Category Archive: 4) FX Trends
Emerging Markets: What has Changed
In the EM equity space, Qatar (+2.7%), Hungary (+1.3%), and Turkey (+1.1%) have outperformed this week, while Poland (-4.6%), Hong Kong (-4.1%), and the Philippines (-3.8%) have underperformed. To put this in better context, MSCI EM fell -3.6% this ...
Read More »
Read More »
Great Graphic: Euro Flirting with Downtrend Against Sterling
Tactically, there seems to be two broad ways a short-term participant can trade this. The first is to buy the euro on a break out. The second way is to fade the patter. This entails selling the euro as it approaches the GBP0.7500 level. Which...
Read More »
Read More »
US Growth Accelerates, Dollar Advances
US grew nearly 300k jobs in December. The October and November jobs growth were revised up by 50k. The unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.0%, even though the participation rate ticked up. If there was a disappointment it was that hourly earnings did not rise as much as expected. The 2.5% year-over-year growth from 2.3% …
Read More »
Read More »
Markets Calm Ahead of US Jobs Data
For the first time this week, the PBOC set higher central reference rate for the yuan and Chinese shares rallied, with the apparent assistance of officials, after the circuit breakers were abandoned. This, coupled with somewhat firmer oil pri...
Read More »
Read More »
Don’t Believe Your Lying Eyes
Chinese equities continued their precipitous decline, interrupted by the new circuit breakers, which reportedly will be suspended. Global equity markets are also in a dramatic decline. However, do not be misled. Knowing the direction of China's blue chips (CSI 300) does not really help predict the direction of the US equity market, even though …
Read More »
Read More »
Great Graphic: Possible Head and Shoulders in Dollar-Yen
The dollar has broken down against the yen. Although many talk about safe haven role for the yen, this seems to be a misconception. Investors are not buying the yen to escape the turmoil of the markets.
The yen's strength itself is th...
Read More »
Read More »
Is it Too Early To Talk about Annus Horribilis?
One might be forgiven for believing that nail-baiting start to the year is all China's fault. It has repeatedly for eight sessions fixed the yuan lower, including earlier today, at a seemingly accelerating pace. The new circuit breakers, introduced on Monday, appear to be adding to the volatility. Chinese share trading was stopped today after …
Read More »
Read More »
Great Graphic: The Euro Touchstone
This Great Graphic is a favorite of mine. Created on Bloomberg, it depicts the 2-year spread between Germany and the US on two-year money (white line) and the euro-dollar exchange rate (yellow line). The chart covers the past five years. The scales of the two time series are different so it makes little sense to … Continue reading...
Read More »
Read More »
The Enigmatic Yen–It is More than an Equity Story
Last year was the fourth consecutive year that the yen fell against the dollar. However, what is obscured by this factoid is that over the past six months, the yen has been the strongest of the major currencies, rising almost 3.2% against the US dollar. While some may be tempted to attribute the yen's strength … Continue reading...
Read More »
Read More »
Focus is Squarely on Equities, Dollar and Yen Firmer
Chinese shares and the yuan stabilized with the apparent help of the government's guiding hand, but global markets are still on the defensive. The euro extended yesterday's decline through the $1.08 level. The next immediate technical obj...
Read More »
Read More »
Sweden’s Riksbank Prepares for Intervention
Many countries may look with envy upon Sweden. Growth last year was probably around 3%, with household consumption rising a little more than 2%. Its current account surplus is 7.5% of GDP. Exports were up by 4.3%. Its budget deficit is around 1% of GDP. Earlier today Sweden reported its manufacturing PMI rose to 56.0 …
Read More »
Read More »
Europe’s Banking Union Begins Taking Shape
The knock-on effects of the meltdown in Chinese shares and the tension among major Middle East rivals are dominating the re-opening of the global capital markets after the New Year holiday. The US dollar has recouped its earlier losses against t...
Read More »
Read More »
Emerging Markets: Week Ahead Preview
Brazil reports December trade later today. Exports are expected at -1% y/y and imports at -35% y/y. That would result in a $6.1 bln surplus, one of the largest on record. Brazil then reports November IP Thursday, and is expected at -10.3% y/y vs. ...
Read More »
Read More »
Dramatic Start to the New Year
The markets are in turmoil. Global equity markets are sharply lower, dragging bond yields down. The risk-off move has propelled the yen sharply higher. Its 1.4% advance has seen the dollar slump to JPY118.70, its lowest level since-mid-October. The dollar is also weaker against the euro (~0.65%) and sterling (~0.25%). However, the dollar-bloc has been …
Read More »
Read More »
Dollar: State of Play
The start of a new calendar year does not necessarily mean the rise of new market drivers. In fact, the key issues investors face at the start of 2016 are the same that dominated Q4 2015. These issues center around pace of Fed tightening, the outlook for the world's second largest economy and its … Continue reading »
Read More »
Read More »
The Dollar’s Technical Tone at the Start of the New Year
The US dollar firmed against nearly all the major currencies in the last week of 2015. The exceptions were the Antipodean currencies and the Japanese yen. The relatively high short-term yields offered Australia, and New Zealand may have attract...
Read More »
Read More »
2015 Draws to a Close
Many financial centers in Asia and Europe are on holiday today, and those that are open, are experiencing a minimum of activity. Turnover may pick up briefly in the North American morning, but conditions will remain thin and only those who need to transact will. The US reports weekly jobless claims and the Chicago PMI. … Continue reading...
Read More »
Read More »
Yen is Lower for Fourth Year, Euro for Second
The US dollar will finish 2015 higher against both the euro and yen. Sometimes those of us who follow the economic and financial news closely can get caught up with the short-term fluctuations. As traders that is what we do. . Investors, however, can take a longer look at developments. Taking a step back, … Continue reading »
Read More »
Read More »
Quiet but Choppy Markets as Activity Winds Down
The foreign exchange market is becalmed, leaving the US dollar narrowly mixed in uneventful and light turnover. The euro has been confined to less than a third of a cent range. Yesterday it briefly dipped below its 20-day moving average for the first time since the ECB met earlier this month. It remains in the … Continue reading »
Read More »
Read More »