Category Archive: 4.) Marc to Market

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Abe’s Fiscal Policy: More of the Same

2016-08-02

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2016-08-02

Japan's fiscal stimulus if smaller than it appear and is unlikely to boost the economy as much as officials may think. The problem in Japan is not that interest rates are too high or that pubic investment is too weak. The risk is that the yen strengthens further, and we suggest the dollar may fall toward JPY94.60.

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FX Daily, August 01: Dog Days of August Begin

2016-08-01

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2016-08-01

The US dollar is trading with a small upside bias in narrow trading ranges. The main news has consisted of PMI reports, while investors continue to digest last week's developments. In particular the BOJ's underwhelming response to poor economic data and a missed opportunity to reinforce the fiscal stimulus, and the dismal US GDP.

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Great Graphic: Real Broad Trade-Weighted Dollar

2016-08-01

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2016-08-01

The real broad trade-weighted dollar index rose in July for the third month. It peaked in January above trendline drawn through the Reagan and Clinton dollar rallies. Expect the trendline to be violated again before the end of the year.

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No Big Thoughts, but Several Smaller Observations

2016-08-01

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2016-08-01

Notable that as the CRB Index moves lower, MSCI emerging market equities have done well. European banks are retreating after the stress test results. Tokyo elected its first women governor as this seem to be in part a sign of protest against Abe.

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FX Weekly Preview: After this Week, Does August Matter?

2016-07-31

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2016-07-31

RBA meeting is a close call. BOE meeting consensus on rate cut, maybe new QE and lending-for-funding. More details of Japan's fiscal policy. U.S. jobs data. After this week, and outside of RBNZ rate cut, August may be uneventful.

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Weekly Speculative Postions: Speculators Sell European Currency Futures

2016-07-30

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2016-07-30

The euro bears added another 10.3k contracts to their gross short position, which brought it to 221.8k contracts., This is this is the largest grossshort position since early January.

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Great Graphic: Relative Performance of Bank Stocks–US, Europe, and Japan

2016-07-29

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2016-07-29

MSCI US Bank Index, MSCI European Bank Index and the Japan Topix Bank Index compared. Divergence in the health of the financial sector.

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FX Daily, July 29: Kuroda Hesitates, Yen Advances, Focus Turns to Europe and North America

2016-07-29

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2016-07-29

Main events: Far Lower GDP Growth due to higher inflation and bigger trade deficit. Yen and Swissie advance and weaker dollar. Swiss economy remains on track based on the KOF economic barometer.

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FX Daily, July 28: Dollar Pulls Back Further Post-FOMC

2016-07-28

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2016-07-28

After reversing lower yesterday after the FOMC statement, the US dollar has continued to move lower against the major currencies, save sterling. While the market is not fully confident of a rate cut by the Reserve Bank of Australia, indicative pricing in the derivative markets suggest a UK rate cut has been fully discounted (and a new asset purchase plan may also be announced).

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Fasten Your Seat Belts: Tomorrow Promises to be Tumultuous

2016-07-28

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2016-07-28

Japan reports on labor, consumption, inflation and industrial output before the BOJ meeting. ECB reports inflation and Q2 GDP and the results of the stress test on banks. US reports first look at Q2 GDP.

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FOMC says What it Had To, No More or Less

2016-07-27

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2016-07-27

Fed upgraded its assessment of the economy. Added that the downside risks to the economy have diminished. Only George dissents.

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FX Daily, July 27: Yen Falls on Fiscal Stimulus, while Sterling and Aussie Can’t Sustain Upticks

2016-07-27

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2016-07-27

Swiss Franc: The Euro kept on climbing, after yesterday's rapid rise. The Swiss consumption indicator by UBS shows improvements. The indicator is still distant from the highs in 2012. At the time stronger growth in Emerging Markets and the weaker franc helped the Swiss economy.

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Oil and Economy Pull the Canadian Dollar Lower

2016-07-27

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2016-07-27

The decline in oil prices is a factor weighing on the Canadian dollar. US premium over Canada is rising, and may continue as the economies diverge. The general risk appetite is supportive for the Canadian dollar.

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Great Graphic: How the US Recovery Stacks Up

2016-07-27

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2016-07-27

The US recovery may have surpassed the 2001 recovery in Q2. Though disappointing, the recovery has been faster than average from a balance sheet crisis. Although slow, it is hard to see the secular stagnation in the data.

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FX Daily, July 26: Strange Day: Yen Soars , Swissie Falls

2016-07-27

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2016-07-27

The Swiss Franc strangely depreciated on a day, when the other safe-haven, the yen strongly improved. The euro went up to 1.0899 by 0.54%. The reason seems to be technical.

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Fed to Stand Pat, but Statement may be More Constructive

2016-07-26

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2016-07-26

The Fed's nervousness in June has likely largely eased on the back of better economic data and stable international climate. The Fed may reintroduce its risk assessment. Who are the possible dissents?

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European Banks Bad Loans and Coverage

2016-07-26

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2016-07-26

European banks are worrisome. EBA's stress test results will be out at the end of the week. Nonperforming loans are a separate issue, but also need to be addressed.

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FX Daily, July 25: Big Week Begins Slowly

2016-07-25

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2016-07-25

What promises to be a busy week has begun off slowly. The US dollar has been largely confined to its pre-weekend ranges against most of the major currencies. Equity markets are mostly firmer following the new record highs on Wall Street. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index eked out a small gain (0.1%), with losses in Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore offsetting gains elsewhere.

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Great Graphic: OIl Breaks Down Further

2016-07-25

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2016-07-25

With today's losses the Sept contract has retraced 50% of this year's rally. The oil glut has partly been transformed into a gasoline glut. US rig count is rising and output has increased two weeks in a row.

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European Bank Stress Test: Preview

2016-07-25

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2016-07-25

European bank stress test results will be released a couple hours before the US open on Friday. The focus is on Italy, but other countries' banks may also be identified as needing capital. Within the existing rules are allowances for exceptions. Everyone wants to follow the rules.

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