Category Archive: 4.) Marc to Market

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Progress in St. Petersburg

2017-07-27

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2017-07-27

Expectations going into the OPEC monitoring meeting in St. Petersburg were low. The OPEC agreement to reduce output appeared to be fraying. June output appeared to have increased in several countries, and private sector estimates suggest output rose further in July. Russia expressed reluctance to extend the agreement further.

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FX Daily, July 26: Quiet Fed Day without Yellen

2017-07-26

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2017-07-26

By definition, the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee meeting is the highlight of the day. Without a press conference, and following last month's rate hike, there is practically no chance of a new policy initiative either on the balance sheet or the Fed funds target.

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FX Daily, July 25: Summer Markets Ahead of FOMC

2017-07-25

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2017-07-25

The global capital markets are subdued today; a dearth of fresh news and tomorrow's FOMC meeting are making for light activity and limited price movement. The US dollar is little changed against most of the major currencies. The net change on the day through most of the European morning is +/- 0.15%. The exception is the Norwegian krone and Swedish krona, which is about 0.25% stronger.

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FX Daily, July 24: Euro Recovers from Softer Flash PMI

2017-07-24

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2017-07-24

The euro made a marginal new high in early Asia, but participants rightly drew cautious ahead of the flash eurozone PMI. The flash PMI was softer than expected, and although the composite fell to six monthly lows, it is more a reflection of how steady it has been at elevated levels.

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FX Weekly Preview: Don’t Be Confused by the Facts or Why Neither the Data nor the Fed Will Alter Market Trends

2017-07-24

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2017-07-24

FOMC is the highlight of the week. Early look at July inflation in Europe may see less pressure. Overall household consumption in Japan is rising, helped by robust labor market, but little new price pressures. The data this week is expected to confirm what many investors have come to assume.

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FX Daily, July 21: Dollar Licks Wounds as News Stream Doesn’t Improve

2017-07-21

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2017-07-21

The euro has depreciated by 0.13 to 1.1043 CHF. ECB President Draghi did not argue forcefully enough at yesterday's press conference to dampen the enthusiasm for the euro. The initial dip was quickly bought and the euro chased above last year's high near $1.1615, and the gains have been extended to nearly $1.1680 today. The next target is the August 2015  near $1.1715 is near.

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Oil Update

2017-07-20

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2017-07-20

OPEC meets on July 24. Nigeria and Libya may be pressured to cap output although they were exempt from quotas. US exports and refining appear to be the driving force behind the 13.8 mln barrel decline in inventories. Mexico has reportedly made two large oil finds.

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FX Daily, July 19: Dollar Stabilizes on Hump Day, Awaits Thursday’s BOJ and ECB Meetings

2017-07-19

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2017-07-19

After being shellacked to start the week, the US dollar is being given a small reprieve today as investors await tomorrow's BOJ and ECB meetings. The US may also report a bounce back in housing starts (residential investment) after a three-month slide.

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Sterling, McCafferty, and BOE Policy

2017-07-19

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2017-07-19

BOE hawk is arguing for a sooner unwind of QE. He did not favor the renewed asset purchases after the referendum. Sterling has been meeting resistance near $1.30 for past two months.

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FX Daily, July 18: Dollar Dumped on Doubts on US Economic Agenda

2017-07-18

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2017-07-18

News of the defection of two more Republican Senators doomed the Senate attempt to replace and repeal America's national health care. The failure to replace the system dubbed Obamacare, despite the Republican majority in both legislative chambers and the executive branch raises questions about the broader strategy of the Administration and raises serious questions about the rest of its legislative agenda.

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FX Daily, July 17: Markets Mark Time, Dollar Consolidates Losses

2017-07-17

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2017-07-17

After falling to new lows for the year against several major currencies in response to disappointing retail sales and uninspiring CPI before the weekend, the US dollar has begun the new week on a more stable note. It is firmer against nearly all the major currencies, though is mixed against the emerging market currencies.

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FX Weekly Preview: Focus Shifts from Fed to ECB

2017-07-17

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2017-07-17

Market has downgraded chances of a September hike from low to lower, but the chances of a December hike are higher than the day after the June hike. ECB meeting is the most important event of the week. A small change in the risk assessment is likely. The US and Europe have been more disruptive to the global capital markets this year than China.

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Great Graphic: Dollar Index Bottoming?

2017-07-15

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2017-07-15

The Dollar Index set the year's high on January 3 a little above 103.20. Today it made a marginal new lows for the year at 95.464. The previous low, set at the end of last month was 95.47.

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FX Daily, July 14: Aussie Scales New Highs for the Year, as the Greenback Remains on the Defensive

2017-07-14

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2017-07-14

The Australian dollar has taken over leadership in the dollar bloc from the Canadian dollar. The Aussies are up about 0.35% today to extend this week's gains to more than 2% and reach a new high for the year a little more than $0.7760. The Canadian dollar is up 1.1% this week, in comparison.

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FX Daily, July 13: Sterling and Antipodeans Trade Higher

2017-07-13

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2017-07-13

The US dollar is mostly consolidating yesterday's move. Sterling is pushing back through $1.29 as the hawks on the MPC may not have been dissuaded by disappointing PMI readings and the softer earnings growth. The table is being set for another 5-3 vote at next month's MPC meeting.

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FX Daily, July 12: Currencies Stabilize, but Yen Strengthens

2017-07-12

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2017-07-12

The US dollar and sterling have stabilized after being sold off yesterday. The yen, which had begun recovering from a four-month low, is the strongest of the major currencies today, gaining around 0.5% against the dollar (@~JPY113.40).

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Great Graphic: Aussie is Approaching 15-month Trendline

2017-07-12

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2017-07-12

Australian Dollar
This Great Graphic, made on Bloomberg, depicts the Australian dollar since April 2016. We drew in the trendline from that April high, through the November high and the March 2017 high. It nearly catches last month's high as well. It comes in now near $0.7725.

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FX Daily, July 11: Markets Looking for Next Cue

2017-07-11

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2017-07-11

Investors await fresh policy clues as the Bank of England's Broadbent is seen as a key vote on a closely balanced MPC, while the Fed's Brainard, is also seen as a bellwether, will speak shortly after midday in NY. Broadbent has not spoken since the election, and his current views are not known.

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