Tag Archive: France
The Market Discounts around a 40% Chance of not One but Two 50 bp Cuts in last Three FOMC Meetings of the Year Ahead of Jobs Report
Overview: The US jobs report is front and center. The market is going into the report with about a 40% chance of a 50 bp Fed rate cut later this month. The Dollar Index is trading lower for the third consecutive session. Helped by the fifth consecutive decline in US 10-year yields, the yen approached last month's high but without the turmoil seen in July and August. Still, equity markets are under pressure. Most large markets in the Asia Pacific...
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Narrow Ranges for the Dollar Prevail Ahead of Tomorrow’s US CPI
Overview: The dollar is mostly softer today, but largely within the recent ranges, as the market appears to be waiting for tomorrow's US CPI. There are a few exceptions to note. The yen is trading near its recent lows. A less hawkish Reserve Bank of New Zealand has triggered a sell-off of the local dollar. Softer than expected Norwegian inflation has knocked the krone lower. Most emerging market currencies are firmer, with several Asia Pacific...
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Quiet Summer Tuesday with Powell’s Testimony and a Deluge of US Supply on Tap
Overview: In the absence of fresh developments, the dollar is consolidating in narrow ranges today against the G10 currencies and enjoys as slight upward bias against most emerging market currencies but for a few currencies from the Asia Pacific region. With practically an empty US data calendar, Fed Chair Powell's testimony with be the highlight, and a soft headline CPI on Thursday anticipated. The US two-year premium over Germany has fallen from...
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Euro is Little Changed, while the Yen is Softer to Start the New Week
Overview: The dollar is narrowly mixed against the G10 and emerging market currencies today. The euro is little changed, holding on to last week's gains, after the surprising French election results, where the focus shifts finding a prime minister that can carry a majority of the new and closely divided National Assembly. Despite firm underlying wage data, the Japanese yen has given back its initial gains, and the dollar is pushing back above...
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Sigh of Relief Lifts French Markets, But…
Overview: The market feels a bit more at ease after the first round of the French elections that extreme policies will be avoided by an effort to deny the National Rally a legislative majority. French stocks have recouped some of their recent losses and the euro reached $1.0775, its best level since June 13. The yen remains soft after the Tankan survey showed little change but an uptick in capex plans. Outside of the yen and Swiss franc, the dollar...
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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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The Greenback Consolidates while Sustaining Break against the Yen
Overview: The dollar is sporting a softer
profile today against all the G10 currencies but the Swedish krona. The
Riksbank sounded more dovish than previously, signaling the possibility of a
cut in each of the last three meetings of the year. The dollar has sustained its
push above JPY160 against the Japanese yen. Most emerging market currencies are
also firmer, with the notable exception of Türkiye and South Africa. Türkiye is
expected to keep its...
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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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Self-Inflicted Wounds in Europe and Japan Help the Greenback Shrug Off the Drag of Lower Rates
Overview: The dollar is bid. What makes its
performance standout is that it is taking place as US rates have fallen. The US
10-year yield is near 4.20%, the lowest in more than two months. The two-year
yield is near 4.67%. It has fallen every session this week for a cumulative
decline of more than 20 bp. It is not so much that constructive developments
took week, but that Europe and Japan are suffering from self-inflicted injury. Macron's
call for...
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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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Don’t be Burned in the Churn
Overview: The broad consolidation in the dollar after the
gyrations at the end of last week continues, and within it the greenback is a
bit softer today. Among the G10 currencies, only the yen is failing to post
gains. Most emerging market currencies, led by central Europe, are also firmer
today. A notable exception is a handful of Asian currencies, include the South
Korean won, Taiwanese dollar, and the Philippine peso. The market's focus is on...
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Consolidative Tone Emerges Ahead of Tomorrow’s US Jobs and EMU CPI
Overview: After gaining for the past couple of
sessions to open the New Year, the dollar is mostly softer today. The yen is
the main exception. The greenback was bid above the JPY144 area where
chunky options expire today. Most emerging market currencies are also firmer
though there are a few exceptions in Asia, like the South Korean won and Thai
baht. Still, the general tone is consolidative ahead of tomorrow US jobs data
and the eurozone's CPI....
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Fitch Puts US on Negative Credit Watch and the Dollar Extends its Gains
Overview: Concerned about the political wrangling over servicing US
debt, Fitch put the US on negative credit watch. Besides chin
wagging and finger pointing, it has had little perceptible impact. The dollar
is mostly higher, reaching new highs for the year against the Japanese yen,
Chinese yuan, and the Antipodean currencies. The euro and sterling met
retracement objective we have targeted (~$1.0735 and $1.2435, respectively).
The greenback is...
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France on strike
The roots of the injustice that brought over a million to the streets
It is the core of a long running joke that the French love to strike more than they like to work – and for good reason. Demonstrations, strikes and even riots, have been a common occurrence for decades. However, this latest round seems to be interestingly persistent, despite the fact that it’s receiving increasingly sparse media coverage.
The last time that the French...
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Dollar Comes Back Bid, as First Republic Taken Over (Mostly) by JP Morgan
Overview: Most markets are closed for the May Day
holiday. News that JP Morgan will acquire most of First Republic assets will be
a relief for the markets. US equity futures are slightly firmer, and the
10-year Treasury yield is around three basis points higher, slightly above
3.45%. Recall that before the weekend, it has fallen from almost 3.55% to 3.42%.
The market has more than a 90% chance of a quarter-point hike discounted for
Wednesday. The...
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Firm US Dollar as Market is Feeling More Comfortable with May Hike
Overview: The dollar fell most of last week
but reversed higher before the weekend. It has seen some follow-through gains,
albeit limited against most of the G10 currencies today. Despite some seemingly
dovish comments by a few Fed officials last week, the Fed funds futures is
pricing in the greatest chance for a hike at the early May meeting since the
banking stress erupted last month. The greenback is also trading with a firmer
bias against most...
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Calmer Markets to Start the New Week
Overview: There did not appear to be any negative
surprises over the weekend, and this is helping calm investors' nerves at the
start of the new week. Deutsche Bank shares have recovered most of the
pre-weekend loss in the German market, and Stoxx bank index is posting a gain
for the first time in four sessions. The AT1 ETF is slightly softer. In Japan,
the Topix bank index slipped around 0.5%, its fourth decline in the past five
sessions. Asia...
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Concerns Over US Banks Rival Today’s Jobs Report
Overview: The unexpectedly large rise in US weekly
jobless claims, the largest since the end of last September and concerns about
the impact of the sharp rise in interest rates on the liquidity and value of
assets (bonds) owned by small and medium-sized banks saw the market unwind the
effect of Fed Chair Powell's comments. The yield on the US two-year note
slumped almost 20 bp to 4.87% yesterday and fell to 4.75% today before
stabilizing (~4.82%)....
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The Dollar Posts Corrective Upticks, while the Market Digests China’s Initiatives
Overview: China’s new initiatives to support the property sector helped lift the Hang Seng. And while the China’s CSI 300 edged higher both the Shanghai and Shenzhen composites fell. Most Asia Pacific markets fell, while Europe’s Stoxx 600 is posting a small gain.
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The Greenback Firms to Start the New Week, Stocks Slide
Overview: The busy week is off to a slow
start as Japan is on holiday and the UK and Canadian markets are closed to
honor Queen (Australia will commemorate with a holiday on Thursday). Nevertheless,
the sell-off in equities continues and the US dollar is firm. Most of the large
markets in Asia fell. India is a notable exception. Its benchmark rose for the
first time in four sessions, helped by bank shares and Infosys. Europe’s Stoxx
600 is off for...
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