Tag Archive: US

Weak US Durable Goods may Herald Pullback in Capex

Most of the G10 currencies are trading quietly in narrow ranges today. After a slightly firmer than expected national CPI reading, which still moderated, and a pullback in US yields, the Japanese yen is the strongest of the major currencies.

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Euro Bid in Europe but Unlikely to Sustain Gains Through North America

Overview: The dollar is beginning the new week mixed. The dollar-bloc currencies and Japanese yen are softer while the European currencies enjoy a firmer today. Among emerging market currencies, central European currencies are trading with higher. The Turkish lira is the notable exception. It is the weakest currency today, off about 0.65%. The Chinese yuan is a little softer, but the dollar continues to be capped near CNY7.20. Last week, more often...

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While the Greenback has Tended to be Sold in Asia this Week, it has Recovered in North America

Overview: Amid a light news stream, the dollar is mostly in narrow ranges against the G10 currencies. Leaving aside the Norwegian krone, the others in a +/- 0.15% against the dollar today. We note that the technical tone of the euro and sterling have improved withe the five-day moving averages crossing above the 20-day moving averages. On the other hand, the dollar is approaching the year's low set last week near JPY150.90. Emerging market...

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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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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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Quiet End to a Busy Week

Overview:  The US dollar is winding down this week on a quiet note. Most of the G10 currencies are trading within yesterday's ranges. On the week, only the Scandis are set to close with gains, though with a little effort, the Australian dollar could too. The Japanese yen and Swiss franc are the laggards off 0.65%-0.75% this week. Most emerging market currencies outside of central Europe are firmer. The South African rand is the strongest this...

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Divergence Highlighted by Back-to-Back Quarterly Contractions in Japan and the UK but Little FX Reaction

Overview: There has been a string of disappointing economic news today. Japan's economy surprisingly contracted in Q4 23 and the Q3 contraction was a little deeper than initially estimates. Australia's jobs growth was weaker than expected and unemployment rose to 4.1%, matching the highest since November 2021.

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Japanese Officials Weigh-In and Help Yen Stabilize, while Euro and Sterling Extend Losses

Overview: The market's reaction to the firmer than expected January CPI seems exaggerated. We do not think it was the game-changer for the Federal Reserve that the market seemed to think. The dollar was driven higher, and it is stabilizing today, though the euro and sterling extended their losses, most of the other G10 currencies did not. After the yen's six-week slide did not elicit a response from Japanese officials, yesterday's drop did, and...

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Sterling Buoyed by Labor Market Report Ahead of US CPI

Overview: The US dollar is enjoying a mostly firmer bias ahead of today's CPI report. Sterling is the strongest among the G10 currencies after a more resilient than expected labor market report. The dollar extended its gains against the Japanese yen to a new high since last November, but the market seems cautious as it approaches JPY150, where large options expire today. On the other hand, emerging market currencies are mostly faring better. The...

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The Greenback is in Narrow Ranges to Start the Week

Overview: The foreign exchange market is quiet. The Lunar New Year holiday shut most Asian markets. That, coupled with the light news in Europe, have served to keep the dollar in narrow ranges against the G10 currencies. The Swedish krona, Norwegian krone, and Japanese yen are posting minor gains against the greenback. The New Zealand dollar, which was strongest major currency last week (1.4%) is off by almost 0.5% today, making it the weakest...

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Yen Tumbles to New Low on BOJ Comments

Overview: The dollar is narrowly mixed against most of the G10 currencies as it continues to consolidate its recent gains. The yen is the notable exception, and it was sold today, not in response to developments in the US Treasury market, a frequent driver, but in response to comments by a deputy governor of the central bank, suggesting a rate adjustment would not necessarily signal the start of a tightening cycle, which some economists expected....

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Sterling Moves Back into Previous Trading Range, but will it Hold?

Overview:  The dollar is trading with a slightly heavier bias as some of its recent gains are pared. Sterling has moved back into the $1.26-$1.28 trading range that dominated since the middle of last December until the start of this week. The euro is also trading a little firmer despite another large drop in German industrial output (-1.6%). The Japanese yen, Swiss franc, and Norwegian krone are the notable exceptions with a softer profile....

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Greenback Consolidates Two-Day Surge

Overview: The US dollar is consolidating its the two-day surge since the jobs data at the end of last week. The Reserve Bank of Australia did not rule out additional rate hikes, and although the derivatives markets do not think it is likely, the Australian dollar is the best performer in the G10 today with a small gain. An unexpectedly strong German factory orders report failed to help the euro much and it languished near yesterday's low. Sterling...

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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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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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EMU Q4 23 GDP Stagnates, Underscoring Divergence with the US

Overview: The US dollar is mixed ahead of the start of the FOMC meeting and is mostly in its recent ranges. The euro, which was sold below $1.08 yesterday for the first time since mid-December is holding above it today. The less-than-expected projection of US Treasury borrowing requirements for Q1 and Q2 weighed on US rates, which, in turn, dragged the greenback lower against the yen. It is trading near a four-day low, a little above JPY147.00. The...

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Oil Retraces Initial Surge, Euro Slips to Marginal New Low, while Sterling Hugs $1.27

Overview: Key developments today include the Hong Kong court ordered liquidation of China's Evergrande and the reversal of oil prices after a sharp rally initially in Asia after separate attack in the Middle East that killed US troops in Jordan and struck a Russian oil tank in the Red Sea. March WTI, which settled near $78 ahead of the weekend, its best level since the end of last November, rallied to about $79.30 before returning to almost $77.50...

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Attention turns to Lagarde’s Press Conference and US Q4 GDP

Overview: The US dollar is trading mostly quietly in narrow ranges against the G10 currencies ahead of the ECB's President Lagarde's press conference at the conclusion of the policy meeting and the first estimate of Q4 US GDP. With elevated price pressures, Norway's central bank left rates steady and reiterated its signal that rates will remain high for some time, and this has lifted the krone by about 0.5% to leader the major currencies. Most of...

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PBOC Cuts Reserve Requirements, but USD Pullback may offer New Buying Opportunity in North America

Overview: After a strong showing yesterday, the dollar was sold in Asia and Europe. China announced a cut in reserve requirements and took more informal action to support the stock market, which encouraged risk-taking. Yet, the dollar's decline has stretched intraday momentum indicators, which may provide early operators in North America a new dollar buying opportunity. The ECB and Norway's central banks meet tomorrow, and the US reports its first...

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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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