Tag Archive: EU

Dovish Hold Sends the Aussie Lower

Overview: The US dollar is little changed against most of the G10 currencies today. The antipodean currencies are the main exception. A modest change in tone from the Reserve Bank of Australia, boosting the chances of a rate cut early next year sent the Australian dollar back toward yesterday's lows, and the New Zealand dollar fell in sympathy. Most of the G10 currencies sporting softer profiles within the consolidative price action. The greenback...

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The Dollar’s Surge Continues

Overview: The dollar's surge continues. Most G10 currencies are off 0.45%-0.65%. The US dollar is trading above CAD1.40 for the first time since the pandemic, but the Canadian dollar is faring the best of the G10 today (~-0.15%). Since US election, it is the only major currency not to have fallen by at least 2%. All the emerging market currencies are lower today, as well. The greenback is being underpinned by the continued rise in US rates and...

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Today’s Employment Report is Important, but Fed Sees Another Before the Next FOMC Meeting

Overview:  The stronger than expected ISM services, which the market has seemed particularly sensitive this year lifted the two-year yield to about 3.71%, its highest level since the last employment report. The 10-year yield, which had been toying with 3.80%, finally settled above it for the first time in a month. The Dollar Index extended its advance to four sessions, matching the longest in six months. The focus is on the US employment report....

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European Currencies Start Week Softer, while the Dollar Bloc is Firm

European currencies are trading with a softer bias to begin the new week. Soft preliminary PMIs appeared to be the main culprit but Australia's PMI disappointed ahead of tomorrow central bank meeting, and the Australian dollar's small gain leads the G10 currencies today.

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Will the PCE Deflator Really Contain New Information?

Overview: The US dollar is narrowly mixed as North American participants prepare to return for the last session of the first half. Despite firmer than expected Tokyo CPI and stronger than expected industrial output, the market lifted the greenback around JPY161.25 before profit-taking pressures bought it back toward session lows near JPY160.65 in Europe. President Biden is thought to have lost last night's debate with Trump, but it does not appear...

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US Dollar Offered, but Intra-Day Momentum Indicators are Stretched

Overview: The Dollar Index reached its best level since May 1 before the weekend but has come back softer against all the G10 currencies and most emerging market currencies. There is no apparent driver, and the intraday day momentum indicators caution against expecting much in the way of follow through gains in North America. The dollar edged closed to JPY160 and triggered official intervention warnings. The market has turned cautious and is...

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Euro Sold After EU Parliament Elections and Macron’s Gambit

Overview:  With mixed elements, the market took the US jobs data as relatively strong and took the dollar and US rates higher. The EU Parliament election has shaken up European politics, with the Belgium government collapsing and French President Macron calling a snap legislative election for the end of the month. Holidays in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Australia made for thinner Asia Pacific trading, but the euro was sold and has reached to...

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Jump in Japanese Bond Yields Fails to Lift the Yen

Overview: The foreign exchange market is quiet. Most of the G10 currencies are +/- 0.1% against the dollar. The crash that took the of Iran's president and foreign minister may have helped lift gold to new record highs ($2450), the impact seems more muted, as poor weather rather than foul play, seems to be main narrative. July WTI reached nearly $80, its best level since May 1 but is hovering around unchanged levels (~$79.50). Canadian markets are...

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Dollar Slips but Dip may Offer New Opportunity

Overview: The US dollar is offered today. It is trading softer against all the G10 currencies, with the yen the notable exception, and it is flat. The Antipodean are leading the way, taking out last week's highs, as has the euro. That said, the intraday momentum indicators are stretched as NY dealers return from the long holiday weekend. The Scandis are also trading above last week's highs. The yen, sterling, Canadian dollar, and Swiss franc are...

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US Tech Sell-Off Challenges Risk Appetites Ahead of the FOMC

Overview: Ahead of the US Treasury's quarterly refunding announcement and the outcome of the FOMC meeting, the dollar is trading higher against all the G10 currencies. With US high-flying tech stocks posting steep losses after disappointing earnings reports, the currencies most sensitive to risk-appetites, the dollar bloc and the Norwegian krone are the weakest. Emerging market currencies are mixed. The South African rand, Philippine peso, and...

