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.

FAQ: UK’s Referendum on EU Membership

What is the issue?    The UK has long had a strained relationship with the EU and has never been comfortable with the ever increasing drive for greater integration and harmonization of rules and regulations coming from Brussels.  As the EU has ...

Read More »

Emerging Market Preview, First Week of March

  EM ended last week on a soft note, due to a variety of both external and internal factors.  Firm US data continue to support our call for resumed Fed tightening, and this gave the dollar a bit of a bid.  With the dollar gaining against the majors, this spilled over into generalized dollar gains … Continue reading »

Read More »

FX Daily, 02/29: Dollar Mixed, While Equities Skid

It seemed that it was only after Asian equity markets fell did reports begin suggesting disappointment with the G20 meeting.  The narrative followed the price action rather than the other way around.  Before that, at least, one newswire claimed China was the winner of at the G20 meeting.  Its currency policy was not criticized.  Many, …

Read More »

Baker’s Dozen: 13 Items that Should be on Your Radar Screen

The year has begun on a tumultuous note.  The Nikkei, DAX and S&P 500 all gapped lower the first day of the year. However, heightened anxiety has calmed as the fire appears to have burnt itself out, and equities have moved higher over the past two week. Three sources of stress have eased.  Investors are no longer … Continue reading...

Read More »

Weekly Speculative Positions: Small Changes

The position adjustment among speculators in the currency futures market were minor in the reporting week that ended February 23.  There was only one gross adjustment we regard as significant (more than 10k contracts).  The Mexican officials sprung a bear trap and forced speculators to cover.  There were 15.8k gross short peso in speculative hands that …

Read More »

FX Daily, 02/27: Are the Dollar Bulls Retaking the Initiative?

As systemic anxiety eased, the US dollar got better traction. The dollar-bloc currencies managed to hold their own as cross positions were unwound.    Major bourses posted gains for the second consecutive week.  With the recent advance, several markets, including the S&P 500, FTSE and Sweden, China, Korea, and Taiwan are now positive on the month.    …

Read More »

Weekly Emerging Markets: What has Changed?

(from my colleague Dr. Win Thin)

Read More »

Liberty and the 500 Euro Note

The internecine pitch battle between ECB President Draghi and the man who may very well be his successor, Bundesbank President Weidmann opened a new front this week.  It is over the future of the 500 euro note.   Practically, every initiative by Draghi has been resisted by the Bundesbank.  Sometimes it puts the Bundesbank at odds with …

Read More »

FX Daily, 02/26: Global Markets Trying to End Week on Upbeat

The US S&P 500 closed above 1950 for the first time since January 6.  Global equity markets are broadly higher in response.  At the same time, ahead of the G20 meeting, the world's second and third-largest economies have signaled additional...

Read More »

G20 Meeting is no Jedi Council

The G20 finance ministers and central bankers will meet in Shanghai starting tomorrow.   From some quarters, there is a sense of urgency.  The IMF, for example, is likely to cut its world GDP forecast of 3.4% this year.  That forecast is not even two months old.  The tightening of global financial conditions, exemplified by the sharp … Continue...

Read More »

Adam Button appears on BNN

ForexLive currency analysis Adam Button talks about the outlook for global markets on BNN.

Read More »

FX Daily, 02/25: Market Anxiety Heightened, Oil and Stocks Head Lower, Sterling Can’t Catch a Bid

A confluence of factors are raising anxiety levels among investors, and it is being expressed in heightened volatility. The S&P 500 was turned back yesterday from the key 1945 level, and global equities are falling today.   The over-productio...

Read More »

FX Daily, 02/24: Dollar is Little Changed, US Leadership Awaited

The foreign exchange market is unusually calm.  The US dollar is little changed against currencies.  While the selling pressure that took sterling below $1.39 and the euro below $1.10 has subsided, neither has been able sustain upticks.  The e...

Read More »

The Return of Moral Economy?

The concept of moral economy was first used by 18th-century thinkers trying to make sense of the rising capitalist values.  In feudal society, a "fair price" was preferred over a free price especially for the necessities of the day.   The reci...

Read More »

Great Graphic: Trade-Weighted Look at Major Currencies

When considering the impact of changing currency prices on an economy, trade-weighted measures are appropriate.  The Federal Reserve has cited the dollar's appreciation as a headwind on the economy and a depressant on prices. Given the moves in...

Read More »

Sovereignty and Brexit

As the European Union grew, the unanimity in decision-making increasingly gave way to qualified majority voting.  This development took away an important weapon the UK deployed to pursue its national interest.  It use often to frustrate the collectivist decision-making in Brussels and exert its will for a broad union that preserved national sovereignty. National sovereignty is …

Read More »

Thoughts about the Price Action

The US dollar has begun the week with a strong advance against sterling and the euro. Sterling's drop, the most in several years, is not a function of macroeconomic policy.  It is a function of Brexit and its endorsement by London Mayor Johnson....

Read More »

FX Daily, 02/22: Sterling is Pounded and Eurozone PMI Disappoints

Global equities are beginning the last week of February on a firm note.  The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 0.75%, with China's markets gaining more than 2%, leading the way. European shares have followed suit.  The Dow Jones Stoxx 600 is up 1.7%...

Read More »

Emerging Market Preview: Week Ahead

(from my colleague Dr. Win Thin) We think that it’s still too early to say whether Friday's price action was simply profit-taking ahead of the weekend, or the resumption of overall negative market sentiment.  We think the global backdrop rem...

Read More »

Re-Emergence of Divergence Helps Stabilize Markets

The main driver of the investment climate is not so much the incremental economic data as the capital markets themselves. The market turmoil contributed to the tightening of financial conditions, which in turn heightened risks, which monetary of...

Read More »