Markets taking their cue from China data and Bernanke

July 15, 2013 — Mitul Kotecha

After having been on the road visiting clients across Asia over the last two weeks the overall tone to markets feels slightly better than when I left. Risk appetite is improving as central banks attempt to dampen the spike in yields, by initiating “forward guidance”. On balance, markets appear to be making the volatile transition to Fed tapering with less angst than a couple of weeks back.

Despite the confusion over China’s GDP growth target the tone at the start of the week is positive. China’s Q2 GDP slowed compared to Q1 coming in at 7.5% YoY from 7.7% previously but arguably last week’s comments by China’s Finance Minister that China was targeting growth of 7% (later revised in to 7.5%) had arguably done a good job in guiding market expectations lower. In the event the market reaction to the Q2 GDP release was limited.

Aside from China’s data, markets have taken their cue from Fed Chairman Bernanke’s dovish comments last week when he noted that policy will remain “highly accommodative” for the “foreseeable future”. Discomfort at the sharp rise in US Treasury yields will have played a part in spurring such comments, with the net impact being one of improved risk appetite.

Further clarification from Bernanke will be sought during his semi-annual monetary policy report to Congress mid week although he is unlikely to diverge from his recent comments. Nonetheless, US yields and the USD will likely creep higher over coming days helped by firmer data including the June retail sales report today.

Eurozone markets will have little on the data front to digest aside from the German July ZEW survey this week, leaving the fragile state of Portuguese politics in the spotlight. Potential for fresh elections remains a distinct possibility although discussions over forming a new government will continue this week. Overall, this would suggest some underperformance of Eurozone markets and the EUR over the coming days.

In the UK the release of CPI inflation data in June and Bank of England MPC minutes will garner most attention. Inflation is likely to have pushed through the 3% threshold, requiring new governor Carney to write a letter to the UK Chancellor Osborne explaining the reasons for the rise in inflation pressures. Meanwhile the MPC minutes will take a slightly more hawkish stance, with a 7-2 vote expected as Carney will most likely have sided with the majority unlike his predecessor. Against this background GBP is set to gain some ground, especially against the EUR.

Asian currencies made up some ground following the Bernanke inspired drop in the USD last week but given that the region continues to suffer from equity portfolio outflows gains will be difficult to hold over coming days. Nonetheless, the good news is that the haemorrhaging in capital flows to the region has diminished, with only USD 73.6 million in equity outflows from Asia registered month to date.

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US dollar buoyed by higher yields, Asian currencies hit

July 8, 2013 — Mitul Kotecha

Efforts by the European Central Bank and Bank of England to disassociate themselves from Fed policy actions were overwhelmed by the US June jobs report which revealed a bigger than consensus 195k increase in payrolls and upward revisions to previous months. The data reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve would begin tapering in September while the data also pushed US yields sharply higher (close to 23 basis points increase in US 10 year yields following the data) and fuelling further USD strength.

In fairness attempts by the ECB and BoE to introduce ‘forward guidance” may eventually garner some success but US yields will continue to dictate market direction, at least until the markets successfully transition to the reality of Fed tapering, which could take several weeks. During the interim expect transitional volatility to continue, with risk assets globally remaining under pressure.

Further detail on Fed policy will be looked for from within the minutes of the June FOMC meeting to be released on Wednesday although it is unlikely that there will be any real divergence from the message delivered by Fed Chairman Bernanke and a host of other Fed officials over recent weeks. Consequently the USD is likely to retain a broadly firm tone as it reacts to the sharp move higher in US yields at the end of last week.

The Bank of Japan will likely be emboldened in its ultra easy monetary policy stance following last week’s ECB and BoE announcements although no further policy action is likely at this week’s meeting as attention shifts to Japan’s Upper House elections on 21 July. The JPY in particular will remain susceptible to USD strength and widening yield differentials, with potential to test USD/JPY resistance around 102.45 this week.

European attention will centre on Greece and Portugal as the former will be the focus of discussions at the Eurogroup / Ecofin meetings today and tomorrow, with officials set to deliberate Greece’s bailout. Attempts in Portugal to resolve political differences between the main coalition parties appears to have garnered some success in a deal which could stave off fresh elections. None of this will help the EUR which is set to remain under pressure as it edges towards support levels at 1.2744 versus USD.

USD strength will also continue to be exhibited versus Asian currencies this week. Equity fund outflows continue to damage regional currencies lower. Since the end of May Asia has recorded around USD 15.4 billion in equity outflows. Total inflows this year have dropped to only around USD 3.6 billion. A renewed fall in the JPY will added pressure to more JPY sensitive currencies such as TWD and KRW but the overwhelming influence is higher US yields and capital outflows which will continue to have particularly negative impact on currencies with external funding needs, especially the INR and IDR.

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Equity outflows from Asia accelerate

June 26, 2013 — Mitul Kotecha

A slate of better than expected US data releases including May durable goods orders, new home sales and June consumer confidence data (the latter two releases reaching their highest levels since 2008) helped to boost risk appetite, spurring equity markets higher and the VIX ‘fear gauge’ lower.

Firmer US data came alongside soothing comments from China’s central bank PBoC, about liquidity conditions in the banking sector, with an official noting that it will keep money market rates at “reasonable levels”. The European Central Bank’s Draghi added to the fray by noting that Outright Monetary Transactions (OMT) was even more essential now, highlighting the ongoing backstop provided by potential ECB peripheral bond purchases.

Meanwhile the positive US data releases helped to push Treasury yields higher, with the 10 year yield breaching 2.6%. Commodities remained under pressure, with higher yields in particular weighing on gold prices.

