Special report: Fed decision preview - What to expect
Today’s report: Volatility to be suppressed until end of day
Wednesday’s calendar is quite active, though at the same time, market participants won’t be wanting to get too aggressive to any releases on the economic calendar, with the Fed decision hanging in the balance.
Wake-up call
- sentiment readings
- election timing
- risk markets
- tougher battle
- Aussie CPI
- BoC meeting
- US-China tradeÂ
- FOMC decision
- hard asset
- institutional demand
- traditional markets
Suggested reading
- China Is Determined to Reshape the Globe, H. Brands, Bloomberg (October 30, 2019)
- The Scariest Charts in Global Finance, K. Martin, Financial Times (October 30, 2019)
Chart talk: Technical & fundamental highlights
Choose pair:
EURUSD – technical overview
The downtrend off the 2018 high is looking exhausted and the prospect for a meaningful higher low is more compelling. A higher low is now sought out above the multi-year low from 2017, ahead of the next major upside extension. Only a weekly close back below 1.0800 would compromise this outlook. Back above 1.1412 will strengthen the view.EURUSD – fundamental overview
The ECB's de Cos highlighted recent weakness with services PMIs, while adding the global slowdown was centred on manufacturing. France consumer confidence data came in as expected on Tuesday, while Spain retail sales were above forecast. Most of the volatility today won't come until the Fed decision, though ahead of the event risk, we get German unemployment, Eurozone confidence and sentiment readings, Eurozone consumer inflation expectations, US ADP employment, US GDP reads and some German inflation prints.EURUSD - Technical charts in detail
GBPUSD – technical overview
The market has seen a recovery out from the lowest levels since 2016, with the price recovering back above the daily Ichimoku cloud to take the immediate pressure off the downside. Ultimately, only back below the bottom of the daily Ichimoku cloud would compromise the more constructive outlook for the major pair. Next key resistance comes in the form of the 2019 high from March around 1.3380. Setbacks should ideally be well supported ahead of 1.2400.GBPUSD – fundamental overview
The Labour party agreed to back a December general election after the Prime Minister promised 'not to forward his Brexit deal until a new Parliament had been elected.' European Council President Donald Tusk said this latest Brexit extension may be the last one, appealing to the UK to make the most of this added time granted. Most of the volatility today won't come until the Fed decision, though ahead of the event risk, we'll get more updates from the Brexit front, US ADP employment and US GDP reads.USDJPY – technical overview
The longer-term downtrend remains firmly intact, with the major pair recently taking out major support in the form of the 2018 and 2019 lows respectively. Rallies should continue to be well capped below 110.00 in favour of the next major downside extension towards the 2016 low at 99.00.USDJPY – fundamental overview
A degree of caution on in Japan after retail sales firmed up, which could translate to a consumption slump in Q4, on account of the sales tax hike. Overall, the Yen continues to track with traditional risk correlations and will be focusing on updates from the trade front and today's calendar risk. Most of the volatility today won't come until the Fed decision, though ahead of the event risk, we'll get US ADP employment and US GDP reads.EURCHF – technical overview
The market is attempting to recover out from its lowest levels in two years, with the recent break back above 1.1000 taking the immediate pressure off the downside and opening the door for a larger correction back towards next key resistance at 1.1160. Overall however, the medium-term picture continues to favour the downside, and the market could have a hard time pushing much beyond that solid previous support turned resistance around 1.1160.EURCHF – fundamental overview
The SNB remains uncomfortable with Franc appreciation and continues to remind the market it will need to be careful about any attempts at trying to force an appreciation in the currency. But the SNB will also need to be careful right now, as its strategy to weaken the Franc is facing headwinds from a less certain global outlook. Any signs of sustained risk liquidation, will likely invite a very large wave of demand for the Franc that will put the SNB in the more challenging position of needing to back up its talk with action, that ultimately, may not prove to be as effective as it once was, given where we're at in the monetary policy cycle.AUDUSD – technical overview
The market has been under pressure over the past several months, but has also been well supported on dips. The price action suggests we could be seeing the formation of a major base, though it would take a clear break back above 0.7100 to strengthen this outlook. In the interim, look for setbacks to continue to be well supported above 0.6700 on a weekly close basis.AUDUSD – fundamental overview
Aussie setbacks have been supported after Aussie CPI data came in largely as expected. As of now, the market is pricing in two more RBA rate cuts, with the first coming in February 2020. Overall, Aussie will continue to monitor external risks associated with investor sentiment and global trade, while positioning into today's data, event risk heavy calendar. Most of the volatility won't come until the Fed decision, though ahead of the event risk, we'll get US ADP employment and US GDP reads.USDCAD – technical overview
