Tag Archive: U.K.

Dollar’s Rally Pauses Near Key Levels

Overview: The US dollar is trading with a slightly heavier tone in the European morning. It has stalled in front of JPY145.90, where the BOJ intervened last September and ahead of CNY7.30, which some observers think Chinese officials are defending. We are less convinced that either central bank has drawn a line at a particular level and suspect it is too early to be confident that the greenback has peaked against either. On the back of yesterday's...

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Surprise-Packed Tuesday: China Cut Rates, Japan’s Q2 GDP Rises Twice as Fast as Expected, and UK Wages Accelerate

Overview: Today's highlights include a surprise rate cut from China after another series of disappointing data and much stronger than expected Japanese Q2 GDP (6% annualized pace). The UK reported an unexpected sharp jump in average weekly earnings, which were sufficient to get renew speculation of a 50 bp hike by the Bank of England next month. The US dollar is mixed. The Swedish krona and dollar-bloc currencies are struggling, while the Swiss...

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Greenback Remains Firm, with Yen and Aussie Falling to New 2023 Lows

Overview: The dollar and US rates remain firm. The greenback rose to new highs for the year against the Japanese yen and Australian dollar before steadying. Outside of the Swedish krona, which is off nearly 0.5%, the G10 currencies are nursing small losses late in the European morning, mostly less than 0.1%. Most emerging market currencies are also lower. The Chinese yuan gapped lower for the second consecutive session and is also approaching this...

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Dollar Proves Resilient and Even Strong UK GDP Figures Hardly Dents It

Overview: The dollar's resilience after initially selling off in response to the as-expected CPI was impressive. A quieter tone is dominating today and most of the G10 currencies are +/- 0.15%. While the dollar is consolidating, the underlying tone is still firm. For the week, it has risen against all the major currencies and the Dollar Index is up nearly 0.6% this week, its fourth consecutive weekly gain. The greenback is rising today against most...

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US Jobs Report and OPEC Statement Featured Ahead of the Weekend

Overview: The capital markets are calmer today but the US (and Canadian) jobs data stand in the way of the weekend. While equity markets are firmer, the rise in yields continues with new highs for the week being recorded today. European benchmark yields are 2-3 bp higher and the US 10-year Treasury yield is approaching 4.20%. Most of the large market in the Asia Pacific region advanced, but South Korea and Taiwan where the superconductor...

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RBA Holds Fire, Greenback Rebounds

Overview: The dollar has come back bid. It is rising against all the major currencies today. The Reserve Bank of Australia left rates steady and the poor Chinese Caixin PMI is weighing on the Australian dollar, which is off about 1.25% today. Sterling is the best G10 performer, off about 0.1%. Perhaps, the BOE's meeting on Thursday is helping to deflect some of the selling pressure. Emerging market currencies are also nearly all lower, led by the...

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BOJ Moves to Slow JGB Sell-Off, while Month-End is Making for Subdued Price Action in FX outside the Yen

Overview:  The Bank of Japan took the market by surprise with its adjustment of the cap on the 10-year yield before the weekend, and then stepped in to buy the government bond as yields rose in reaction today. The move helped lift the dollar to JPY142.50. from where it had settled on Friday (~JPY141.15). The dollar is mostly softer, however, with only the yen and Swiss franc weaker. The Australian dollar is leading the other currencies higher ahead...

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Bond Rally Continues, Greenback Consolidates with Softer Bias

Overview: The main development in the capital markets is the decline in yields. In Europe, benchmark 10-year yields are off 7-11 bp today, extending the move that began last week. The 10-year Germany Bund yield peaked last Thursday near 2.68% and is near 2.40% now. Similarly, the 10-year Italian yield has fallen from 4.42% to below 4.05% today. The 10-year US Treasury yield fell in five of the last six sessions and is off almost five basis points...

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Euro Edges Higher

Overview:  The US dollar has mostly steadied at the start of the week after last week's sharp losses. The yen, euro, and Swiss franc are enjoying a firmer tone, but only the euro has thus far extended last week's gains, and then, only marginally. Uninspiring data from China pressed the yuan lower, while the firm euro is helping the central European currencies. A typhoon shut Hong Kong markets and Japan's markets were closed for a national holiday....