The calendar is rather light today and will provide little market direction, with an Ecofin meeting in Europe, UK spending review and US Q1 GDP revision in tap. Expect some positive follow through from the firmer tone to European and US equities overnight which will support risk assets including EM currencies although concerns about tapering are from over.

The rout in equity markets over recent weeks has had a devastating impact on equity flows to Asia. The outflow of equity portfolio capital from Asia accelerated sharply over June. Month to data Asia has recorded $10.2 billion in outflows, a massive move out of the region given that total inflows year to data have now dropped to $8.7 billion. One more month at this pace of outflows would see Asia registering net outflows for the year.

Indonesia, South Korea and Taiwan have been hit the most over June but no country has recorded net equity inflows. Year to date India has registered the strongest equity inflows of $14.7bn while South Korea has registered the biggest outflows of $7.3bn.

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Bracing for a world without steroids

June 21, 2013 — Mitul Kotecha

The sell off of risk assets in the wake of the Fed’s surprisingly direct FOMC communication continues unabated. Hopes that Fed chief Bernanke would attempt to assuage market concerns about tapering have been blown apart and instead the reality of forthcoming tapering continues to bite leading to higher US yields, weaker stocks and commodities and a firmer USD. In fact the USD appears to have finally re-established its positive relationship with yields and risk aversion.

The situation hasn’t been helped by the fact that data out of China has disappointed while local money market rates had risen sharply this week. Separately Japan’s reform momentum appears to have stalled ahead of Upper House elections as Prime Minister Abe’s third arrow missed target.

In combination these factors mean that markets are bracing for the day that they no longer have steroid injections to keep them going. Instead fundamentals will become important to sustain gains in risk assets. Why should anyone be surprised? US growth is recovering and at some point tapering has to occur. Unfortunately risk assets were just not ready for this revelation.

Ongoing volatility and uncertainty is likely to persist over the coming weeks as markets transition to an environment of Fed tapering, but this will give way to a renewed improvement in risk appetite and lower volatility later in the year.

The USD index continued to rise overnight having corrected around a third of its losses since 22 May. Gains remain broad based with gains registered against major and emerging market currencies. US Treasury yield differentials with other countries continue to widen across the board leaving the USD in strong form (10 year Treasury yield has risen by close to 80 basis points since early May).

Going forward firmer US data, taken together with higher US yields, will continue to drive the USD higher against major currencies, while some improvement in risk appetite as investors become accustomed to the prospects of Fed tapering will allow emerging market currencies to recover some, but not all lost ground against the USD.

Many currencies have become highly sensitive to US yields, with the TRY, NZD and INR the most sensitive over the past three months although notably most Asian currencies are near the top in terms of sensitivities.

Against this background unsurprisingly Asia continues to register capital outflows. All Asian countries have registered capital outflows this month, with total equity outflows of $10.2 billion registered, led by South Korea and Taiwan. Obviously the bigger concern is for deficit countries including India and Indonesia, with their currencies remaining particularly vulnerable to capital outflows.

Recent market volatility has meant that the prospects of Japanese investors stepping up their outflows have diminished over the near term. The latest data released yesterday showed that Japanese investors repatriated capital for a fifth straight week.

It is only a matter of time before outflows pick up as risk appetite improves as US yields move higher. The US 10Y Treasury yield advantage has widened versus Japanese JGBs to around 153bp and I expect this to widen further to around 185bp by the end of 2013. This will be consistent with a renewed slide in the JPY versus USD.

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Bernanke awaited, RBI stays on hold

June 17, 2013 — Mitul Kotecha

Central banks are very much in the spotlight. Whether it’s poor communication or disappointment over the lack of fresh stimulus measures in Japan or opposition to the European Central Banks’ (ECB) OMT policy being debated in the German constitutional court there is much to focus on. Against the background of heightened volatility and elevated risk aversion the Fed FOMC meeting on Wednesday will garner even more attention than usual.

Although no change in policy settings is expected the ability of Fed Chairman Bernanke to communicate effectively the Fed’s strategy over ‘tapering’ will be crucial to determine whether market volatility persists or lessens. Ultimately markets are likely to successfully transition to a world of reduced Fed asset purchases but this may take a while. In the meantime market stress is set to remain elevated.

Aside from the Fed FOMC meeting US data releases are likely to continue to show encouraging signs of housing market recovery, with US May housing starts and April existing home set to reveal gains. Meanwhile, CPI inflation will remain benign in May while the June Empire manufacturing survey today will reveal a slight improvement.

In Europe, there will be attention on a Eurogroup meeting on Wednesday where banking union will be discussed while data releases include the June German ZEW investor confidence survey (slight drop likely) and the flash estimates of June purchasing managers’ indices. These are likely to look less negative although they are set to remain in contraction territory. In Japan, May trade data will likely show a widening in deficit as weaker external demand outweighs the impact of a weaker JPY.

In FX markets USD selling against major currencies is likely to slow. The 4.4% drop in the USD index from its highs in late May has been rapid but it has led to a major shift in positioning. Speculative USD long positions have been cut back significantly, while EUR positioning is almost back to flat after being extremely short in previous weeks. Similarly JPY short positions are beginning to be pared back. I suspect that the EUR in particular will struggle to make much more headway.

Weakness of the USD against major currencies has contrasted sharply with USD strength against emerging market currencies. The sell off in Asian currencies has been particularly sharp although there was some tentative recovery towards the end of last week. The INR followed by the most risk sensitive currencies including PHP and THB have suffered the most over recent weeks.

The INR’s vulnerability has been particular high due to its external funding requirements although it may show some tentative signs of recovery over coming days as its sell off has looked overdone. The Reserve Bank of India policy meeting today offered no help for the INR. Although it was a close call there was a significant minority looking for a rate cut to boost growth. The lack of action will weigh on the INR in the short term.

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