Limbo ahead of Fed FOMC meeting

March 13, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

A mixed session overnight leaves markets with little direction ahead of the Bank of Japan and Federal Reserve FOMC meetings today. There was no stimulus for markets from the meeting of European officials yesterday while Greece’s debt swap has failed to boost confidence.

Overall there is a real hesitancy for investors to take positions, with both volumes and volatility remaining very low. For instance the VIX volatility gauge has dropped to its lowest level since May 2011 while my measure of composite FX volatility continues to languish at relatively low levels compared to last year.

The USD has little to fear from the Fed FOMC meeting tonight. If anything it may even benefit from a less downbeat statement from Fed Chairman Bernanke following the meeting. Growing speculation that the Fed will embark on some form of sterilised quantitative easing, i.e. not printing any more money, bodes well for the USD too.

Ahead of the FOMC decision a firm February retail sales report will help add to the plethora of evidence revealing stronger signs of US recovery. A key indicator to watch in this respect is the (National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) report of small business confidence which should also strengthen. Importantly for the USD the data should also help to maintain pressure on US bonds, keeping yields elevated and in turn the USD supported.

The BoJ meeting today will not deliver any surprises, an outcome that will likely leave the JPY largely unmoved. Speculative sentiment for the JPY has shifted negatively as reflected in the latest CFTC IMM report which reveals the biggest short position in the currency since April last year.

Crucial in pushing the JPY weaker has been the widening in bond yield differentials with the US, thanks largely to a rise in US bond yields. The 2-year yield gap is now around 20 basis points, the highest gap since August 2011. This will help to keep USD/JPY supported but my quantitative models suggest that the upmove may be overdone in the short term, with a correction lower in prospect to technical support around 81.44.

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US dollar on a firm footing

March 12, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

The stronger than expected US February jobs report (227k versus 210k consensus) and the Greek debt swap should by rights have set a positive tone to markets this week. Unfortunately this is not the case and cautious is set to prevail, with sentiment dampened in part by China’s wider than expected $31.5 billion trade deficit posted in February.

Officials in Europe are set to finalise Greece’s second bailout today but sentiment is unlikely to be boosted as various concerns creep into the market. Growing scepticism about the fact that the Greek bailout fails to correct the country’s underlying problems, worries about whether Portugal will follow in Greece’s wake, fiscal slippage in Spain and the Irish referendum, all point to ongoing tensions in the weeks ahead.

The Federal Reserve FOMC meeting takes centre stage over coming days while data releases including retail sales, industrial production and manufacturing surveys will also prove important for USD direction. The USD reacted positively to the lack of quantitative easing (QE) hints by Fed Chairman Bernanke recently and the stronger than expected February jobs report has reinforced this view.

The USD starts the week on a firm footing but could face renewed pressure if the FOMC statement proves to be more ambiguous on the issue of QE. US data releases will reinforce signs of economic recovery and if they play into a ‘risk on’ tone the USD could suffer. We believe this is unlikely however, with risk assets set to correct lower over coming weeks, playing positively for the USD.

Having rallied following the growing optimism over the Greek PSI debt swap the EUR will find limited support in the days ahead. News of 85.8% participation will have come as relief but the use of collection action clauses (CAC) is not so positive. At least finalisation of the second Greek bailout will now move ahead, with officials set to rubber stamp the deal today.

Data releases such as the March German ZEW survey tomorrow will highlight the sharp turnaround in investor confidence following the ECB’s LTRO and progress on Greece. This would usually bode well for the EUR. However, it is already proving to be a case of buy on rumour, sell on fact outcome for the currency. Potential for a drop below support around EUR/USD 1.3055 is growing as the USD builds momentum.

Following February’s surprise decision by the Bank of Japan to expand its asset purchases and set an inflation goal, the outcome of the policy meeting on Tuesday will deliver few punches. Having weakened in the wake of the last BoJ meeting, partly as a result of higher US bond yields relative to Japan, the JPY threatens to pull back against the USD to support around 80.50.

Improved risk appetite has helped to maintain some pressure on the JPY but this impact ought to prove limited unless yield differentials continue to widen. While the BoJ’s actions will likely keep Japanese government yields supressed, JPY direction will continue to be dictated by the gyrations in US bond yields.

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EUR range, CAD looks good versus AUD

March 8, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

Ahead of the European Central Bank (ECB) meeting and outcome of the Greek private sector involvement (PSI) debt swap it is very difficult to see the EUR moving out of ranges. I expect no surprises from the ECB and therefore little FX impact. Downward revisions to ECB growth forecasts will however, underpin the more negative tone to the EUR exhibited over recent days.

