Tag Archive: PMI
Turn Around Tuesday Comes Late
Overview: It is ironic that a few months ago, many wanted to sell the dollar because the Republican president and vice president candidates said they wanted a weaker dollar. With the election drawing near and the race very tight, there has been a surge in the betting markets of a Trump-Vance victory, and this has corresponded with the dollar's dramatic rise. US rates held on the lion's share of their gains despite the sharpest loss in the S&P...
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Mortgage Relief Lifts China’s CSI 300 by more than 8% Ahead of the Golden Week Holiday
Overview: The US dollar is narrowly mixed on the last trading day of Q3 24. The Australian dollar, the G10 proxy for China, is leading the major currencies higher and reached its best level since February 2023 (~$0.6940). The yen and Swiss franc continue to trade heavily and are off 0.2%-0.25%. The euro firm and traded above $1.12 for the fifth time since late August but has failed to settle above there once. The soft inflation readings have...
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Dollar Consolidates as Stocks Melt
Overview: The sharp losses in global equities are dominating today's market developments. Yesterday's 2.1% loss of the S&P 500 and 3.25% drop in the Nasdaq were the largest since carry-trade unwind climaxed on August 5. They have fallen more today and are poised to gap lower at the opening. Asia Pacific shares tumbled, led by Taiwan's 4.5% tumble and the Nikkei's 4.25% loss. It delivered Indian stocks its first loss in nearly three weeks....
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The Dollar is Bid but Ueda Lends Support to the Yen
The dollar is bid as the upside correction that began last week continues today. The greenback is trading above last week's highs against most of the G10 currencies. The yen is the notable exception.
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The Dollar and Rates Come Back Firmer
The US dollar's decline continued yesterday after the steep jobs’ revision and an unusual solid auction of the Treasury's 20-year bond. The minutes from the recent meeting confirmed that the FOMC will begin its easing cycle next month.
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Dollar Losses Extended, Led by the Japanese Yen
Overview: The dollar settled last week on a soft note, and follow-through selling today pushed it lower against nearly all the G10 and emerging market currencies today. Just as some observers were talking about a resumption of the yen carry-trades, the yen has popped up. The yen has a little more than 2.2% against the dollar Friday and today. Unlike previous yen surge, the Antipodeans (candidates for the long leg of the carry trades) have traded...
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Greenback and Yen Extend Gains
Overview: The dollar's gains have been extended today, but in the risk-off mode, and unwinding of carry positions, the Japanese yen and Swiss franc are firmer. the dollar has stabilized in late European morning turnover. The Bank of Canada is widely expected to cut rates today and the greenback is pushing against CAD1.38, which it has not traded above for three-months. The US dollar gains, which we anticipated, are coming despite interest rates...
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Short Covering Squeezes the Yen Higher
The US dollar is firmer against all the G10 currencies but the Japanese yen. Local reports and the price action are consistent with short covering of the previously sold yen positions ostensibly ahead of next week's BOJ and FOMC meetings. Still, the greenback is holding above last week's low, slightly below JPY155.40.
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Dollar Mixed as Markets Digest US Political Developments
Overview: News that President Biden will not seek re-election has left investors unsure of the next step, but PredictIt.org still points to a Trump advantage of slightly better than 60-40. It is not clear yet whether Vice-President Harris will be challenged for the nomination. The dollar is mixed against the G10 currencies, with the dollar bloc and Norway weaker. The yen is up around 0.45% to lead the others higher. The Swiss franc, euro and...
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After Hawkish FOMC Minutes, the Dollar Comes Back Softer
Overview: The dollar was aided yesterday
by the hawkish FOMC minutes and the backing up of US rates. The greenback has
stabilized today and is softer against all the G10 currencies. The stronger eurozone PMI masks
divergence between Germany and France but keeps the recovery narrative intact. The
dollar's broad gains pressured the yuan, and the PBOC's dollar reference rate
was set at its highest since January. Favorable guidance by Nvidia is...
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Risk On, Dollar Sold
Overview: The
post-close rally in US tech stocks after Nvidia's earnings has fueled risk-on
activity today. The Nikkei closed at record highs with a 2.2% rally. China's
CSI rose for the eighth consecutive session as official discourage sales at the
open and close, and short sales in general. Europe's Stoxx 600 is up more than
0.5% to recoup the small losses seen in the last two sessions. US indices are
poised to gap higher at the open. Benchmark...
