• 2018 draft budgets of Belgium, Italy, Austria, Portugal and Slovenia pose a risk of non-compliance with EU budget rules

• Italy's high government debt is a reason for concern, not falling as EU rules require

• Budget deficit at less than 2 pct in 2017

EUR/USD: 1.1500-02(1.2 b), 1.1650(600 m), 1.1700(688 m), 1.1750(971 m), 1.1775(357 m), 1.1800-05(1.12 b), 1.1825-30(1.18 b), 1.1845(382 m), 1.1900(1.57 b)

GBP/USD: 1.2900(492 m), 1.3250(279 m)

USD/JPY: 112.00(1.4 b), 112.70-80(585 m), 113.00(680 m), 113.15(309 m)

AUD/USD: 0.7600(555 m), 0.7730-40(1.2 b), 0.8080(1.53 b)

USD/CAD: 1.2545-50(996 m), 1.2780(980 m)

EUR/GBP: 0.8900(387 m)

EUR/JPY: 130.25(400 m)

• Inflation is close to target

• Says we will continue gradual reduction of key rate

• We do not plan to revise 4-pct inflation target

• Russia's financial system is stable

• We have almost finished exit from all anti-crisis measures, will exit special instruments in coming years

EUR/USD

Resistance levels (open interest**, contracts)

$1.1843 (5959)

$1.1816 (3073)

$1.1781 (3830)

Price at time of writing this review: $1.1754

Support levels (open interest**, contracts):

$1.1716 (2264)

$1.1693 (3463)

$1.1664 (5982)

Comments:

- Overall open interest on the CALL options and PUT options with the expiration date December, 8 is 157608 contracts (according to data from November, 21) with the maximum number of contracts with strike price $1,1500 (8419);

GBP/USD

Resistance levels (open interest**, contracts)

$1.3328 (2791)

$1.3307 (3315)

$1.3277 (1344)

Price at time of writing this review: $1.3249

Support levels (open interest**, contracts):

$1.3190 (1023)

$1.3167 (1105)

$1.3138 (1351)

Comments:

- Overall open interest on the CALL options with the expiration date December, 8 is 41946 contracts, with the maximum number of contracts with strike price $1,3200 (3315);

- Overall open interest on the PUT options with the expiration date December, 8 is 40493 contracts, with the maximum number of contracts with strike price $1,3000 (4011);

- The ratio of PUT/CALL was 0.97 versus 0.98 from the previous trading day according to data from November, 21

* - The Chicago Mercantile Exchange bulletin (CME) is used for the calculation.

** - Open interest takes into account the total number of option contracts that are open at the moment.

• Reaffirmed commitment to moving forward in all areas of talks in order to conclude negotiations as soon as possible

• Inflation below target; appropriate to gradually raise rates

• 'reasonably close' to inflation, employment goals; 4.1 pct unemployment at or below goal

• Raising rates key to dealing with potential future negative shock

• Inflation expectations have not drifted down too much

• Wants to avoid 'boom and bust' U.S. economy

• Raising rates too slowly risks tightening labor market too much