Tag Archive: OIL

FX Daily, September 30: Nervous Calm

2020-09-30

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2020-09-30

Quarter and month-end considerations could be overwhelming other factors today.  Turnaround Tuesday saw early gains in US equities fade.  Asia Pacific shares were mixed, with the Nikkei (-1.5%) and Australia (-2.3%) bear the brunt of the selling, while China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and India rose.

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Inflation Karma

2020-09-15

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2020-09-15

CPI Changes on Energy, 1995-2020
There is no oil in the CPI’s consumer basket, yet oil prices largely determine the rate by which overall consumer prices are increasing (or not). WTI sets the baseline which then becomes the price of motor fuel (gasoline) becoming the energy segment. As energy goes, so do headline CPI measurements.

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Bottleneck In Japanese

2020-09-09

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2020-09-09

US / Japan, 2018-2020
Japan’s yen is backward, at least so far as its trading direction may be concerned. This is all the more confusing especially over the past few months when this rising yen has actually been aiding the dollar crash narrative while in reality moving the opposite way from how the dollar system would be behaving if it was really happening.

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FX Daily, August 26: Hurricane Laura Lifts Oil Prices

2020-08-26

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2020-08-26

A consolidative tone has emerged after US equity benchmarks reached new highs yesterday. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index had reached seven-month highs on Tuesday, but Japan, China, and Australian stocks saw modest profit-taking today. European shares are recouping yesterday's minor loss, and US shares are flat. 

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FX Daily, July 13: Risk Appetites Firm, but the Greenback is Mixed

2020-07-13

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2020-07-13

Equities began the week on a firm note in the Asia Pacific region.  The Nikkei gained more than 2%, and the profit-taking seen in China ahead of the weekend was a one-day phenomenon.  The Shanghai Composite rose 1.8%, and the Shenzhen Composite surged 3.5%.  Taiwan and South Korea markets also rallied more than 1%.

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FX Daily, June 2: Greenback’s Slide Continues

2020-06-02

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2020-06-02

Overview: Liquidity trumps everything else.  US equities shrugged off the national guard being called into action in nearly a third of US states, and the S&P 500 closed yesterday at nearly three-month highs. Asia Pacific markets followed suit.  Most markets in the region rose by more than 1%. The notable exceptions were Australia and China, where benchmarks rose by 0.2%-0.3%. The Dow Jones Stoxx 600 is up more than 1% in the European morning.

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FX Daily, May 28: Escalating Tensions, Calm Markets

2020-05-28

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2020-05-28

Overview: The US Secretary of State's announcement that the autonomy of Hong Kong could no longer be affirmed did not derail the rally in US equities. However, the threat of an executive order against social media companies may be discouraging follow-through buying, leaving US equities little changed ahead of the open. In contrast, Asia Pacific and European equities are mostly higher.

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FX Daily, May 14: Risk Appetites Wane

2020-05-14

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2020-05-14

Overview: Risk appetites have been gradually waning this week. US equity losses mounted yesterday after Tuesday's late sell-off. Asia Pacific equities were off, with many seeing at least 1.5% drops. Europe's Dow Jones Stoxx 600 is off a little more to double this week's decline and leaves it in a position to be the biggest drop since panicked days in mid-March.

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FX Daily, May 12: Markets Tread Water, Looking for New Focus

2020-05-12

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2020-05-12

Overview: Investors seem to be in want of new drivers, leaving the capital markets with little fresh direction. While Japanese and China equities were little changed, several markets in the region, including Australia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and India, were off more than 1%. European bourses are mostly higher after the Dow Jones Stoxx 600 slipped 0.4% yesterday.

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New Month, New Trends?

2020-05-05

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2020-05-05

The dollar fell against all the major currencies and most of the emerging market currencies last week. The Dollar Index fell by 1.3%, the biggest loss since the last week of March, and posted its lowest close in nearly three weeks ahead of the weekend. There seemed to be a change in the market after key equity benchmarks, like the MSCI ACWI Index of both emerging and developed markets put in a recovery high in the middle of last week.

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FX Daily, April 28: Oil’s Slides before Steadying, while Easing of Lockdowns Support Risk-Taking

2020-04-28

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2020-04-28

Overview: Equities are building on yesterday's gains.  The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 2% yesterday and edged higher today. Shanghai and Austalia stand out as exceptions.   In Europe, the Dow Jones Stoxx 600 is extending yesterday's 1.8% gain to reach its best level since March 11. Today would be the fourth advance in the past five sessions. US shares are firmer.

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FX Daily, April 27: Equities Rally and the Dollar Eases to Start the Week

2020-04-27

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2020-04-27

Overview: Global equities are beginning the new week on an upbeat note.  All the markets in the Asia Pacific region rallied, led by more than 2% gains in the Nikkei and Taiwan.  European bourses are higher.  All the industry groups are participating and financials and consumer discretionary leading the way. 

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FX Daily, April 22: Investors Catch Collective Breath, but Sentiment remains Fragile

2020-04-22

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2020-04-22

Overview:  Risk-appetites appear to have stabilized for the moment. Most equity markets are higher. Japan and Malaysia were exceptions, but the MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose for the first time this week. In Europe, the Dow Jones Stoxx 600 is recouping about a third of yesterday's loss.

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FX Daily, April 21: Oil Drilled Below Zero, Equity Rally Stalls, Greenback Advances

2020-04-21

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2020-04-21

Overview:  Oil's wild ride has been joined by two other developments that are keeping investors off-balance. First, reports suggest that North Korea's Kim Jong-Un maybe in critical condition after surgery. He apparently was absent from last week's events celebrating his grandfather.

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Crouching Silver, Hidden Oil Market Report 20 Apr

2020-04-21

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2020-04-21

Gold Basis and Co-basis and the Dollar Price
The price of gold has been up steadily for the last 30 days (with a few zigs and zags), now re-attaining the high it achieved prior to the big drop in March. Gold ended the week at $1,662. Alas, it’s not quite the same story in silver, whose price drop was bigger. Now its price blip is smaller. Silver ended the week at $15.19.

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FX Daily, April 16: Markets Brace for another Jump in US Weekly Jobless Claims

2020-04-16

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2020-04-16

Overview:  Equity losses in the US appeared to drag most Asia Pacific markets lower today, with China and India the notable exceptions.  European bourses are higher, and the only energy sector is a drag on the Dow Jones Stoxx 600,  which is around 1% higher in late morning turnover, while US shares are also trading firmer.  Asia Pacific 10-year benchmark yields eased. 

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The Global Engine Is Still Leaking

2020-04-16

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2020-04-16

Federal Reserve: Liabilities & Capital, 1984-2019
An internal combustion engine that is leaking oil presents a difficult dilemma. In most cases, the leak itself is obscured if not completely hidden. You can only tell that there’s a problem because of secondary signs and observations.If you find dark stains underneath your car, for example, or if your engine smells of thick, bitter unpleasantness, you’d be wise to consider the possibility.

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Cool Video: CNBC Asia

2020-04-13

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2020-04-13

As the markets were re-opening in Asia earlier today, I joined Martin Soong and Sir Jegarajah on CNBC Asia.  I had returned from a business trip and visited our summer house on the Jersey shore for what I thought was going to be a weekend more than a month ago.  

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FX Daily, April 10: Eight Things to Know about Global Capital Markets on Good Friday

2020-04-10

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2020-04-10

Most of the financial centers in Europe and North America are closed today for the Good Friday holiday.  Many markets in Europe will also be closed on Monday. Here is a summary of key developments.

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