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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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Powerful Short Squeeze Continues to Lift the Yen

Overview: The greenback remains under pressure. The yen's short squeeze continues, and strong wage growth has helped lift sterling to new highs since last April. Among the G10 currencies, only the Australian and New Zealand dollars are unable to sustain gains through the European morning. Emerging market currencies are also advancing, with a couple of exceptions, including the Turkish lira despite reports on foreign equity inflows. The weaker...

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Sobering PMI Readings Sap Risk Appetites

Overview: As US markets prepare to re-open from yesterday's holiday, the dollar is trading mostly higher, though the euro and yen are steady to slightly firmer. Narrow ranges are prevailing. The Canadian and Australian dollars are exceptions and are off about 0.3%. Emerging market currencies are mostly lower, including Russia, China, South Africa, and Turkey. Final service and composite PMIs were mostly revised lower in Japan, Australia, and the...

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The Greenback Starts H2 on a Firm Note

Overview: The dollar is recovering from the month-end losses seen at the end of last week. Only the New Zealand dollar among the G10 currencies is holding its own. Japanese reports indicate that Tokyo is in contact with the US Treasury about intervention, which is injecting a note of caution as the greenback holds below JPY145.00. Chinese officials also appear to be stepping up their efforts to stabilize the yuan. Among emerging market currencies,...

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Market Continues to Converge With Fed’s Forward Guidance

Overview:  A key development in recent days has been the market's convergence with the Federal Reserve's forward guidance regarding scope for two quarter-point hikes in the second half. The US two-yield is up about six basis points today, extending yesterday's 15 bp increase. It is approaching 5%. The Fed funds futures strip implies one hike has been fully priced in and about a third of the next one. The dollar has risen against all the G10...

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Greenback Jumps on Weak Flash PMIs

Overview: As the market reluctantly edges toward the Fed's guidance, the disappointing PMIs from Europe (but also Japan and Australia) helped boost the greenback. The Dollar Index is trading at seven-day highs above 103 after briefly dipping below 102 to set a new low since mid-May yesterday. The unwinding of cross positions is helping the yen hold its own today as it consolidates near its worst level of the year. The surging dollar and risk-off...

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UK Inflation Surprises to the Upside and Weighs on Sterling

Overview: The UK surprised with higher-than-expected consumer inflation and budget deficit, and the odds of a 50 bp hike tomorrow edged higher. Sterling has been sold on the news and is the weakest of the G10 currencies, off about 0.5%. The dollar is mixed with the euro, Swedish krona, Canadian dollar, and Swiss franc posting small gains. Emerging market currencies are lower, including the Chinese yuan, which is at new lows since last November. The...

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Scandis and Antipodeans Lead the Greenback’s Recovery

Overview: The market continues to resist the Fed's signal that another 50 bp of hikes may be necessary to ensure inflation is headed toward its target. Previously, the market had rate cuts priced in, and it took some time for the Fed's push back to be accepted. The market converged with the Fed, and this helped the dollar recover. We suspect a similar pattern to play out again. The market does not have even one of the two Fed hikes discounted. As...

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Fed Day: Skip = Hawkish Pause, but Market Says Finito

Overview: The year-end effective Fed funds rate implied in the futures market is about 5.11%. The rate has been averaging 5.08% since the Fed hiked rates last month The Fed may go to pains to explain that the steady that to be announced later today is just a pause to get a better read on the economy, the market favors this to be the end of the tightening cycle. The dollar is trading softer against nearly all the G10 currencies. Emerging market...

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PBOC Surprise Rate Cut and a Strong UK Labor Market Report Ahead of US CPI

Overview: A surprise cut in China's seven-day repo and a stronger than expected UK employment report are session's highlights ahead of the US CPI. The base effect alone suggests a sharp fall in the year-over-year rate, while the median forecast in Bloomberg's survey has been shaved to a 0.1% month-over-month gain. The dollar is under pressure and is weaker against nearly all the G10 currencies. It is mixed against the emerging market currencies....

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Ahead of the Week’s Central Bank Meetings, Risk Appetites Stoked

Overview: Today may be the calm ahead of a tomorrow's US CPI and rate decisions by the Fed, ECB, BOJ, and PBOC over the next few days. Most large bourses in the Asia Pacific region rose and Europe's Stoxx 600 is snapping a three-day decline. US index futures are trading higher. US 10-year yield is slightly firmer as are core European benchmark yields. The dollar is under broad pressure and is weaker against the G10 currencies. Against emerging...

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