Tag Archive: Australia

FX Daily, August 17: Antipodeans and Sterling Bear Brunt of Greenback’s Gains

2021-08-17

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2021-08-17

Overview:  Concern about the economic impact of the virus and new efforts by China to curb "unfair" competition among online companies has triggered a dramatic response by investors.  A lockdown in New Zealand and the Reserve Bank of Australia signaling it will respond if the economic fallout increases sent the Antipodean currencies sharply lower.

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Gold’s Flash Crash and Limited Follow-Through Greenback Gains

2021-08-09

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2021-08-09

Overview:  A flash crash saw gold drop more than $70 an ounce in early Asia. Silver was dragged lower too.  The precious metals have stabilized at lower levels, but it signals a rough adjustment to a higher interest rate environment as a hawkish BOE and strong US employment data suggest peak monetary stimulus is at hand. 

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FX Daily, July 15: Strong Gains in US CPI and PPI Don’t Stop the Bond Market Rally

2021-07-15

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2021-07-15

Strong inflation prints this week have not prevented the long-term US interest rates from tumbling. The 10-year yield is about 10 bp lower than where it closed on Tuesday after the lackluster 30-year auction. The 30-year yield itself is 11 bp lower.

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FX Daily, June 30: The Greenback is Firm into Quarter-End

2021-06-30

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2021-06-30

The dollar is finishing the quarter on firm footing, gaining against most of the major currencies today. The euro is straddling the $1.1900 area, having begun the month above $1.22. Sterling has tested the $1.38 area. It had traded at a three-year high near $1.4250 at the start of the month.

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FX Daily, June 24: Did the PBOC Signal it is Content with the Yuan’s Pullback?

2021-06-24

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2021-06-24

The US dollar is trading slightly lower against most of the major and emerging market currencies. The Scandis are leading the major currencies, while the Russian ruble leads the central and eastern European currencies higher. Emerging market currencies mostly firmer, though the Turkish lira and South African rand are notable exceptions.

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FX Daily, June 17: Fed Rocks the World

2021-06-17

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2021-06-17

A more hawkish than expected Federal Reserve sent the US dollar and interest rates higher and spurred an equity sell-off. The knock-on effect sent ripples through the capital markets today. Most equity markets in the Asia Pacific region fell. China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan were notable exceptions.

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FX Daily, May 20: Market Stabilize after Yesterday’s Tumultuous Session

2021-05-20

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2021-05-20

US equity indices finished lower, but the real story was their recovery. Asia Pacific equities were mixed, with Australia's 1.5% rally leading the recovery in some markets, including Tokyo and Singapore. Europe's Dow Jones Stoxx 600 is up a little more than 0.5% near mid-session, led by information technology and industrials, while energy and financials lagged with small gains.

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FX Daily, May 12: The Dollar Stabilizes but Stocks, Not So Much

2021-05-12

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2021-05-12

The markets remain on edge. Asia Pacific and US equities have yet to find stable footing, and inflation fears are elevated. The foreign exchange market has turned quiet as the dollar consolidates its recent losses.

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FX Daily, April 29: US GDP: The V

2021-04-29

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2021-04-29

Overview:  The market's initial reaction to the Federal Reserve statement and the press conference was that it was dovish: the 10-year yield slipped, and the dollar was sold to new lows.  In fact, the two countries that appear to be ahead of the curve among high-income countries, Canada and Norway, saw their currencies rally to new three-year highs.

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FX Daily, April 28: Biden and Powell are Center Stage

2021-04-28

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2021-04-28

Overview: It appears that the backing up of US yields is giving the dollar a better tone and challenging the Eurosystem, which has stepped up its bond purchases.  The US 10-year yield is around 1.65%, roughly a two-week high and back above the 20-day moving average. 

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FX Daily, March 30: US Yields Push Higher, Lifting the Greenback Especially Against the Euro and Yen

2021-03-30

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2021-03-30

The US 10-year yield is at new highs since January 2020, pressing above 1.77% and helping pull up global yields today.   European benchmarks yields are up 4-5 bp, and the Antipodean yields jump 8-9 bp.  The impact on equities has been minor, and the talk is still about the unwinding of Archegos Capital. 

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FX Daily, March 29: Markets Look for Direction after Large Block Trade and Before Key Data

2021-03-29

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2021-03-29

The large block trade (~$20 bln) before the weekend, apparently from a family office, continued to have ripple effects today, but the MSCI Asia Pacific Index barely noticed.  It extended its pre-weekend rally of 1.3%, and only South Korea and Australia fell among the major markets.

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FX Daily, March 16: Equities Firm, but Markets Tread Gingerly

2021-03-16

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2021-03-16

Overview: Yesterday's new record highs in the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial helped set the tone for today's advance in the Asia Pacific region and Europe. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index snapped a two-day decline, with other major markets rising today. 

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FX Daily, March 8: Greenback Trades Higher in Asia before Momentum Stalls in Europe

2021-03-08

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2021-03-08

Overview: The attack on Saudi Arabia's largest crude terminal reverberated through the capital markets, where sentiment was already fragile, despite the lack of disruption.   Brent rose to nearly $71.40, and April WTI to almost $68 extended their gains for the fourth consecutive session before being fully unwound.

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FX Daily, February 26: Fed Hike Ideas Give the Beleaguered Greenback Support

2021-02-26

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2021-02-26

A poor seven-year note auction and ideas that the first Fed hike can come as early as the end of next year spurred a steep sell-off in bonds and equities. Technical factors like the triggering of stops losses, large selling in the futures market, which some also link to hedging of mortgage exposure (convexity hedging), also play a role.

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FX Daily, February 22: Stocks Wilt under Pressure from Rising Yields

2021-02-22

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2021-02-22

Higher interest rates, driven by inflation expectations, is forcing an adjustment to equity markets.  The S&P 500 is poised to gap lower today following slides in the Asia Pacific region and Europe. Japanese and Taiwanese indices advanced by steep losses were seen in China, Hong Kong, and India.

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FX Daily, February 15: Sterling Continues to Run Higher and US Winter Storm Gives Oil Another Boost

2021-02-15

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2021-02-15

US and Greater Chinese markets are closed today, but the markets are moving. Equities are bid. The Nikkei led the Asia Pacific region with a 2% gain and pushed above 30000 for the first time since 1990.

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FX Daily, February 4: Negative Rates and the Bank of England: Having Your Cake and Eating it Too

2021-02-04

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2021-02-04

Overview:  The euro has been sold through $1.20 for the first time since December 1 and has now given back roughly half of the gains scored from the US election (~$1.16) to the early January high (~$.1.2350).  More broadly, the greenback is bid against most of the major currencies, with the Australian dollar more resilient after reported record iron ore exports and all but a handful of emerging market currencies. 

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FX Daily, January 27: The Fed and Earnings on Tap

2021-01-27

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2021-01-27

Overview:  Risk appetites seem subdued even if GameStop's surge draws attention. Asia Pacific equities mostly slipped lower, and profit-taking was seen in Hong Kong and Seoul, which are off to an incredibly strong start to the year. Small gains were reported in Tokyo, Beijing, and Taipei.

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FX Daily, January 22: Faltering Friday

2021-01-22

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2021-01-22

Fear that social restrictions may have to be broadened and extended is helping spur a wave of profit-taking and de-risking, which has also been encouraged by disappointingly high-frequency data. The equity rally seemed to falter a bit in the US, as the S&P 500 eked out a minor 0.03% gain yesterday.

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