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BOJ Speculation Unwound, Taking the Yen Lower

Overview: The busy week of central bank meetings is off to a mostly slow start. The dollar is narrowly mixed in quiet turnover, except against the Japanese yen. Many participants seemed to exaggerate the risks of a BOJ move next week and dollar continued its recovery that began ahead of the weekend. Among emerging market currencies, central European currencies appear to be aided by the firmer euro. They are resisting the dollar's advance seen...

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Dollar Sell-Off is Getting Stretched

Overview: Softer-than-expected US CPI, following weaker than expected job growth has sent the greenback tumbling. The dollar is stabilizing against the yen today, but the downside momentum is intact against the other major currencies. The euro approached $1.1175, sterling $1.3080, and the greenback slumped to almost CHF0.8615. The Australian dollar reached $0.6850, and the New Zealand dollar tested $0.6360. The Canadian dollar, often a laggard in a...

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The Dollar Reverses Early Gains

Overview:  The debt ceiling drama is not over. The agreement between the negotiating teams of President Biden and House Speaker McCarthy sets the stage for the next act in the drama: each side must deliver the votes. A preliminary vote today in the House of Representatives is likely today ahead of floor vote tomorrow. Still, the market is optimistic, and risk is favored. Asia Pacific bourses were mixed today. We note that the chip sector helped...

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The Extended Holiday Makes for Subdued Price Action

Overview: The holiday continues. In the Asia Pacific region, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand, and the Philippines markets were closed. The regional bourses advanced but China.  European markets remain closed. US equity futures are narrowly mixed. The 10-year US Treasury yield is off nearly three basis points to about 3.36%. The dollar is trading quietly mostly within ranges seen before the weekend. It is slightly softer against most of the...

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Monday: A Short Note while US is on Holiday

The dollar is mostly softer, but turnover is mostly quiet.  The Swedish krona leads the move after higher-than-expected underlying inflation.  It is a mild risk-on day with equities moving higher too.  In the Asia Pacific region, China stood with the CSI 300 up almost 2.5%.  Europe’s Stoxx 600 is up fractionally to recoup most of the pre-weekend decline.  US equity futures are narrowly mixed.  European bond yields are little changed, with a couple...

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Greenback Extends Recovery

Overview: The honeymoon for risk assets that began the year ended with a bang at the end of last week with the monster US jobs report and the rebound in the service ISM. Disappointing news from several large US tech companies provided extra encouragement. The yen's weakness helped Japanese stocks today, but the other larger bourses in the Asia Pacific area were sold, with losses in Hong Kong, the CSI 300, South Korea, and Taiwan off more than 1%....

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Subdued Ending to a Quiet Week, Ahead of Next Week’s Fireworks

Overview: Leaving aside the Australian dollar, which is benefiting from the optimism over China's re-opening and a reassessment of the trajectory of monetary policy after a stronger than expected inflation report, the other G10 currencies traded quietly this week and are +/- less than 0.5%. The risk-on honeymoon to start the year remains intact. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index has risen every day this week and index of mainland shares that trade in...

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Political Developments Overshadow Economics

Overview: There is nervous calm in the capital markets today.  The weakness of US shares yesterday is taking a toll today. An exception in the Asia Pacific region is the Hang Seng and the index of mainland shares that trade there, which up around 3.5% today on thUe easing of some Covid protocols.  Europe’s Stoxx 600 is off for a fifth day, its longest losing streak in nearly two months. US futures are posting minor gains. Benchmark 10-year yields...

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Yesterday’s Dollar Recovery Questioned Today

Overview: The 11 bp jump in the 10-year US yield yesterday after dropping nearly 26 bp in the previous three sessions, helped the greenback recover and took a toll on stocks. Still, the S&P 500 is above the low set on November 30 (~3939) before Fed Chair Powell's talk that day.

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Week Ahead: Focus Shifts away from the US after Robust Jobs Data and Stronger than Expected Inflation

The latest US employment and inflation figures are passed. The market is confident of a 75 bp rate hike next month. While a 50 bp in December is still the odds-on favorite, the market has a slight chance (~15%) of a 100 bp move instead after the robust jobs report and stronger-than-expected September CPI.

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