Tag Archive: Articles

Dollar Mixed as Doves Fly

2020-05-08

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2020-05-08

Measures of cross-market implied volatility have been stable for a few weeks now. Weekly jobless claims are expected at 3 mln; reports suggest House Democrats are pushing ahead with a possible vote next week on another relief package. Canada reports April Ivey PMI; Peru is expected to keep rates steady; Brazil COPOM delivered a dovish surprise last night.

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Negative News from Europe Helps Dollar Build on Gains

2020-05-07

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2020-05-07

UK has been confirmed to have the highest death toll in Europe the dollar is getting more traction. Reports suggest Congress is resisting President Trump’s call for a payroll tax cut; ADP private sector jobs data is expected to come in at -21 mln. Brazil is expected to cut rates 50 bp; Fitch cut its outlook on Brazil to negative; Chile is expected to keep rates steady.

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Dollar Remains Under Pressure as Europe Unveils Some Plans to Reopen

2020-05-03

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2020-05-03

Global equity markets continue to trend higher; the dollar remains under pressure. The two-day FOMC meeting ends today; the first look at Q1 US GDP comes out. France and Spain laid out plans to reopen; the UK will rely on a contact tracing plan to limit the viral spread.

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Some Thoughts on Recent Foreign Exchange Intervention

2020-05-02

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2020-05-02

Dollar's YTD Performance, 2020
Dollar softness this week will take some pressure off of the foreign currencies but it’s too early to sound the all clear.  This piece focuses on how  central banks around the world may be intervening to influence their currencies.  Most of the world, particularly EM, is grappling with supporting weak currencies but a select few are dealing with stronger currencies. This is a very opaque process and so we are simply making our best guesses.

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Dollar Remains Under Pressure as Risk-on Sentiment Persists

2020-04-28

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2020-04-28

The death toll from the virus continues to trend lower in Europe and the US; the dollar remains under some pressure. The Fed announced an expansion of its Municipal Liquidity Facility (MLF); regional Fed manufacturing surveys for April continue to roll out; other data will be reported.

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Drivers for the Week Ahead

2020-04-27

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2020-04-27

The FOMC meets Wednesday; first look at Q1 US GDP comes out Wednesday; weekly jobless claims Thursday are expected at 3.5 mln vs. 4.427 mln last week. Italy dodged a bullet last Friday; ECB meets Thursday; eurozone reports Q1 GDP and April CPI data ahead of the ECB decision; Sweden’s Riksbank meets Tuesday.

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Thoughts on the Potential Market Impact of US Downgrades

2020-04-26

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2020-04-26

Our sovereign rating model suggests the US will lose its AAA/Aaa rating.  With fiscal stimulus efforts continuing with this latest $484 bln package, the case for downgrades just keep getting stronger but the timing is unclear.  How might markets react?  We look back to 2011 for some clues.

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Dollar Steady as Global Economy Falls Off a Cliff

2020-04-25

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2020-04-25

Mexico Bond and CDS, 2020
The virus news stream is negative today; the dollar is trying to build on its recent gains. Weekly jobless claims are expected at 4.5 mln vs. 5.245 mln last week; regional Fed manufacturing surveys for April continue to roll out. ECB confirmed reports that it will accept sub-investment grade debt as collateral; EU leaders will hold a video conference today.

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EM Sovereign Rating Model For Q2 2020

2020-04-24

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2020-04-24

Emerging Markets Q2 2020
The major ratings agencies are punishing Emerging Markets (EM) credits much more than their DM counterparts.  Our own sovereign ratings model suggests that there is still more pain to come. We have produced this interim ratings model to assist investors in assessing relative sovereign risk across the major EMs. 

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Dollar Stalls as Market Sentiment Improves

2020-04-23

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2020-04-23

The virus news stream remains mixed; oil remains at center stage with still extreme volatility. The White House and House Democrats struck a deal on a new aid package worth $484 bln. Canada reports March CPI; Mexico delivered a surprise 50 bp cut to 6.0% yesterday afternoon.

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Dollar Firm as Equities and Oil Start the Week Under Pressure

2020-04-20

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2020-04-20

Front-Month Oil Futures, 2015-2020
The lockdown vs. opening debate continues in just about every country; the dollar is consolidating recent gains. Reports suggest the White House and House Democrats are nearing a deal on another aid package worth nearly $500 bln; the extra fiscal stimulus will add to downward ratings pressure on the US.

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Dollar Firm in Thin Holiday Trading

2020-04-15

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2020-04-15

The virus news stream is mostly positive today; yet risk assets are starting the week under some modest pressure. The dollar took a hit last week but we think it will recover; some US data releases from Good Friday are worth repeating. With most of Europe closed today, the news stream from the region is very light; oil prices could not extend their gains today after OPEC+ finalized output cuts over the weekend.

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Dollar Under Modest Pressure as Europe Returns from Holiday

2020-04-15

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2020-04-15

Coronavirus Daily Change, 2020
The tug of war between extending vs. softening lockdowns continues. The dollar remains under modest pressure but we think it will eventually recover; Bernie Sanders has endorsed Joe Biden. Europe reopens from holiday today but the news stream remains light; South Africa surprised with an emergency 100 bp rate cut.

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Lessons from Singapore?

2020-04-10

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2020-04-10

Singapore has been hailed for its quick response to the coronavirus that limited initial infections, but the outlook is shifting.  Despite their early success, they will have to revert to a lockdown.  Can Singapore’s experience offer any lessons for European and the US policymakers?

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Dollar Firm as Europe Fails to Deliver

2020-04-09

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2020-04-09

The dollar is stabilizing; reports suggest the White House is developing a plan to reopen the US economy sooner rather than later. Both Hong Kong and Singapore just tightened restrictions on gathering and movement. FOMC minutes for the March 15 decision will be released today.

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Dollar Mixed, Equities Higher as Virus News Stream Improves

2020-04-07

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2020-04-07

It was a relatively good weekend in virus-related news; measures of implied volatility continue to trend lower. The dollar is trying to build on its recent gains; investors continue to try and gauge just how bad the US economy will get hit. The outlook for oil prices remains highly uncertain and volatile.

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EM Preview for the Week Ahead

2020-04-06

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2020-04-06

EM may get a little support from a potential OPEC+ deal to limit oil.  Even if a deal is struck, the impact is likely to be fleeting as the global growth outlook remains terrible.  We remain negative on EM for the time being.

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Dollar Bid as Market Sentiment Worsens

2020-04-03

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2020-04-03

The virus news stream out of Europe has improved a bit. The US is already taking about the next relief bill; the Fed continues to roll out measures to address dollar funding issues. ADP and ISM manufacturing PMI are the US data highlights. Regulators across Europe are asking banks to stop paying dividends; eurozone and UK reported final manufacturing PMIs.

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Drivers for the Week Ahead

2020-03-30

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2020-03-30

Markets continue to digest the implications of the Fed’s bazooka moment last week. The data highlight this week will be March jobs data Friday; key manufacturing sector data will come out earlier in the week. On Friday, BOC delivered an emergency 50 bp rate cut to 0.25% and started QE.

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ECB Approaching its Bazooka Moment

2020-03-27

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2020-03-27

ECB Balance Sheet Total Assets, 2010-2019
The ECB appears to be moving closer to activating Outright Monetary Transactions (OMT).  Despite being part of Draghi’s “whatever it takes” moment, OMT has never been used.  If the Fed’s open-ended QE is seen as dollar-negative, then OMT should be seen as euro-negative.

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