Category Archive: 4.) Marc to Market

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US Tech Sell-Off Challenges Risk Appetites Ahead of the FOMC

2024-01-31

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2024-01-31

Overview: Ahead of the US Treasury's quarterly refunding announcement and the outcome of the FOMC meeting, the dollar is trading higher against all the G10 currencies. With US high-flying tech stocks posting steep losses after disappointing earnings reports, the currencies most sensitive to risk-appetites, the dollar bloc and the Norwegian krone are the weakest. Emerging market currencies are mixed. The South African rand, Philippine peso, and...

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EMU Q4 23 GDP Stagnates, Underscoring Divergence with the US

2024-01-30

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2024-01-30

Overview: The US dollar is mixed ahead of the start of the FOMC meeting and is mostly in its recent ranges. The euro, which was sold below $1.08 yesterday for the first time since mid-December is holding above it today. The less-than-expected projection of US Treasury borrowing requirements for Q1 and Q2 weighed on US rates, which, in turn, dragged the greenback lower against the yen. It is trading near a four-day low, a little above JPY147.00. The...

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Oil Retraces Initial Surge, Euro Slips to Marginal New Low, while Sterling Hugs $1.27

2024-01-29

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2024-01-29

Overview: Key developments today include the Hong Kong court ordered liquidation of China's Evergrande and the reversal of oil prices after a sharp rally initially in Asia after separate attack in the Middle East that killed US troops in Jordan and struck a Russian oil tank in the Red Sea. March WTI, which settled near $78 ahead of the weekend, its best level since the end of last November, rallied to about $79.30 before returning to almost $77.50...

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February 2023 Monthly

2024-01-27

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2024-01-27

The coming weeks will likely continue the correction of the trends that began last month. The markets recognize that tightening cycle is over. However, they swung hard, pricing in aggressive easing by most of the G10 central banks, including the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank. Official comments and some high-frequency economic data have encouraged participants to rein in their expectations, reducing the odds of a rate cuts in Q1 and...

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USD Looks Oversold on Intraday Basis Ahead of a Possible Risk-Off North American Session

2024-01-26

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2024-01-26

Overview:  The US dollar is trading lower against most currencies, but the intraday momentum indicators are stretched, suggesting the selling pressure may not be sustained through in North America today. December US personal income and consumption data was contained in yesterday's Q4 23 GDP data, but the market want to see the monthly print, which is expected to see the core measure ease with the headline rate flat. Tokyo's January CPI was much...

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Attention turns to Lagarde’s Press Conference and US Q4 GDP

2024-01-25

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2024-01-25

Overview: The US dollar is trading mostly quietly in narrow ranges against the G10 currencies ahead of the ECB's President Lagarde's press conference at the conclusion of the policy meeting and the first estimate of Q4 US GDP. With elevated price pressures, Norway's central bank left rates steady and reiterated its signal that rates will remain high for some time, and this has lifted the krone by about 0.5% to leader the major currencies. Most of...

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PBOC Cuts Reserve Requirements, but USD Pullback may offer New Buying Opportunity in North America

2024-01-24

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2024-01-24

Overview: After a strong showing yesterday, the dollar was sold in Asia and Europe. China announced a cut in reserve requirements and took more informal action to support the stock market, which encouraged risk-taking. Yet, the dollar's decline has stretched intraday momentum indicators, which may provide early operators in North America a new dollar buying opportunity. The ECB and Norway's central banks meet tomorrow, and the US reports its first...

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BOJ Stands Pat, Exit Draws Closer, while HK Liquidity is Squeezed Easing Pressure on the Yuan

2024-01-23

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2024-01-23

Overview:  The dollar remains largely confined to its recent ranges as the consolidative phase extends. The Bank of Japan stood pat and revised its forecasts as it is seen drawing closer another adjustment in policy, with the market still favoring an April timeframe. A squeeze in the Hong Kong money market and talk of a large package to support the equity market helped lift the Chinese yuan for the third consecutive session and lifted Chinese...

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China Equity Slump Continues, while Dollar Extends Consolidation

2024-01-22

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2024-01-22

Overview: The foreign exchange market is quiet to start the new week. As the North American session is about to begin, the dollar is mostly +/- 0.10% against most of the G10 currencies. The Swedish krona is the notable exception, rising about 0.25% against the US dollar amid good demand for its bonds today. Emerging market currencies are mostly lower. The Taiwanese dollar is the strongest in the complex so far today, rising about 0.30% against the...

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Week Ahead: Too Early for Central Banks to Move, and Q4 GDP to Showcase US Economic Resilience (with the help of 6.5% budget deficit)

2024-01-20

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2024-01-20

The week ahead features the first estimate of US Q4 GDP, which will be revised for the next couple of years, and policy meetings by the Bank of Japan, the European Central Bank, the Bank of Canada, and Norges Bank, Norway's central bank. Although the market anticipates the beginning of an aggressive easing cycle by several central banks, and an exit of the BOJ's negative interest rate policy, the start is not expected until later in the first half....

