Category Archive: 4.) Marc to Market
Chinese Yuan Jumps While the Dollar recovers After Losses were Extended Against the Euro and Sterling
Overview: The markets remain hopeful about a re-opening in
China and continue to pour into Chinese stocks on the mainland and in Hong Kong. The
index of Chinese companies that trade in the US rose nearly 22.4% last week. Large
bourses in the Asia Pacific region were mixed, but China and Hong Kong stand out.
Europe’s Stoxx 600 is nursing a small loss for the second consecutive session. US
equity futures have a slightly heavier bias. European 10-year...
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Dollar Bears have the Upper Hand
Once again, the dollar was sold into a shallow bounce as the bears maintained the upper hand. There is a growing conviction that the peak in the Fed's tightening cycle is within view, despite more robust than expected jobs growth and an unexpectedly strong rise in average weekly earnings.
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Week Ahead: RBA and BOC Meetings Featured and China’s Inflation and Trade
The week ahead
is more than an interlude before five G10 central banks meet on December
14-15. The data highlights
include the US ISM services and producer prices, Chinese trade and inflation
measures, Japanese wages, household consumption, and the current account.
Also, the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Bank of Canada hold policy
meetings. Central banks from India, Poland, Brazil, Peru, and Chile also meet.The dollar appreciated in Q1 and Q2...
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Attention turns to US Jobs while the Yen’s Surge Continues
Overview: There have been significant moves in the capital markets this week
and participants are turning cautious ahead of the US employment report. After the
US equity market rally stalled yesterday, nearly all the Asia Pacific bourses fell
today. The strength of the yen (~3.8% this week) has weighed on Japanese equities
(Nikkei -1.8% this week) and spurred the BOJ to buy ETFs today for the first
time in five months. Europe’s Stoxx 600 is...
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December 2022 Monthly
As the year of aggressive monetary tightening winds down, the
Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank, and the Bank of England will likely
slow the pace of rate hikes. All three delivered 75 bp hikes in November and
will probably hike by 50 bp this month and moderate the pace again in the first
part of next year.Price
pressures remain elevated even if near or slightly past the peaks. The G10
central banks are not finished tightening, though...
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What Did Powell Say?
Overview: Asia Pacific stocks rallied on the heels of the surge in US equities. China’s CSI 300 led the large bourses higher with a 1% advance. Europe’s Stoxx 600 is matching yesterday’s gain of a little more than 0.6%, while US futures
are a touch softer. European yields are 9-13 bp lower, with the peripheral premiums shrinking.
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Hope Springs Eternal in China
Overview: Hope that the recent events in China are cathartic continues to lift risk appetites. Led by Hong Kong and mainland shares that trade there, the large bourses in the Asia Pacific region rallied. Japan, where macro data continues to disappoint, was the notable exception. Europe’s Stoxx 600 is snapping a three-day down draft and is up about 0.6% in late morning turnover. US futures are trading with a slightly firmer bias.
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China Steps away from the Abyss and Animal Spirits are Rekindled
Overview: Chinese officials using the carrot and the stick have succeeded in dampening the protests and easing some anxiety and rekindled the animal spirits. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rallied 5.25% and its index of mainland shares surged 6.20%.
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China Shakes Markets, Euro Shakes it Off
Overview: The surging Covid cases in China and the protests in
several cities seemed to set the tone for today’s session. Equities are lower. China,
Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea were marked down the most. Of the large
bourses, only India escaped unscathed. Europe’s Stoxx 600 is off more than 0.8%
and US futures are poised to gap lower. Bond markets are quieter. The 10-year
US Treasury yield is off a little more than one basis point to around...
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USD Outlook: Caught between Belief that it has Peaked and Oversold Momentum Indicators
We think the US dollar has put in a
significant high. However, the near-term technical readings are stretched. The
dollar's bounce from November 15 to November 21 met or approached minimum
retracement targets, but the momentum indicators did not correct. These
conflicting impulses need to be navigated in the days ahead. On balance, we
look for a firmer greenback, which we see as corrective. That is the
prism through which we look at the price...
