JPY and EUR find support

January 24, 2014 — Mitul Kotecha

Rising risk aversion is supporting the JPY but the currency may also be finding some support from the misplaced view that the Bank of Japan may not need to be any more aggressive in its policy stance to reach its 2% inflation target, with Japan’s finance minister noting that deflationary conditions have almost ended. Such talk looks premature.

Japan still has a long way to go to reach and sustain inflation at its target. The risk is that without any structural reforms (jobs market, manufacturing sector, immigration) deflation and slower growth could quite easily take hold again. In any case, the Bank of Japan is likely to embark on more aggressive policy in the months ahead in order to achieve the 2% target. In the near term USD/JPY looks supported around 102.50.

The EUR found some additional support from a strengthening in manufacturing confidence in the region, which highlighted that economic recovery continues to take shape. Fitch’s affirmation of Germany’s credit ratings at AAA has also helped sentiment towards the currency.

In the near term much of the same tone is likely although the relatively stronger US economic performance and tapering expectations will mean the USD will not fall too far. EUR/USD will face technical resistance around its 2014 high at 1.3776.

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USD firm versus EUR but not against JPY

January 20, 2014 — Mitul Kotecha

Finally back in the office after two weeks of traveling and it appear that the upside momentum for equity markets has definitely waned. Concerns about the pace of growth, earnings and valuations finally appear to have caught up with stocks. Meanwhile US Treasury yields have remained under downward pressure since the release of the disappointing US December jobs report despite some encouraging data since. In Asia China’s GDP release for Q4 reveaked some loss of momentum, with growth decelerating to 1.8% QoQ. Nonetheless, the annual pace of growth looked reasonably healthy at 7.7%, suggesting a limited reaction in markets today.

A US holiday today will likely keep a cap on market activity today but there will be plenty of Q4 earnings reports over coming days to give further direction. In terms of policy decisions the Bank of Japan and Bank of Canada will likely keep policy unchanged following their policy decisions this week. The BoC is faced with inflation well below target while the BoJ continues to battle to push inflation towards its 2% target. Both central banks will maintain easy policy.

On the data front there is very little of note in the US to focus on, with the main release the December existing home sales report on Thursday where a rebound of 1% is expected. European data releases may prove to be more interesting, with the release of flash purchasing managers indices on tap. Further gradual gains are likely to be registered in January although there will be attention on France which has lagged other countries.

Ratings decisions by Moody’s and Fitch on Germany and France, respectively, will also garner some attention. Rumours of a German downgrade are likely to prove unfounded. In the UK the Bank of England MPC minutes will be is likely to reveal an unchanged outcome of voting to keep policy unchanged although the BoE is likely to adjust its guidance soon reflecting the quicker than anticipated fall in the unemployment rate.

The USD looks well placed to extend last week’s gains, especially against the EUR, with a drop below 1.3500 on the cards. Disinflation pressures and relatively soft growth highlight the potential for easier monetary policy. A variety of options for the ECB are on the cards but the EUR will struggle to make headway given expectations of more ECB action. Additionally the EUR appears to be benefiting less from reserves recycling flows, especially given that Asian central bank reserves accumulation has likely to have slowed. The deterioration in speculative positioning reflects the deterioration in sentiment for the currency.

In contrast USD/JPY will struggle too push higher given the drop in US Treasury yields. Additionally weaker Japanese stocks will not help given the correlation between the Nikkei and JPY. The Bank of Japan meeting this week will not give much support for a further move higher in USD/JPY given expectations of an unchanged outcome. Some consolidation around 104.00 is likely over the short term, with upside limited to technical resistance around 104.92.

I fly off to Mumbai tonight for the last leg of our Asia roadshow presentation series. Hopefully my next post can shed some light on the recent stability of the Indian rupee.

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A lot to get through before year end

December 16, 2013 — Mitul Kotecha

As the end of the year nears markets will still need to get through a heavy week in terms of events and data releases before winding down. The main event is the Federal Reserve FOMC meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday and trading direction is likely to be limited ahead of this. There remains a considerable degree of uncertainty about the timing of Fed tapering, with most market participants split between this week and January 30th. We see a one in three chance of Fed tapering beginning this week, with our bet on a January move.

