Category Archive: 4) FX Trends

Main Author Marc Chandler
Marc Chandler
He has been covering the global capital markets in one fashion or another for more than 30 years, working at economic consulting firms and global investment banks. After 14 years as the global head of currency strategy for Brown Brothers Harriman, Chandler joined Bannockburn Global Forex, as a managing partner and chief markets strategist as of October 1, 2018.

EURUSD sits on the edge of a cliff

As the week starts for the EURUSD, it is sitting on the edge of a cliff at the 1.0941 level. A move below would have the pair looking to fill a gap from 2017.

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September Monthly

Three forces are shaping the investment climate. The US-China trade conflict escalates at the start of September as both will raise tariffs on each other's goods and are threatening another round in mid-December (US 25% tariffs on $250 of Chinese imports will increase to 30% on October 1).

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FX Weekly Preview: Talking and Fighting in the Week Ahead

Equity markets and the US dollar closed last week and August on a firm note. Ahead of the weekend, the dollar rose to new highs for the year against the euro, Swedish krona, Norwegian krone, and the New Zealand dollar. While the next set of US and Chinese tariffs start September 1, the market is making the most of the lull.

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FX Daily, August 30: US Dollar Finishing August on Firm Note as Euro nears Two-Year Lows

Global equities are advancing at least in part on ideas that trade tensions are easing. China announced it would not take immediate action on the five percentage point increase in levies that the US announced strictly in response to China's retaliatory tariffs. A lull between blows is not the same thing as de-escalation or truce.

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A Brexit hint and a central banking surprise

Adam Button from ForexLive talks about the state of play in the pound and Brexit. One of the truisms in markets is: If something can’t fall on bad news, it probably won’t fall at all. Yesterday’s move to prorogue parliament was politically dramatic but the market reaction has been modest. Elsewhere, the Bank of Canada decision could be setting up for a surprise. LET'S CONNECT! Facebook ► http://facebook.com/forexlive Twitter ►...

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A Brexit hint and a central banking surprise

Adam Button from ForexLive talks about the state of play in the pound and Brexit. One of the truisms in markets is: If something can’t fall on bad news, it probably won’t fall at all. Yesterday’s move to prorogue parliament was politically dramatic but the market reaction has been modest. Elsewhere, the Bank of Canada …

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FX Daily, August 29: Johnson Faces Legal Challenges and Conte may be Given an Extension

The capital markets are calm today, though there does seem to be some optimism creeping back into the market. The Chinese yuan strengthened, snapping a ten-day slide and Italian bank shares index has risen by more than 1% for the fourth consecutive session.

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USD/CHF technical analysis: Manages to hold above 0.9800 handle, 200-hour SMA

The USD/CHF pair struggled to sustain above 61.8% Fibo. level of the 0.9879-0.9714 recent slump and seems to have stalled this week's recovery move from the 0.9700 neighbourhood. The intraday downtick remained cushioned near the 0.9800 handle, which coincides with 100/200-hour SMA confluence region and should act as a key pivotal point for intraday traders.

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FX Daily, August 28: Optimism about Italy Creeps Back in but Sterling Heads the Opposite Way on Brexit Realities

The capital markets have turned quiet. There have been no more headline bombs about trade, and China set the dollar's reference rate much lower than projected. Asia Pacific equities were mixed. Hong Kong, China, India, and Singapore were on the downside, while Taiwan, Korea, and Australia rose.

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FX Daily, August 27: Realism Fights Back After Hope Dominated Yesterday

Hope triumphed over realism yesterday, and realism is fighting back toward. Asia Pacific markets, however, traded on the echo from the recovery in North America on Monday. The MSCI Asia Pacific recouped part of yesterday's drop, led by Chinese markets. Hong Kong was the main exception.

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FX Daily, August 26: Trump’s “Call from China” helps Markets Recover

Overview:  The anticipated growth implications of the heightened tensions between the world's two largest economies is dominating activity at the start of the new week. These considerations that drove the 2.6% drop in the S&P 500 before the weekend is carrying over into today's activity.

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FX Weekly Preview: The Week Ahead is not about the Week Ahead

It's the last week of August. Several economic reports will be released in the coming days. They include the US deflator of consumer expenditures that the Federal Reserve targets, China's PMI, and the eurozone's preliminary August CPI. It is not that the data do not matter, but investors realize the die is cast.

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USD/CHF: Value of CHF calls hits highest since March 2018

Risk reversals on Swiss Franc (CHF1MRR), a gauge of calls to puts, dropped to the lowest level in 17-months, indicating the investors are adding bets to position for a rise in the Swiss currency. The USD/CHF one-month 25 delta risk reversals fell to -1.41 – a level last seen in March 2018.

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G7 to Deliver a Nothing Burger

A Bloomberg article about the weekend G7 meeting says, "multilateralism is dead."  An op-ed in the Financial Times suggests that the most important political alliance may be "rejuvenated" at the G7 meeting.  The truth is likely found somewhere in between. 

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FX Daily, August 23: Market has Second Thoughts on Magnitude of Fed Cuts Ahead of Powell

Powell speech at Jackson Hole stands before the weekend.  Equities in Asia and Europe are finishing the week on a firm tone.  Most markets in the Asia Pacific region closed higher today, and the MSCI Asia Pacific Index snapped a four-week slide.  European bourses are edging higher, and the Dow Jones Stoxx 600 is poised to end its three-week air pocket.

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FX Daily, August 22: Tick Up in EMU PMI Does Little, Waiting for Powell

Overview:  Soft data in Asia and the continued decline in the yuan (six days and counting) prevented Asian equities from following the US lead from yesterday when the S&P 500 advanced by 0.8%.  European shares are paring yesterday's 1.2% advance despite an unexpected gain in the EMU flash PMI.  US shares are little changed in the European morning.

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FX Daily, August 21: European Stocks Snap Back, Market Hopeful Italian Election can be Delayed

The end of the US equity three-day advance yesterday weighed on Asia Pacific shares today.  Most benchmarks fell.  Better than expected trade data helped Thailand buck the trend.  A firmer tone emerged in the European morning, and the Dow Jones Stoxx 600 has recouped yesterday's losses and more.  It was led higher by consumer discretionary, energy, and industrials.

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FX Daily, August 20: Marking Time Ahead of PMI and Powell

Overview:  Global equities and bonds are firmer in quiet turnover, and the dollar is narrowing mixed in narrow ranges.  The big events of the week, the eurozone flash PMI and Powell's speech at Jackson Hole still lie ahead.  The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose for the third consecutive session, led by Korea and Australia's 1%+ gains. 

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FX Daily, August 19: China’s Rate Reform Helps Markets Extend End of Last Week Recovery

Overview: China announced some changes in its interest rate framework that is expected to lead to lower rates.  This helped lift equity markets, which were already recovering at the end of last week from the earlier drubbing.  Chinese and Hong Kong shares led the regional rally with 2-3% gains.  The Nikkei gapped higher for the third time in six sessions, and the first two were followed by lower gaps. 

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FX Weekly Preview: A Vicious Cycle Grips Markets

The capital markets are in their own doom loop. Poor data from Germany and China, coupled with the escalation of the US-China trade dispute and rising tensions in Hong Kong spur concerns about the risks of a global recession. Interest rates are driven lower, and curves flatten or go inverted, spurring more concern about the outlook. The problem is that it is not clear how this vicious cycle ends.

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