Best Gold Stocks to Buy Now: AABB, GOLD, GDX 
The German bunds strengthened Thursday as investors poured into safe-haven instruments following firmness in the U.S. Treasuries coupled with weak equities.
Also, we foresee that the bund prices will keep drifting between small gains and losses in quiet trading due to a long global Christmas and New Year holidays.
The yield on the benchmark 10-year bond, which moves inversely to its price, fell more than 2 basis points to 0.17 percent (lowest in 3-weeks), the long-term 30-year bond yield dipped 3-1/2 basis points to 0.87 percent and the yield on short-term 3-year bond slid 1/2 basis point to -0.76 percent by 09:00 GMT.
The German bunds have been closely following developments in the U.S. debt market. The benchmark 10-year bonds witnessed strong buying in the 5-year auction, dragging yields by 7 basis points to 2.49 percent.
Also, safe-haven asset prices were supported by strong auction demand of 5-year note. The USD34 billion 5-year note auction came in at 2.057 percent (5.64 percent award at high) with a bid-to-cover ratio of 2.72, non-comps of USD50.9 million, an indirect bid of 71.4 percent and a direct bid of 4.1 percent.
Also, the U.S. equities moved downwards with the Dow index declining -111.36 points or -0.56 percent to 19,833.68. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 index was down -18.96 points or -0.84 percent to 2,249.92.
Last week, Rimsevics, Latvia's central bank governor, blamed a lack of progress on economic reform and on the European Commission's stimulus package for curbing confidence and lending despite the ECB's massive injection of cash since 2015, Reuters reported.
The ECB has extended its bond-buying scheme until the end of 2017 saying it was yet to be convinced that inflation was heading to its target of almost 2 percent, they added.
The Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen commented that the United States is now seeing its strongest labour market in nearly a decade as job creation has continued at a relatively steady pace. Also added that she has seen signs of wage growth improving and that weekly earnings for younger workers are making strong gains.
Meanwhile, the German stock index DAX Index traded 0.27 percent lower at 11,444 by 09:00 GMT. While at 09:00 GMT, the FxWirePro's Hourly Euro Strength Index stood neutral at -35.00 (lower than -75 represent a bearish trend).
