Morning Bid: A far from quiet end to the year

Group 1 - U.S. and Ukrainian officials held productive talks regarding a potential peace deal with Russia, indicating optimism despite ongoing challenges in the three-year-long conflict [3] - Asia's manufacturing sector is experiencing sluggish demand, leading to a decline in factory activity as U.S. trade negotiations have not significantly improved order volumes [3] - European countries are easing their strict opposition to new oil and gas drilling, reversing years of resistance to fossil fuels in an effort to reduce reliance on costly energy imports [3] - China's investment in Indonesia's nickel industry has made it the world's largest producer, but there are concerns about the future demand for nickel as electric vehicle manufacturers shift away from nickel-chemistry batteries [3] Group 2 - Bitcoin's 5% drop below $90,000 signals a risk-off sentiment in global markets, with Asian and European shares also declining and U.S. equity futures pointing down [4] - The risk-off mood does not appear to stem from a single catalyst, but heavy selling in Japanese government bonds suggests a potential Bank of Japan rate hike could be influencing market sentiment [5]