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The US Dollar and Rates Rise Further
Overview: The US dollar and interest rates have continued to
rise after the strong employment report before the weekend helped drive home the
Fed's message at last week's FOMC meeting. The greenback has been bid to new
highs for the year against the G10 currencies but the Canadian dollar. The
dollar also rose to a marginal new high for the year against the Chinese yuan. Interest
rates are jumping, and the market has downgraded the chances of a May...
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BOJ Stands Pat, Exit Draws Closer, while HK Liquidity is Squeezed Easing Pressure on the Yuan
Overview: The dollar remains largely confined
to its recent ranges as the consolidative phase extends. The Bank of Japan
stood pat and revised its forecasts as it is seen drawing closer another
adjustment in policy, with the market still favoring an April timeframe. A
squeeze in the Hong Kong money market and talk of a large package to support
the equity market helped lift the Chinese yuan for the third consecutive
session and lifted Chinese...
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Softer Tokyo CPI Buys BOJ Time while Moody’s Cuts the Outlook for China’s Debt following Fiscal Stimulus and the Continued Property Slump
Overview: Outside of the Australian dollar, which
has fallen by around 0.6% following the RBA meeting and the softer final PMI,
which may have dragged the New Zealand dollar a lower by around 0.25%, the
other G10 currencies trading little changed ahead of the start of the North
American session. The eurozone and UK final PMIs were revised higher. Central
European currencies lead the emerging market currencies. China reported better
than expected...
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Corrective Forces Help the Dollar Stabilize
Overview: Corrective
forces helped the dollar stabilize yesterday and it enjoys a firmer today. The
euro has slipped below $1.09, and the dollar has resurfaced above JPY149.00. The
FOMC minutes seem dated by the more than 30 bp decline in the US 10-year yield,
the 7% rally in the S&P 500 and roughly 3% drop in the Dollar Index. The
implied year-end 2024 Fed funds rate has fallen by 10 bp to 4.51% (5.33%
currently). The Japanese government...
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Poor Flash PMI from Japan and Eurozone
Overview: Bonds
and stocks are higher today, and the dollar is mixed. A weak PMI reading seemed
to weigh on the euro, but the market shrugged the weak Australian PMI off and
the Australian dollar is the G10 currencies while the euro is among the weakest.
Yesterday, the North American session showed an appetite for foreign currencies
and with some of their intraday momentum stretched to the downside, the stage
is set for a possible repeat today. The...
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Yen Drops After BOJ Does Nothing and Says Little
Overview: The BOJ's failure to do anything or
further ideas that an exit of the negative target rate, despite the firm CPI
report helped the dollar recover the ground lost yesterday against the yen. The
focus has returned to "intervention watch" and the market continues
to press for the official pain threshold. Sterling is the weakest of the G10
currencies, off another 0.5% today following the BOE's decision not to hike
yesterday. The...
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US Dollar Punches Higher
Overview: Disappointing
data in Asia and Europe has sent the greenback broadly higher. The strong gains
posted before the weekend were mostly consolidated yesterday when the US and
Canadian markets were on holiday. The rally resumed today. The Antipodeans and
Scandis have been hit the hardest (-0.7% to -1.25%) but all the G10 currencies
are down. The Swiss franc and yen are off the least (-0.35%-0.45%), and the
euro and sterling have taken out...
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China’s Measures Begin to Find Traction, US Employment Report on Tap
Overview: Beijing's seemingly steady stream of
measures to support the economy and steady the yuan are beginning to produce
the desired effect. The yuan is snapping a four-week decline and the CSI 300
halted a three-week drop. Some economists estimate that the bevy of measures
may be worth as much as 1% for GDP. The dollar is narrowly mixed ahead of the
US employment data, which is expected to see the pace of job growth slow to
around 170k. Of...
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Euro and Sterling Slump on Poor PMI
Overview: Poor European flash PMI pushed on open
door, giving the market a new reason to do what it was doing and that buying the
dollar. The euro has approached important support around $1.08 and sterling is
approaching the lower end of its two-cent trading range (~$1.26-$1.28). The
greenback is consolidating against the yen and holding above JPY145. The
Chinese yuan is little changed while the Mexican peso is extending yesterday's
gains. Despite...
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