British imports jumped 5.5% q\q in third quarter, the biggest increase in about ten years, which took a toll on economic growth in third quarter, slowing down to 0.5% q\q, from second quarter's 0.7% growth. Sterling tumbled 0.40% against the dollar, trading near a seven-month low. It touched a month-low against yen at 184.26, before recovering to 184.58, with a 0.28% loss. It slid to 0.7048 against Euro before paring losses to 0.7026, with a 0.02% loss.

Chinese shares fell more than 5.0%, the biggest fall in three months, after industrial profits fell by 4.6% y\y in October, and a regulatory crackdown on brokerages spooked investors. The collapse sent jitters around the world, especially affecting commodities like oil. U.S. crude futures dove 90 cents, or 2.06% to $42.16 a barrel. Brent futures for January were less affected, losing only 5 cents, or 0.10% to $45.41 a barrel.

Dollar kept muscling up, buoyed by rising bets on a Fed rate-hike in December. The dollar index, which tracks its performance against a basket of 6 major currencies, rose to a nine-month high at 100.25 with a 0.37% profit. Dollar is on the verge of touching a fresh seven-month high against Euro at 1.0575, with a 0.33% gain. It rose 0.14% against the yen to 122.75.

The rise of dollar put a huge pressure on gold and silver prices, because the more the dollar rises, the more expensive the dollar-denominated metals are for holders of other currencies. Gold futures plunged to a new six-year low at $1,054 an ounce, losing 15 dollars for the day, or 1.46%. Silver futures dipped 10 cents, or 0.70% to $14.06 an ounce.

Wall Street opened flat, with Dow Jones receding 8 points, or 0.05% to 17,759. NASDAQ rose three points, or 0.06% to 5,119. S&P 500 slipped half a point, or 0.03% to 2,088.30.