Next 24 hours: US Dollar Demand Still Out There
Today’s report: US Dollar Correction Underway
An anticipated correction in the US Dollar following an impressive period of strength finally happened in Monday trade, with long USD positions most likely unwinding ahead of the Thanksgiving Day holiday. Canada retail sales is the big one due today.
Wake-up call
Chart talk: Major markets technical overview video
- political risk
- PM May
- Japan earthquake
- SNB strategy
- USD profit-taking
- OIL strength
- NZDUSD Another earthquake shakes Kiwi markets
- tread carefully
- Larger funds
- USDMXNÂ
Suggested reading
- Inside a Moneymaking Machine Like No Other, K. Burton, Bloomberg (November 21, 2016)
- Trump’s Monetary Conundrum, N. Roubini, Project Syndicate (November 18, 2016)
Chart talk: Technical & fundamental highlights
Choose pair:
EURUSD – technical overview
The latest break below the 2016 low at 1.0711 now opens the door for a deeper drop into longer-term support in the 1.0400s further down. Any rallies should remain well capped below 1.1200, with a only a break above this figure to take the immediate pressure off the downside.
EURUSD – fundamental overview
The Euro staged a decent recovery in Monday trade, though the price action was attributed to nothing more than profit taking on weaker US Dollar longs. Offers continued to emerge into rallies and the risk remains tilted to the downside, particularly with so much political risk ahead, namely in the form of the Italian referendum. Next month’s ECB policy decision will also be watched closely, but as per Draghi’s recent comments, the ECB still needs to maintain accommodative monetary policy. Looking ahead, Eurozone consumer confidence and US existing home sales are the only notable standouts on the economic calendar.
GBPUSD – technical overview
The market has broken out of a multi session consolidation off the multi-year low, which could now open the door for a more significant correction higher in the days ahead. Ultimately, there is room to run towards 1.2800 without compromising the intense downtrend, with a lower top sought out in favour of a bearish resumption back towards 1.2000. Only a weekly close above 1.2800 would compromise the structure. A daily close below 1.2300 will put the immediate pressure back on the downside.
GBPUSD – fundamental overview
A rather quick and impressive recovery for the Pound on Monday, with the UK currency benefitting from a combination of broad based profit taking on USD longs and some UK specific headlines. There was chatter that a Telegraph piece suggesting PM May would be looking for a transitional Brexit deal to avoid a cliff edge scenario was also a driver of Sterling gains. Meanwhile, a quarterly survey from Barclays also got attention, with the bank highlighting a sharp rise in UK inflation expectations, which was also Pound supportive. Looking ahead, we get UK CBI industrial trends, UK public finances and US existing home sales.
USDJPY – technical overview
The major pair has seen an intense bullish shift in recent days, with the most recent break above 107.50 exposing fresh upside towards next meaningful resistance at 111.45. However, daily studies are looking stretched which suggests that additional upside could be limited to the 112.00 area for now in favour of a healthy corrective pullback. Ultimately, any setbacks are expected to be well supported above 105.00.
USDJPY – fundamental overview
This morning’s huge Japanese earthquake off Fukushima has opened the for some profit taking on US Dollar longs as a bit of flight to safety kicks in. However, subsequent reports of limited damage have managed to keep the major pair well supported on dips. Ultimately, the ongoing policy divergence with the Fed and record high US stocks are the primary drivers behind this ongoing bid tone. Looking ahead, US existing home sales is the only notable standout on the calendar for the remainder of the day.
EURCHF – technical overview
The latest daily close below 1.0738 strengthens the bearish outlook and opens the door for an acceleration of declines towards the 2016 low at 1.0624. At this point, a daily close back above 1.0865 would now be required to take the immediate pressure off the downside and suggest the market is once again looking settle back into the previous range.
EURCHF – fundamental overview
The SNB has unquestionably had a difficult time of late, with the central bank forced to contend with an intense wave of demand for the Swiss Franc. The central bank has been committed to its mandate of ensuring the Franc does not appreciate further through monetary policy and intervention tools. Though despite all efforts, the Franc continues to want to appreciate against the Euro. It seems the strategy has been to buy Euro when risk comes off and to do nothing when risk is back on and natural flows should be CHF bearish. But the trouble is, when risk comes back, the Franc is still appreciating which is a major headache for the SNB and ultimately, could open more unwanted appreciation in the Franc going forward.
AUDUSD – technical overview
The latest break below 0.7400 is a significant development and now opens the door for deeper setbacks towards next key support at 0.7145 in the days ahead. At this point, look for any rallies to be well capped ahead of 0.7600. Only back above 0.7700 delays the bearish outlook.
