US 10-year Yield Falls to New Low for the Year, while Dollar has Muted Reaction to Trump’s Affirmation of Tariffs on Canada and Mexico
2025-02-25
Overview: The US 10-year yield has fallen to a new two-month low near 4.33% today, ahead of the $70 bln sale of five-year notes, following strong demand at the two-year floating note sale yesterday. The 200-day moving average is near 4.25%. The 10-year yield peaked in mid-January near 4.80%. The dollar initially rallied on President Trump’s acknowledgement that tariffs on Mexico and Canada were still on track, though another official was quoted on the wires suggested the timeframe had not been set. In any event, follow-through dollar gains were limited, and the greenback is mixed, with the dollar-bloc and the Norwegian krone bearing the brunt of the dollar’s gains. Most emerging market currencies outside of a handful from central Europe are softer. As expected, South Korea delivered its
Week Ahead: Tariffs Loom and the State of the Trump Trade
2025-02-22
Many observers seem confused. They express disappointment that the so-called "Trump trade", a rally in the dollar has not materialized. Yet, in some ways, isn’t that what happened from late last September, ironically around the Federal Reserve’s 50 bp rate cut, around the time investors began taking US election polls more seriously? In Q4 24, the Federal Reserve’s real broad trade weighted dollar index rose by 4.9%, the best quarterly performance since Q4 2016. From late last September through a week before President Trump’s second inauguration, the Dollar Index rose by about 10%. Since January 10-13, the "Trump trade" in the foreign exchange has been unwinding. With momentum indicators stretched and the US tariff threat about to enter a new phase next month, a key question is how much
EMU PMI Disappoints, US Snubs G20, and BOJ Threatens to Buy JGBs
2025-02-21
Overview: The US dollar enjoys a firmer tone today after falling to new two-month lows against several of the G10 currencies. The market lacks near-term conviction as the US tariff threat looms after next week. US Secretary of State Rubio and Treasury Secretary Bessent have not attended the G20 meetings in South Africa due to tension in the bilateral relationship but adds to sense of US unilateralism, which is often mischaracterized as isolationist. Eurozone and the UK’s preliminary PMI disappointed, and British retail sales rebound masks underlying weakness. The dollar has rebounded against the Japanese yen, helped by BOJ Governor Ueda’s threat to purchases of JGBs to stabilize the market. The 10-year yield has risen by almost 25 bp over the past month. In contrast, the US 10-year
Euro’s Pullback Extends, While the Kiwi Shrugs Off Third Half-Point Cut by the RBNZ
2025-02-19
Overview: The US warned that the next phase of the tariff war could be announced in early April and three industries, auto, pharma, and chips. President Trump’s comments suggested sometime between the announcement and the implementation. He did not specify if USMCA trade would be exempt for the auto tariffs. Some auto parts reportedly cross the border four-five times. The dollar is mixed against the G10 currencies. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand delivered its third consecutive 50 bp rate cut and the Kiwi ‘s 0.25% gain puts it at the top of the G10 today. Among emerging market currencies, all but a couple Asian currencies are lower, with central European currencies, the softest. Equities are heavier. Except for China and South Korea, the large bourses in Asia Pacific were fell today.
The Dollar Comes Back Bid
2025-02-06
Overview: After the tariff scare on Monday, which saw the US dollar surge, it has pulled back in the last couple of day. But it has returned bid today in what looks like position-squaring ahead of tomorrow US employment report. Despite some Fed officials recognizing that the tariffs may pose a supply shock that has to be taken into account, the odds of a June cut and two before the end of the year increased marginally yesterday, even as coupon yields fell. The greenback is heavier against all the G10 currencies but is straddling unchanged levels against the Japanese yen. Ahead of what widely expected to be a Bank of England rate cut shortly, sterling is the heaviest of the major currencies, off around 0.6%, and nearly 1.25-cents from yesterday’s high. Most emerging market currencies are
New Tariff Threat Fuels Turn Around Tuesday ahead of Tomorrow’s FOMC Decision
2025-01-28
Overview: The US dollar recorded lows for the month against many of the major currencies yesterday but has come back bid today. We had anticipated some consolidation ahead of the conclusion of the FOMC meeting tomorrow, and the dollar’s downside momentum faded. Yet, today’s gains have been fueled by new tariff threats. In particular, Bessent, the new Treasury Secretary, said to be a moderate, reportedly was advocated increasing a universal tariff by 2.5% a month until reaching the levels President Trump advocated, ostensibly allowing time for business and countries to adjust (?) and provide negotiating opportunities. However, President Trump warned 2.5% may not be sufficient and soon tariffs will be announced on semiconductor chips, pharmaceuticals, steel, copper, and aluminum. The