The bigger risk is the outcome of the PSI. Reports that Greece is nearing the minimum level of PSI participation of 66% will help erase market concerns of a complete collapse of the debt deal, but the risk of forcing a collection action clause and triggering credit default swaps (CDS) remains very much alive. EUR/USD is unlikely to recoup much of its recent losses against this background but will also not sustain any drop below technical support around 1.3055.

The CAD has pivoted around the parity level with the USD over recent weeks, showing little inclination to undertake a significant move in either direction. Notably USD/CAD has failed to sustain gains above its 200-day moving average level around 0.9997. Nonetheless, the CAD has held up relatively well compared to its commodity currency peers, specifically the AUD and NZD, which have both fallen over recent days.

The breakdown in correlation highlights the fact that CAD is regaining some of its old allure as a ‘turbo dollar’. My quantitative estimates show that USD/CAD has some further downward potential but I prefer to play potential CAD upside versus the AUD. The Bank of Canada (BoC) meeting today will do little to derail the CAD, with an unchanged policy decision in prospect, leaving the CAD to maintain gains against AUD.

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Anxious wait for Greek PSI

March 7, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

An anxious wait for the outcome of the Greek private sector involvement in a debt swap taken together with a bout of risk aversion and confirmation of weak growth in the Eurozone (Q4 GDP dropped by 0.3%) have set the scene for nervous trading in EUR/USD. Confirmation of the Greek debt swap deadline on Thursday has done little to stead nerves.

The EUR has lost plenty of ground over recent days but will likely consolidate ahead of the outcome of the PSI. Direction will then depend on whether there has been sufficient voluntary participation by bond holders to avoid forcing private sector involvement. In the event of strong participation the EUR will rally but I suggest selling into any such rally.

Another factor that is playing a role in dampening EUR demand is the fact that the European Central Bank (ECB) balance sheet continues to expand at a rapid rate, to a record EUR 3.02 trillion last week following the second ECB long term refinancing operation (LTRO). Overall, expect little respite for the EUR. Effectively the ECB is undertaking quantitative easing via the back door, which is weighing on the EUR in the process.

USD/JPY has pulled back from its highs in the wake of an increase in risk aversion. As I have been noting over recent days the move in USD/JPY had overshot its short term ‘fair value’ estimate according to my quantitative models. The drop in USD/JPY fits into line with this view. The fact that US bond yields have pulled back from recent highs has also played into the drop in USD/JPY.

While I remain bearish on the JPY over the medium term, there is scope for a further move to technical support the 80.00 level in the short term. Further out, much will depend on the ability of Japanese officials to follow through on more aggressive policy to reflate the economy.

The Bank of Japan’s inflation goal will need a determined effort in terms of more aggressive monetary policy to enable it to succeed. This will ensure that Japanese government bond yields remain suppressed at a time when I expect US bond yields to move higher. Consequently USD/JPY will likely move higher too, with my year end target remaining at 85.00.

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USD finding support, AUD slipping

March 6, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

US bond yields look relatively well supported and in turn this is providing a degree of support for the USD. In this respect the firmer than consensus reading in a gauge of service sector activity, the February US ISM non-manufacturing survey (57.3 versus 56.8 in January) which contrasted with relatively weak service sector purchasing managers’ indices (PMI) in Europe, helped to maintain the healthy yield differential between the US and German bunds.

Combined with the generally ‘risk off’ sentiment pervading markets, in part due to the weaker PMI data, the USD looks to be in good form early in the week. The next market mover will be Wednesday’s ADP jobs report (a measure of jobs growth in the services sector), which will provide clues to Friday’s February non-farm payrolls outcome. In the meantime the fact that the speculative market (IMM) is positioned short USD (for the first time since September 2011) suggests that the room for further USD selling looks limited, with the USD index looking well supported above 79.00.

AUD and other high beta currencies lost more ground in the wake of the drop in the Chinese non-manufacturing PMI in February. AUD remains highly reactive to Chinese data releases given the high and growing exposure of Australia’s economy to China. Given the likelihood of a soft landing in China this year, the medium term damage to the AUD will be limited and I stil look for AUD/USD to reach 1.10 by year-end.

Over the near term however, there is scope for more AUD downside but much will depend on the outcome of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) policy meeting. Expectations of rate cuts have diminished following recently better data and a less dovish statement at the last RBA meeting. A relatively benign statement will offer the AUD little support, leaving AUD exposed to a drop to technical support to just under 1.06 versus the USD.

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