AUDUSD – fundamental overview
Absence of first tier economic data out of Australia this week could keep the Australian Dollar under pressure with the market continuing to focus on yield differentials that favour the US Dollar as the Fed inches closer to a rate hike next month. The Australian Dollar was one of the weakest currencies in the previous week, not getting any help from the latest Aussie employment data which had several disturbing components. However, we have seen some Aussie demand in the early week, though the price action has been attributed to nothing more than some profit taking on an extended US Dollar rally. Looking ahead, US existing home sales is the only notable standout.
USDCAD – technical overview
This market looks to be in the process of carving out a longer-term base off the 1.2461, 2016 low. Look for any additional weakness to be supported well ahead of 1.3000 in favour of the next major upside extension towards a measured move objective into the 1.4000 area. Ultimately, only back below 1.3000 would delay the constructive outlook.
USDCAD – fundamental overview
Any strength in the price of OIL continues to be a welcome prop for the Canadian Dollar, which overall, has come under a good deal of pressure against the Buck over the past few months. The combination of diverging monetary policy and this latest uncertainty surrounding the Trump administration, have been major strains on the Loonie, with OIL strength the only variable helping to offset the weakness. Still, last Friday’s softer Canada inflation data failed to open fresh weakness in the Loonie with the latest recovery in the price of OIL more and some overdue US Dollar profit taking more than offsetting. Looking ahead, we get Canada retail sales and US existing home sales as the key standouts.
NZDUSD – technical overview
The pressure has shifted back to the downside with the market now expected to be very well capped on rallies. Look for a fresh lower top at 0.7403Â in favour of the next major downside extension below 0.6952 and towards medium-term support at 0.6675 further down.
NZDUSD – fundamental overview
The New Zealand Dollar has put in a nice recovery this week, after breaking down below critical psychological barriers at 0.7000 i the previous week. But any corrective rallies are expected to be well capped, with upside more a function of profit taking on some extended USD longs more than anything else. Meanwhile, news of another New Zealand earthquake is also getting some attention into Tuesday and has invited a fresh batch of offers. Looking ahead, US existing home sales is the only notable standout on the economic calendar for the remainder of the day.
US SPX 500 – technical overview
While this latest surge back to a fresh record high could compromise what has been the possibility for a toppish structure, the risk is still tilted to the downside if the market fails to establish above 2200 on a weekly close basis. But ultimately, at this point, any topside failure will also need to be met with a break back below 2100 to once again encourage the possibility for a bearish structural shift.
US SPX 500 – fundamental overview
The ongoing bid for US equities has been more than impressive, particularly at a time when the Fed is about to embark on a more steady path to policy normalisation. But the market will need to once again think about the bigger, more worrying issue at hand, which is an exhaustion of global monetary policy tools globally and an inability for central banks to continue to support and stimulate growth. This leaves financial markets vulnerable to any shocks and exposed to intense periods of additional risk liquidation going forward, especially at a time when the Fed is moving further away from accommodation.
GOLD (SPOT) – technical overview
Despite a major setback, the overall structure remains highly constructive with the market in the process of carving out a longer-term base. Look for any weakness to be very well supported above 1200, with only a close back below this level to delay the bullish outlook and give reason for pause. Back above 1233.10 strengthens the outlook and should accelerate gains towards a retest of the 2016 peak at 1375.
GOLD (SPOT) – fundamental overview
Overall, GOLD has been very well supported in 2016, with the yellow metal finding solid demand from medium and longer-term players on the back of fears over the limitations of exhausted monetary policy, extended global equities, systemic risk and a bet that record low inflation will turn up even faster in a Trump presidency. All of this will almost certainly continue to keep the commodity in demand, even if the Buck is propped, with many market participants fleeing to the hard asset as the grand dichotomy of record high equities and record low yields comes to an unnerving climax. Dealers cite strong demand in the $1200 area.
Feature – technical overview
USDMXN has raced to a fresh record high with the market surging through critical psychological barriers at 20.000. The break to new highs now opens the door for a measured move upside extension towards 22.0000 in the sessions ahead, following a period of consolidation roughly between 18.0000 and 20.0000. At this point, only back below 18.000 would compromise the highly constructive outlook.
Feature – fundamental overview
The danger of a Trump Presidency to the Mexican economy has become a reality. This has opened a dramatic collapse in the Peso, with the currency sinking to a fresh record low against the Buck and down as much as 10% post election. It has also forced the Banxico into the uncomfortable position of having to raise rates another 50bps to offset the rapid Peso depreciation at a time when such a hike will only act as a major strain on the local economy and Mexico’s growth prospects. The only help to the Peso at the moment is the ongoing bid for US equities, but with this market in desperate need of a major correction, things could really get ugly for the Banxico if risk comes off.