This week's focus will be the January US consumer price index, due Wednesday, as the market is awaiting the key inflation data.

Few market players here are willing to trade aggressively ... this is because of the US holiday today.

Well, it will last until one of us dies.

The need for tankers is still there. It's a critical need, ... This hiccup we've had will cause us to have to do a lot of reassuring with the government.

Basically, it's the same stuff and will stick with us through Sunday. We'll have scattered showers off and on and most of it could be snow.

If the core CPI is above market consensus forecast of a rise of 0.4 percent year-on-year, this would fuel speculation that the Bank of Japan will end its ultra-easy monetary policy at its meeting next week, which could spark a spate of yen-buying.