Japanese FX Intervention

September 15, 2010 — Mitul Kotecha

The Bank of Japan acting on the behest of the Ministry of Finance intervened to weaken the JPY, the first such action since 2004. The intervention came as the USD was under broad based pressure, with the USD index dropping below its 200-day moving average. USD/JPY dropped to a low of around 82.88 before Japan intervened to weaken the JPY. The move follows weeks of verbal intervention by the Japanese authorities and came on the heels of the DPJ leadership election in which Prime Minister Kan retained his leadership.

One thing is for certain that Japanese exporters had become increasingly concerned, pained and vocal about JPY strength at a time when export momentum was waning. However, the move in USD/JPY may simply provide many local corporates with better levels to hedge their exposures.

Time will tell whether the intervention succeeds in engineering a sustainable weakening in the JPY but more likely it will only result in smoothing the drop in USD/JPY over coming months along the lines of what has happened with the SNB interventions in EUR/CHF. As many central banks have seen in the past successful intervention is usually helped if the market is turning and in this case USD/JPY remains on a downward trajectory.

Although the BoJ Governor Shirakawa said that the action should “contribute to a stable foreign exchange-rate formation” it is far from clear that the BoJ favoured FX intervention. Indeed, the view from the BoJ is that the move in USD/JPY is related less to Japanese fundamentals but more to US problems.

Now that the door is open, further intervention is likely over coming days and weeks but for it to be effective it will require 1) doubts about US growth to recede, 2) speculation of Fed QE 2 to dissipate, 3) and consequently interest rate differentials, in particular bond yields between the US and Japan to widen in favour of the USD. This is unlikely to happen quickly, especially given continued speculation of further US quantitative easing. A final prerequisite to a higher USD/JPY which is related to the easing of some of the above concerns is for there to be an improvement in risk appetite as any increase in risk aversion continues to result in JPY buying.

When viewed from the perspective of Asian currencies the Japanese intervention has put Japan in line with other Asian central banks which have been intervening to weaken their currencies. However, Asian central bank intervention has merely slowed the appreciation in regional currencies, and Japan may have to be satisfied with a similar result. Japan’s intervention may however, give impetus to Asian central banks to intervene more aggressively but the result will be the same, i.e. slowing rather then stemming appreciation.

As for the JPY a further strengthening, with a move to around 80.00 is likely by year end despite the more aggressive intervention stance. Over the short term there will at least be much greater two-way risk, which will keep market nervous, especially if as is likely Japan follows up with further interventions. USD/JPY could test resistance around 85.23, and then 85.92 soon but eventually markets may call Japan’s bluff and the intervention may just end up putting a red flag in front of currency markets to challenge.

Posted in Asia, central banks, Currencies, Economics, Federal Reserve, FX, Interest rates, Japan, Monetary Policy, US. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment »

Exhausted

September 14, 2010 — Mitul Kotecha

No the title is not meant to describe how I felt this morning when I woke up but how I feel the market is looking at present in terms of risk trades. Firmer than feared economic data in the US and China and the agreement in Basel on new bank capital ratios boosted risk appetite but the moves are already beginning to fade. It would be easy to jump on the bandwagon but after the sharp gains registered over recent days I would suggest taking a cautious stance on jumping into risk trades at present.

The EUR has played a degree of catch up to risk currencies, rallying sharply against the USD, helped in part by the European Commission which raised its forecasts for the eurozone economy from 0.9% for 2010 to 1.7%. Although the change in forecasts should come as little surprise give that it is now in line with the European Central Bank’s (ECB) expectations the news bolstered the view of economic resilience in the eurozone. Unfortunately as the ECB noted following its last meeting there are plenty of downside risks to growth next year and upcoming data releases will be viewed to determine how sharply growth momentum will slow into next year.

One currency that strengthened was the JPY and this was mainly due the view that Prime Minister Kan will win the contest for leadership of the governing DPJ party in Japan. The race remains very close, with Prime Minister Kan having a slight lead according to Japanese press. The FX market will pay particular attention to the result given that the other contender Ichiro Ozawa has stated his willingness to drive the JPY lower as well as increase fiscal spending. The results of the election will be known shortly and should Ozawa win USD/JPY will likely find support although the bigger influence is likely to be a shift in relative US/Japan bond yields which due to the sell off in US Treasuries over recent days has become more supportive of a higher USD/JPY.

GBP has lagged the move in many risk currencies, failing to take advantage of the weaker USD. There was some relief overnight from an increase in consumer confidence in August according to the Nationwide index, which rose 5 points to 61, from a 14-month low in July. However, any boost to GBP sentiment will have been outweighed by a fall in UK house prices according to RICS, which revealed the sharpest one-month fall in August since June 2004. The data supports the view that the rally in UK house prices could soon be over. Weaker housing activity will also likely limit any further improvement in consumer confidence. Some of this is already priced into GBP however, and over the short-term EUR/GBP may struggle to breach the 0.8400 level.

