Tag Archive: #USD

Food Prices Drive China’s CPI Lower while the Greenback is Mostly Firmer in Narrow Ranges

Overview: The dollar is mostly firmer against the G10 currencies and has been confined to tight ranges through the European morning. Outside of the China's deflation and Japan's monthly portfolio flow data that showed Japanese investors bought the most amount of US Treasuries (~$22 bln) in six months in September, the news stream is light. Most emerging market currencies are trading with a softer bias today. The Philippine peso is the strongest...

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Greenback Returns Better Bid

Overview: After the making marginal new highs in early North America yesterday, the dollar pulled back, arguable dragged lower by the softness of US rates, helped by the sharp drop in oil prices and healthy reception to the US three-year note auction. However, the greenback has returned better bid today as the market continues to search for direction post-FOMC and US jobs report. The euro and sterling are the weakest of the G10 currencies through...

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The Dollar’s Recovery has been Extended, but it may Give North American Operators a Better Selling Opportunity

Overview: The dollar's sell-off last week was extreme and it recovered yesterday and through the European session today. The Australian dollar has been hit the hardest. It is off more than 1% today after the RBA lifted the cash rate by 25 bp (to 4.35%). Still, the US dollar's gains have stretched intraday momentum indicators, suggesting the upside correction may be nearly over. The greenback's moves appear to have been driven by interest rate...

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The Dollar Remains Mostly Softer but Near-Term Consolidation is Likely

Overview: The US dollar, which was sold last week after the FOMC and soft employment report, remains on the defensive today. The Antipodean currencies and yen are struggling, but the other G10 currencies are firm. The dollar is also lower against most emerging market currencies. Still, given the magnitude of the dollar's pullback, we suspect some consolidation is likely.Asia Pacific equities rallied, helped by the sharp gains in the US before the...

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Barring Upside Surprise on US Jobs, the Greenback Looks Vulnerable

Overview: The US dollar has been confined to narrow ranges today as the market awaits the October employment report. Barring a significant upside surprise, we suspect the dollar is more likely extend this week's losses. The Dollar Index is off about 0.5% this week. Within the narrow ranges, it is sporting a slightly softer profile again nearly all the G10 currencies. It is also lower against most emerging market currencies, but tight ranges...

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Dollar Extends Losses Post-FOMC

Overview: We suspect that if Martians read the FOMC statement, which was nearly identical to the September statement and listened to Chair Powell, they would conclude there was nothing new. Yet, the market habitually hears Powell as dovish and this has weighed on rates and the dollar, while lifting risk appetites. Follow-through selling of the greenback has dragged it lower against all the major currencies, with the Antipodean leading the way, and...

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Japanese Fireworks Continue as the Market Turns to the FOMC

Overview: The FOMC meeting is today's highlight but the drama in Japan continues to rivet the market. The Ministry of Finance warned of the risk of material intervention in the foreign exchange market, and the BOJ bought bonds in an unscheduled operation a day after its downgraded the 1.0% cap to a reference rate, whatever that means. The yen is trading with a slightly firmer bias. The Swiss franc is also trading a little firmer, but the other G10...

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BOJ and China PMI Disappoint, While EMU Q2 Growth and October Inflation were Softer than Expected

Overview: The Bank of Japan softened its 1.0% cap on the 10-year, while lifting its core CPI forecast this fiscal year and next. This disappointed many who anticipated a bolder move to exit the extraordinary monetary policy. The yen was sold in disappointment and the dollar has returned to the JPY150.75 area. The eurozone contracted by 0.1% in Q3, while October CPI came in below expectations at 2.9%. The greenback is softer against most of the...

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Markets Calm but Trepidation Runs High

Overview: Fears that the Israel-Hamas war was going to widen this past weekend sent gold and oil sharply higher at the end of last week. A reportedly more restrained Israeli entrance into Gaza has seen gold pullback back below $2000 (~-0.6%) and December WTI soften (~-1.7%). The US dollar is mostly softer. Stronger-than-expected Australian retail sales fan the risk of a hike next week and this appears to be helping the Australian dollar lead the...

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Is the Market Putting on Risk Ahead of the Weekend?

