Category Archive: 4) FX Trends
FX Daily, May 23: Greenback Remains Soft
The US dollar cannot get out of its own way, it seems. With a light economic schedule, there is little to offset the continued drumbeat of troubling political developments. The latest turn, as reported first in the Washington Post, that President Trump asked heads of intelligence groups to also publicly deny collusion with Russia.
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FX Daily, May 22: Dollar Pushes Back
After being shellacked last week, the US dollar is trading with a firmer bias against all the major currencies, but the euro and New Zealand dollar. To be sure, it is not that a new development has emerged to take investors' minds from intensifying political uncertainty in the US.
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Weekly Speculative Positions (as of May 16): Yen and Aussie Bears Push Forward, while Sterling Bears Continue to Run for Cover
The net short CHF position has risen from 15.2 short to 21.1K contracts short (against USD). But the major movement was that speculators are net long the euro now and not the dollar any more. This implies that they are also long Euro against CHF. In the Commitment of Traders reporting week ending May 16, speculators in the futures market made three significant adjustments in the currency futures.
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FX Weekly Preview: Nothing Like A Good US Drama
US drama distracts from the difficult and ambitious economic program. European and Japanese developments have been constructive. Bank of Canada is the only G7 central bank that meets, and it is not expected to shift from its cautious stance.
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Merkel Sends Euro Higher
Markel said the euro was too weak, so it rallied. This is not a new position for Germany. Merkel may now tack to the left since the AfD appears to have been dispatched. Look for Weidmann to begin moderating views or becoming less antagonistic.
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FX Weekly Review, May 15-20: Swiss Franc recovering against EUR
The Swiss Franc recovered a lot of the losses that came with the French elections. That political event was mostly driven by speculators that will close their positions. We expected the EUR to trade around 1.07 to 1.0750 CHF in some time.
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Markozy, Merde, and now Meron
German Chancellor Merkel is one of the outstanding leaders of our era. She leads the world's fourth largest economy, which is still the locomotive for Europe. Recent state elections and polls leave little doubt that barring some kind of shock, she will be re-elected as Chancellor in September. It will be her fourth term.
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FX Daily, May 19: Markets Trying to Stabilize Ahead of Weekend
Judging from investors' reactions, the only thing worse that than the low volatility environment is when volatility spikes higher, as it did yesterday. Higher volatility is associated with weakening equity markets, falling interest rates, pressure on emerging markets, a strengthening yen and, sometimes, as was the case yesterday, heavier gold prices.
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FX Daily, May 18: Some Respite from US Politics as Sterling Surges Through $1.30
Yesterday's dramatic response to the political maelstrom in Washington is over. The appointment of a special counsel to head up the FBI's investigation into Russia's attempt to influence the US election appears to have acted a circuit breaker of sorts. It is not sufficient to boost confidence that the Trump Administrations economic program is back the front burners, but it is sufficient to stem the time for the moment.
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FX Daily, May 17: Drama In Washington Adds To Dollar Woes
The US dollar has drifted lower against most of the major currencies as the culmination of news from Washington, escalating already rising concerns about the economic agenda that was to bolster growth with dramatic tax reform, infrastructure initiative, and re-orienting trade.
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Cool Video: Oil, US Inflation
I was on Bloomberg's Day Break with the team and guest Anne Lester from JP Morgan discussing oil and inflation. Oil prices had bounced back at the end of last week and were lifted further on news that Saudi Arabia and Russia were inclined to support extending output cuts not just until the end of the year, but through Q1 18.
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FX Daily, May 16: Greenback and Dollar Bloc Lose Ground to Europe and Yen
Dollar selling pressure emerged at the end of last week, partly in response to disappointing US economic data. This selling pressure carried over into yesterday's activity. It appeared to have been trying to stabilize yesterday in the North American session.
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FX Daily, May 15: Softer Dollar and Yen to Start the Week
The US dollar has opened the week softer against the major currencies, except for the Japanese yen. The disappointing US inflation and retail sales data before the weekend have not been shrugged off, even though the US 10-year yield is a little higher and expectations for a Fed hike next month continue to be elevated.
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Weekly Speculative Positions (as of May 09): Significant Position Adjustment in the Currency Futures
The net short CHF position has fallen from 17.7 short to 15,2K contracts short (against USD).
But the major movement was that speculators are net long the euro now and not the dollar any more. This implies that they are also long Euro against CHF.
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Yen is the Weakest Currency in the World over the Past Month
Yen was the strongest currency in the world from mid-March to mid-April. Yen has been the weakest currency over the past month. US rates have risen relative to Japan. Japan has shifted away from QE and toward targeting interest rate.
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FX Weekly Preview: Two Known Unknowns
The Trump Administration seems to be trying to cast the US as a revisionist power. Or perhaps it is like Roman emperors long ago trying to draw greater tribute from others. The outlook of US interest rates is critical to the outlook of the dollar.
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FX Weekly Review, May 08-13: Euro rises far above 1.09 CHF, for how long?
The euro rose up to 1.0980. How long this momentum will last is still the question, given that it is driven by this political event and sustained by SNB interventions.
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Great Graphic: Trade-Weighted Dollar
US TWI has appreciated a little since the end of Q1. The euro and sterling's strength are exceptions to the rule. The dollar has edged up against the currencies of the US top four trading partners here in Q2.
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FX Daily, May 12: Markets Becalmed Ahead of US data and Weekend
The foreign exchange market is becalmed, and the major currencies are little changed. The US dollar is mixed, but mostly a little lower. Sterling is the weakest of the majors, off 0.3%, near $1.2850, having been rebuffed by offers in front of $1.30 several times. It has not recovered from the quarterly inflation report and Carney's press conference.
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FX Daily, May 11: Canadian and New Zealand Dollars Get Whacked, While Greenback Consolidates
The US dollar has been mostly confined to about a 30 pip range against the euro and yen in Asia and the European morning. Sterling is under a little pressure after a series of poor data, including larger than expected falls in manufacturing and construction output, and a sharp widening of the trade deficit.
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