Breaking: US GDP beats with 2.6%, USD moves up

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The US was expected to report an annualized GDP growth rate of 2.3% in the fourth quarter of 2018, slower than 3.4% in the final read for Q3. The publication has been delayed due to the government shutdown, the longest in history.

The plunge in retail sales in December caused quite a few economists to raise their eyebrows and made predicting the GDP data harder.

Apart from the GDP data, initial jobless claims are due at the same time. 

Earlier, markets focused on the unsuccessful Kim-Trump summit in Hanoi, Vietnam. Trade talks between the US and China and