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US Jobs and Eurozone CPI Highlight the Week Ahead
Two high-frequency economic
reports stand out in the week ahead: The US November employment report
and the preliminary eurozone CPI. The Federal Reserve has deftly distanced itself from any one
employment report. As a result, it would take a significant miss of the median forecast
(Bloomberg survey) to alter market expectations for a 50 bp hike when the FOMC
meeting concludes on December 14.Economists are looking for
around a 200k increase in US...
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Calm Markets with Japan on Holiday Today and the US Tomorrow
Overview: The capital markets are quiet today with
Japan on holiday and the US on holiday tomorrow. Asia Pacific equities were
mostly firmer after yesterday’s rally on Wall Street. Europe’s Stoxx 600 is
about 0.25% higher and at its best level in three months. US futures are steady to
slightly higher. Benchmark 10-year yields are little changed. The dollar is narrowly
mixed against the major currencies, with Scandis leading the way. Sweden is...
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Consolidative Session, even if Not Turn Around Tuesday
Overview: The US dollar is trading with a somewhat heavier bias after bouncing
higher yesterday. All the G10 currencies are higher, led by the New Zealand
dollar, where the central bank is expected to hike first thing tomorrow. Most emerging
market currencies are also firmer. Those that are not, like the South Korean
won and Mexican peso, are nursing minor losses. The surge in Covid cases
weighed on Chinese shares that trade in Hong Kong, while the...
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Dollar Jumps, while Surge in Covid Cases Raise Questions about China’s Pivot
Overview: Surging Covid cases in China and Hong Kong
are undermining hopes of a Covid-pivot and the US dollar is broadly higher.
Equities are under pressure to start the week. Most of the large bourses in the
Asia Pacific but Japan, fell earlier today. Europe’s Stoxx 600 is paring last
week’s minor gain, which was the fifth consecutive weekly rise. US stock futures
are lower, while the 10-year US Treasury yield is flat near 3.83%. European
yields...
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Macro and Prices: Data and Psychology in the Week Ahead
The week ahead has a relatively light economic schedule, punctuated by the US Thanksgiving Day holiday on November 24. Nevertheless, the data highlights include the preliminary November PMIs, Tokyo's November CPI, and the FOMC minutes from this month's meeting.
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Higher Japanese CPI Won’t Change the BOJ’s Stance
Overview: The capital markets are heading into the
weekend mostly quietly in a consolidative fashion. Ambiguous signals from yesterday’s US
equities saw a narrowly mixed performance among the large Asia Pacific bourses,
but of note, Hong and China markets saw this week’s gains trimmed. Europe’s
Stoxx 600 is up around 1% near midday and is slightly above last week’s
close. US equity futures are trading
with a firmer bias ahead of a large...
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The Dollar Comes Back Better Bid
Animal spirits are retreating today. Asia Pacific and European equities are lower, and US futures are narrowly mixed. US 2- and 10-year yields are edging higher, while European benchmark 10-year yields are mostly softer. Italy and the UK are notable exceptions.
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Markets are Less on Edge as the Darkest Scenarios seem Less Likely
The situation in central Europe is still intense but it appears top US, European and Polish officials are more reluctant than some market participants to attribute the darkest of intentions and paint extreme narratives.
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Poor Chinese and Japanese Data Are Not Deterring Euphoria
Overview: Recent developments have spurred a euphoria
that is exciting the animal spirits. Greater confidence that US inflation has
peaked, and new initiatives from China, and yesterday’s Biden-Xi meeting are all
feeding this narrative. The dollar, which
slumped last week, is sliding anew today. Strategically, we anticipated the
turn, but tactically, we thought last week’s move had stretched the near-term
technical condition. The dollar is...
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The Dollar Posts Corrective Upticks, while the Market Digests China’s Initiatives
Overview: China’s new initiatives to support the property sector helped lift the Hang Seng. And while the China’s CSI 300 edged higher both the Shanghai and Shenzhen composites fell. Most Asia Pacific markets fell, while Europe’s Stoxx 600 is posting a small gain.
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