Another underperformer overnight was the NZD which was hit by disappointing retail sales data for July, which fell 0.4%. Although the drop followed a strong gain in the previous month the data supports the view that the consumer remains cautious in New Zealand, a factor that will likely play into the view that New Zealand’s central bank, the RBNZ will keep policy on hold when they meet tomorrow. NZD slipped off its highs around 0.7347 overnight and also managed to dampen the upside momentum for AUD/USD which will likely struggle to sustain a break through resistance around 0.9350.

Today’s data will provide further direction for the days ahead, with the September German ZEW survey of investor confidence likely to be closely scrutinized. A drop in the economic sentiment gauge to around 10 is expected from 14 in August, highlighting that eurozone growth momentum is beginning to wane. Hard data in the form of eurozone industrial production will also record a weaker performance, likely to drop 0.3% in July. The data will likely cap the EUR today.

In the US the main release is the August retail sales report for which a 0.3% gain in both headline and ex-autos sales is expected. Sales will have been helped by back to school spending although major discounting will have weighed on retailers’ profits. Nonetheless, any gain even if modest will be a welcome development for Q3 growth in the US.

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Resisting Asian FX Appreciation

September 7, 2010 — Mitul Kotecha

The upward momentum in Asian currencies has continued unabated over recent weeks the gyrations in risk appetite. Most Asian currencies have registered gains against the USD over 2010 with the notable exception of one of last year’s star performers, KRW which after gaining by close to 9% last year has weakened slightly this year. Last year’s best performer the IDR which raked in close to 20% gains over 2009 versus USD has continued to strengthen this year, albeit to a smaller degree. Another currency that has extended gains this year has been the THB, which is on track to beat last year’s 4% appreciation against the USD.

The strength in Asian currencies has in part reflected robust inflows into Asian equity markets. For example Indonesia has been the recipient of around $1.7 billion in equity inflows so far this year. However, India and Korea have registered even larger inflows into their respective equity markets, at around $13 billion and $7.7, respectively, yet both the INR and KRW have underperformed other Asian currencies. The explanation for this is largely due to deteriorating current account positions in both countries. Further deterioration is likely.

The fact that equity flows have had only a small impact on the INR and KRW is reflected in their low correlations with their respective equity market performance. For most other Asian currencies the correlation with equity performance has been quite high, with the THB and MYR having the strongest correlations with their respective equity market indices over the past 3-months although the SGD, PHP and IDR have also maintained statistically significant correlations.

Clearly, for many but not all Asian currencies equity market gyrations are important drivers but at a time when growth is slowing more than many had expected in the US and governments in the eurozone are implementing austerity measures which will likely result in slowing growth and a worsening trade picture in the region, central banks in Asia will become increasingly wary of allowing their currencies from strengthening too quickly.

Increasingly Asian currency strength is being met with intervention by central banks in the region buying USDs against a host of Asian currencies. Over recent weeks this intervention appears to have become more aggressive. Nonetheless, any FX intervention led weakness in Asian FX is likely to prove short lived, with renewed appreciation likely over the coming months unless risk aversion increases dramatically. In other words a drop in Asian currencies will provide better opportunities to go long.

The CNY will play an important role on the pace and pattern of Asian currency movements. Investors in the region will also have one eye on developments on the visit of US National Economic Council director Larry Summers to Beijing. The CNY has firmed over recent days but this appears to be the usual pattern when a senior US official is in town and ahead of a G20 meeting. The fact is however, that the lack of CNY appreciation since the June CNY de-pegging remains a highly sensitive issue.

China is unlikely to yield to US pressure and is set to continue to act at its own pace and comments from officials in China over the past couple of days suggest no shift in FX stance. Although the CNY has not appreciated by as much as many had hoped for or expected since the June de-pegging the path is likely to be upwards, albeit at a gradual pace. For Asian currencies a slow pace of CNY appreciation implies further reluctance to allow a fast pace of appreciation so expect plenty of FX intervention in the weeks and months ahead.

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US Dollar Tensions

September 6, 2010 — Mitul Kotecha

There was considerable relief, most acutely in the US administration, that the US August jobs report revealed a better than expected outcome. To recap, private sector payrolls increased by 67k vs. an upwardly revised 107k in July whilst total non farm payrolls dropped 54k. The data sets the market up for a positive start to the week in terms of risk appetite despite Friday’s drop in the August US non-manufacturing ISM index, deflating some of the market’s upbeat mood.

Once again I wonder how long positive sentiment can be sustained with so many doubts about recovery prospects and limited ammunition on the fiscal front as well as some reluctance on the monetary front, to provide further stimulus should a double dip become a reality.