The longer-term structure remains constructive, with dips expected to be well supported for renewed upside, eventually back above the 2018/multi-month high at 1.3665. At this point, only a weekly close below the psychological barrier at 1.3000 would compromise this outlook.USDCAD – fundamental overview
The Canadian Dollar has traded back towards yearly highs against the Buck, getting support from optimism on the global trade front, stability post the Canada election, and recovering OIL prices. Things will heat up on Wednesday, with the market taking in the latest Bank of Canada decision and some first tier US data before turning its attention to the Fed event risk late in the day. US releases today include ADP employment and GDP.NZDUSD – technical overview
Despite recent weakness, there's a case to be made for a meaningful bottom, with the market rallying out from longer-term cycle low area around 0.6200. As such, look for setbacks to be well supported in the days ahead, in anticipation of a continued recovery. Only a weekly close below 0.6200 would give reason for rethink. Back above 0.6451 will strengthen the outlook and take the immediate pressure off the downside.NZDUSD – fundamental overview
US-China trade deal optimism has been propping the New Zealand Dollar in recent sessions. Meanwhile, recent RBNZ assistant governor Hawkesby comments have forced an unwinding of RBNZ rate cut expectations, which has also bolstered Kiwi. There was some selling earlier in the week on chatter about a possible rating agency downgrade to the country's credit rating, though setbacks were contained. Most of the volatility today won't come until the Fed decision, though ahead of the event risk, we'll get US ADP employment and US GDP reads.US SPX 500 – technical overview
There have been signs of a major longer term top, after an exceptional run over the past decade. Any rallies from here, are expected to be very well capped, in favour of renewed weakness targeting an eventual retest of strong longer-term previous resistance turned support in the form of the 2015 high at 2140. The initial level of major support comes in at 2854, with a break below to strengthen the outlook. A monthly close above 3000 would be required to compromise the outlook.US SPX 500 – fundamental overview
Although we've seen the market extending to fresh record highs in 2019, on the back of the Fed policy reversal, with so little room for additional easing, given an already depressed interest rate environment, the prospect for a meaningful extension of this record run, on easy money policy incentives, should no longer be as enticing to investors as it once was. Meanwhile, tension on the global trade front should continue to be a drag on investor sentiment despite any signs that would suggest otherwise. We recommend keeping a much closer eye on the equities to ten year yield comparative going forward, as the movement here is something that could be a major stress to the financial markets looking out.GOLD (SPOT) – technical overview
The 2019 breakout above the 2016 high at 1375 was a significant development, and suggests the market is in the early stages of a bullish move that follows a multi-month consolidation. The next major level of resistance comes in around 1600, while in the interim, look for any setbacks to be well supported above 1400.GOLD (SPOT) – fundamental overview
The yellow metal continues to be well supported on dips with solid demand from medium and longer-term accounts. These players are more concerned about exhausted monetary policy, extended global equities, political uncertainty, systemic risk and trade war threats. All of this should keep the commodity well supported, with many market participants also fleeing to the hard asset as the grand dichotomy of record high equities and record low yields comes to an unnerving climax.BTCUSD – technical overview
The market continues to consolidate in the aftermath of a major surge in the second quarter of 2019. However, any setbacks should be very well supported ahead of 7,000, with an higher low sought out in favour of a bullish continuation back above the 2019 high and towards the record high from late 2017 further up. Ultimately, only a weekly close below 7,000 would compromise the constructive outlook.BTCUSD – fundamental overview
Bitcoin is going through a period of technical adjustment after the fierce Q2 run up, though we anticipate continued demand from institutional players starved for yield in a world where global equities are increasingly vulnerable. Plenty of demand is reported on dips down towards $7,000.BTCUSD - Technical charts in detail
ETHUSD – technical overview
The market is in the process of a major correction after a surge in the second quarter of 2019. Look for setbacks to be well supported above of previous resistance turned support at 100 on a weekly close basis, in favour of the next major higher low and bullish resumption back towards and through the 2019 high up at 363. Ultimately, only a weekly close below 100 would compromise the outlook.ETHUSD – fundamental overview
Profit taking in the aftermath of the rapid Q2 appreciation has triggered a healthy period of correction and consolidation, while critique of the space from the likes of President Trump and Fed Chair Powell, along with worry associated with fallout in the global economy, are stories that could continue to keep the more risk correlated crypto asset weighed down into the end of the year. Risk off in the global economy is expected to result in ETH underperformance relative to Bitcoin.