Overview: The US dollar is trading with a softer bias. Among the G10- currencies, only the euro and Swiss franc are the laggards and are nearly flat. In shifting expectations, the market sees the Reserve Bank of Australia as the most likely to hike rates again, while the swaps market appears to be bringing forward cuts by the European Central Bank and the Bank of Canada. The Australian dollar is the strongest G10 currency today and this week. After...

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Tensions Run High Ahead of ECB Meeting and US Q3 GDP as JPY150 Breached

Overview: The market is on edge. Anxiety is running higher. It is partly geopolitics, and it is partly market stresses. The dollar is holding above JPY150 but so far, no reports or signs of intervention. Bank shares are under pressure. An index of Japanese banks has fallen for five of the past six sessions and are off about 8% from the year's high set last month. An index of European bank shares has fallen in six of the past seven sessions and...

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Divergence Continues to Underpin the Greenback

Overview: The divergence reflected in the flash PMI readings seen yesterday underpinned the dollar, which is firmer in mostly quiet turnover. The initial Australian dollar gains scored in response to the slightly less decline in Q3 CPI have been unwound. The greenback also remains within striking distance of JPY150 where there are still some large options and some apprehension over possible BOJ intervention. Hungary's larger than expected rate cut...

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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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JPY150 Pierced but Market is Not Done

Overview:  News that Israel's ground assault on Gaza is being delayed while hostage negotiations continue saw gold and oil ease, but tensions continue to run high. Gold peaked near $1997 before the weekend and pulled back to about $1964 today before steadying. December WTI peaked in front of $90 a barrel at the end of last week, and fell to about $86.85 today, but has also steadied. The dollar is firmer against the G10 currencies, with the Scandis...

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The Dollar Continues to Press Against JPY150; Risk Off Ahead of the Weekend

Overview: True to the market's penchant, it heard a dovish Fed Chair Powell yesterday. He seemed to suggest that the bar to another hike was high. This helped cap the 10-year yield just in front of 5.00% and allowed foreign currencies to recover against the dollar. The US two-year yield reversed lower after rising above 5.25%. It is now around 5.15%. Still, Powell appeared to cover similar ground as several other officials, including Fed governors...

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Greenback Remains Bid and the Market has not Given Up on JPY150

Overview:  The greenback did not strengthen yesterday in Asian and European turnover despite the deteriorating conditions in the Middle East, but it did rally as North American participants entered the fray. Indeed, the Dollar Index rose from a marginal new four-day low to a marginally new four-day high. The safe haven bid seen in gold and oil, was reflected in the foreign exchange market by the strength of the Swiss franc, the only G10 currency to...

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Geopolitical Tensions Lift Oil and Gold, but little Sign of Haven Buying in FX

Overview: US economic data surprised to the upside yesterday, and although interest rates rose as one would expect, the dollar's initial gains were pared, and the Dollar Index finished slightly lower on the day. This seemed, in some respects, to echo how the greenback reacted to the recent jobs report. However, then, interest rates softened, but the inability to rally on seemingly good news is notable. The heightened tensions in the Middle East...

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Markets Remain on Edge

Overview:  The markets remain on edge. The press reports US President Biden is planning an imminent trip to Israel while Iran warns of "multiple fronts" against Israel if the attacks on Gaza continued. The dollar, which was offered yesterday, is better bid today. Still, the capital markets are relatively quiet. Even the Swiss franc, which was the strongest G10 currency last week (~0.9%) is slightly heavier today. Among emerging market...

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Capital Markets are Calm though Anxiety Continues to Run High

Overview: The risk that the war in Israel spreads remains palatable, and several observers have warned of the greatest risks of a world war in a generation. Still, the capital markets remain relatively calm. The US dollar is softer after closing last week firmly. The only G10 currency unable to post corrective upticks today is the Swiss franc. Among emerging market currencies, the Polish zloty has been boosted by the pro-EU election results, and...

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Dollar Steadies after Yesterday’s Surge, Oil Jumps Ahead of the Weekend while Yields Soften

Overview: The capital markets seemed to have an exaggerated response to the US CPI, where the headline rate, flattered by the rise in energy, rose by 0.1% in September than forecast. Rather than decline, the headline year-over-year rate was unchanged at 3.7%. The core rate was as expected slowing to 4.1% from 4.3%. Next week's US data, including retail sales, industrial production, existing home sales, and the index of leading economic indicators...

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