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Quiet End to a Busy Week

2024-01-19

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2024-01-19

Overview: The dollar's surge in the first part of the week has given way to consolidation. The US dollar is sporting a softer profile against most of the G10 currencies. The Dollar Index is threatening to snap a three advance. Sterling is a notable exception following the weakest retail sales report since 2021. Most emerging market currencies, including China, Taiwan, and Mexico are slightly firmer. US President Biden is expected to sign a bill...

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Dollar Rally Pauses, but Fuel from Interest Rate Adjustment may not be Complete

2024-01-18

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2024-01-18

Overview: This week's dollar surge is consolidating today. Interest rates have steadied, but the adjustment, which involves pushing the first rate from March toward June does not appear complete. This suggests the dollar's recovery from last November-December's sell-off may not be complete either. Today, though, it is a little firmer against all the G10 currencies but the Swiss franc. Most emerging market currencies are also trading with a slightly...

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Stronger-than-Expected UK CPI Helps Steady Sterling after Dollar Rally Extended

2024-01-17

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2024-01-17

Overview: The sharp dollar advance is stabilizing after follow-through gains earlier today. A larger than expected rise in the UK's December CPI helped sterling recover from the push below $1.26, the lower end of a one-month trading range. It is the only G10 currency that is firmer against the dollar ahead of the North American session. ECB's Lagarde pushed back against the early rate cut speculation and this may have stemmed the euro's losses. The...

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Greenback Surges as Rates Back Up

2024-01-16

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2024-01-16

Overview: The US dollar is bid across the board and posting its best session of the month. It is up between about 0.5% (Canadian dollar) to almost 1.0% (Australian dollar) among the G10 currencies. Among the emerging market currencies, only the Russian ruble is holding its own.

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Week Ahead: Real Economy

2024-01-13

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2024-01-13

Given the world's turmoil, including the escalation, and broadening of the conflict in the Middle East and China's continued aerial harassment of Taiwan ahead of the election, the capital and commodity markets have remained firm. February WTI fell about 1.7% last week and March Brent slipped around 0.65%. Shipping costs are rising as the Rea Sea is avoided and supply chain disruptions are threatened. Still the MSCI index of developed equity market...

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China Data Dump Keeps Market Looking for a Rate Cut Next Week

2024-01-12

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2024-01-12

Overview:  The mostly consolidative week for the US dollar continues. Most for the G10 currencies are +/- about 0.25% today and only a slightly wider range for the week. The odds of a Fed rate cut in March is virtually unchanged on the week at around 75%. The JP Morgan Emerging Market Currency Index is practically flat on the day and week. The Russian ruble and Mexican peso lead today's advancers, while eastern and central European currencies are...

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Can the US CPI Break the Dollar out of its Consolidation?

2024-01-11

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2024-01-11

Overview: Stocks and bonds are trading higher, and the dollar is narrowly mixed ahead of the December US CPI report. Most of the large bourses in Asia Pacific advanced, led by Japan to new 30-year-plus highs. Hong Kong's Hang Seng snapped seven-day slide to post its first gain of 2024. Europe's Stoxx 600 is up about 0.33%, to recoup most of its losses in the past two sessions. US index futures enjoy a modest upside bias. Benchmark 10-year yields in...

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Don’t be Burned in the Churn

2024-01-10

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2024-01-10

Overview: The broad consolidation in the dollar after the gyrations at the end of last week continues, and within it the greenback is a bit softer today. Among the G10 currencies, only the yen is failing to post gains. Most emerging market currencies, led by central Europe, are also firmer today. A notable exception is a handful of Asian currencies, include the South Korean won, Taiwanese dollar, and the Philippine peso. The market's focus is on...

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The Dollar Goes Nowhere Quickly

2024-01-09

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2024-01-09

Overview: The dollar continues to consolidate broadly after the dramatic price swings at the end of last week. For the most part, the greenback remains inside yesterday's ranges, which were inside last Friday's. The G10 currencies are a little heavier today, except the Japanese yen and Norwegian krone, which are posting small gains. Indeed, the greenback is near session highs against most of the major currencies as we go to print. Emerging market...

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Consolidation Featured

2024-01-08

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2024-01-08

Overview: After dramatic intraday price swings after the US jobs data and service ISM figures before the weekend, the dollar is consolidating today in mostly narrow ranges. The prospect for a March cut by the Federal Reserve finished last Friday virtually unchanged (73% vs 70%) and is about 66% chance today. There was interest in Dallas Fed's Logan's suggestion that the tapering of QT be discussed, though it seems to simply confirm what many has...

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