Markets will be treated to several major central bank decisions including from the Bank of Japan, Bank of England, Bank of Canada and Reserve Bank of Australia this week. These meetings are set to prove uneventful, with unchanged decisions across the board expected although the Bank of Canada decision is a tough call.

The main US release this week is the Fed’s Beige Book on Wednesday, a report which will help the Fed to prepare for the FOMC meeting on September 21. The evidence contained within it is unlikely to be positive reading, with consumer spending set to be relatively soft and evidence of recovery likely to remain patchy.

On Thursday the US July trade deficit is set to reveal some narrowing and as usual the deficit with China will be of interest given the renewed tensions over FX policy. FX tension seems to be intensifying once again due to the relatively slow pace of CNY appreciation since the June de-pegging as well as political posturing ahead of November US mid-term elections. A deterioration in US trade data, a factor that largely contributed to the soft Q2 GDP outcome in contrast to a strengthening in China’s trade surplus will have added fuel to the fire.

The firmer risk backdrop has put the USD on the back foot, with the USD index dropping sharply overnight. Nonetheless, speculative USD positioning as reflected in the CFTC IMM data reveals further short covering up to the end of August, implying USD speculative sentiment is actually turning less negative.

Another country which has a different sort of tension regarding the USD is Japan. Improving risk appetite will likely prevent the JPY from visiting previous highs against the USD but will do little to reduce FX intervention speculation. Indeed, there was more jawboning over the weekend on the subject, with Japan’s finance minister Noda reiterating that Japan would take decisive action to stem the JPY’s appreciation but adding that coordinated FX intervention was a difficult option. Clearly Japan us unlikely to succeed with unilateral FX intervention.

Political events have added to the debate on FX policy as focus turns to the election for leader of the ruling DPJ party next week, with a battle looming between current Prime Minister Kan and challenger Ozawa. Although Ozawa is unpopular with the electorate he yields plenty of political power, and appea rs to be more inclined towards FX intervention. Having failed to sustain a move above 85.00 the pull back in USD/JPY suggests little appetite to extend gains, likely leaving USD/JPY in a relatively tight range, with strong support around 83.55 and resistance around 85.23.

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What goes down must go up

September 2, 2010 — Mitul Kotecha

What goes down must go up! A day that began with a stronger than forecast increase in China’s purchasing managers index (PMI) and firm Australian Q2 GDP continued with a surprise jump in the August ISM manufacturing index. The ISM rose to 56.3 from 55.5 in July an outcome that contradicted most of the regional US manufacturing surveys. It was not all positive in terms of data, yesterday however, with a weaker UK manufacturing PMI and unexpected drop in the August US ADP employment report casting a shadow over markets.

Nonetheless, for a change the market decided to act on the good news, with risk assets surging. Despite the improvement in risk appetite it still feels as though the market is grasping for direction. The jump in equities is unlikely to prove durable in an environment characterized by various uncertainties about growth and policy, especially the US.

The next hurdle for markets is the US payrolls data tomorrow. Although the ADP jobs report revealed a surprise 10k decline the employment component of the ISM manufacturing survey strengthened to 60.4, suggesting an improvement in August manufacturing payrolls. Ahead of the payrolls release the US data slate today largely consists of second tier releases including July pending home sales, August chain store sales, weekly jobless claims, and factory orders. It is worth paying particular interest to jobless claims given that the four week moving average has been edging higher, suggesting renewed job market deterioration. The consensus is for a 475k increase in claims, which will still leave the 4-week average at an elevated level.

Given that one of the biggest debates raging through markets at present is whether the Fed will embark on further quantitative easing comments by Fed officials overnight were closely scrutinized for further clues. In the event, Fed Governor Kohn highlighted that the Fed’s reinvestment of the proceeds from mortgage-backed securities will not automatically lead to further QE, suggesting some hesitancy on his part. Meanwhile, Dallas Fed President Fisher noted his reluctance to expand the Fed’s balance sheet until fiscal and regulatory uncertainties are cleared up.

Both sets of comments highlight the difficulty in gaining a consensus within the FOMC for a further increase in QE, suggesting that the hurdle for further balance sheet expansion will be set quite high. Moreover, such comments put the onus on Congress to move quickly in clearing up fiscal policy uncertainties.

As markets flip from risk on to risk off almost on a daily basis the question for today is how sustainable the rally in risk trades will prove to be against the background of so much policy and growth uncertainty. Unfortunately today’s data will provide few clues and markets will turn their attention to tomorrow’s US non-farm payrolls report for further direction. To an extent this suggests that it may be a case of treading water until then. Nonetheless, I still maintain that risk trades remain a sell on rallies over coming weeks

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