There are also plenty of US data releases on tap including the December Empire manufacturing and Philly Fed surveys, industrial production, CPI inflation, Q3 current account balance, housing starts, existing home sales and Q3 GDP this week. The data will be mixed with manufacturing surveys showing little improvement, home sales declining while in contrast GDP will be revised higher and industrial production will reveal a decent gain.

In Europe there is also plenty to digest amid thinning market liquidity. The final EU summit of the year on 19-20 December will focus on the steps towards banking union while Eurozone flash manufacturing and confidence purchasing managers confidence indices to be released today will show some, albeit limited improvement. Further gains in the German ZEW investor confidence and IFO business confidence surveys are likely to be recorded in December although the surveys are unlikely to match the pace of recent gains.

The UK will also reveal further economic clues in the form of the CPI inflation, jobs data and Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) minutes. In particular, the minutes are unlikely to reveal any urgency to change policy despite the faster than anticipated drop in the unemployment rate. In terms of central banks the Bank of Japan is set to leave policy unchanged given recent the progress on inflation while the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) minutes will reveal further focus on the strength of the AUD.

The intense focus on the Fed means that there will very limited market movements until after the outcome of the meeting. It is unclear whether the recent slippage in US equities has been due to renewed nervousness about Fed tapering or simply year end profit taking. Either way, a delay in Fed tapering may provide some, albeit limited relief to risk assets.

The USD will benefit if tapering is announced this week, but much will depend on what US bond yields do. Recent moves in currency markets are looking increasingly stretched, with EUR and GBP failing to build on their recent gains, while USD/JPY is also struggling to move higher. This may continue over coming days as FX market activity thins further.

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Plenty of data and events before winding down

December 2, 2013 — Mitul Kotecha

Although markets already appear to be in wind down mode ahead of the year end holidays there is plenty of data and events over coming days that could change the complexity of market activity. To begin the week news that that China’s official November purchasing managers’ index remained at an 18 month high will bode well for markets, especially in Asia.

Elsewhere it is still too early to gauge how well the four day spending over the US Thanksgiving holiday fared for US retailers although initial indications suggest that spending will be down on last year. Over coming days there will be plenty of evidence to finalise opinions about what the Federal Reserve will do at its December 17-18 FOMC meeting. US data releases this week include the November ISM manufacturing survey, home sales, Fed’s Beige, US Q3 GDP revision and the November jobs report.

Ahead of the Fed meeting other central banks will be in focus this week including the European Central Bank, the Bank of England and the Reserve Bank of Australia. No change in policy is expected from any of them leaving all the attention on the US jobs report. This ought to ensure that the asset allocation shift from bonds to equities will leave equities around record highs while core bond yields continue to edge higher.

The USD has failed to benefit versus EUR despite higher US yields but has made gains against the JPY and many commodity and EM currencies. I look for the USD to move higher over coming weeks. Overall risk appetite is likely to remain supported into year end although much will depend on the plethora of data releases and central bank meetings this week.

EUR is looking increasing stretched around current levels, especially given the likelihood that the ECB will sound relatively dovish this week, with staff growth forecasts likely to be revised lower and inflation forecasts remaining below target. The strength of the EUR is clearly acting as a counterweight to efforts to ease policy but efforts to sell the currency continue to face renewed buying interest. Technical resistance around EUR/USD 1.3627 ought to provide a short term cap.

GBP has made somewhat better progress against the EUR and there appears to be little to stop its upward progress at present. Meanwhile USD/JPY remains under upward pressure, with last week’s inflation data highlighting that there has been some progress on ending deflation although the likelihood of more Bank of Japan easing in the months ahead suggests that further JPY downside is in store.

Aside from the JPY last month’s biggest underperformers in Asia were the IDR and THB. There is little sign of this pattern changing. Indeed, in terms of Asian FX relative value in terms of North versus South East Asia continues to pay dividends. Both Indonesia and Thailand registered outflows of equity capital last month compounding the pressure on the currencies.

THB has taken another leg lower in the wake of escalating protests over the weekend and looks set to test its 6 September USD/THB high at 32.480. As noted by the BoT governor the protests are affecting the economic outlook. In Indonesia questions about the external balance remain a weight on the currency An expected widening in the October deficit and higher November inflation will not help the IDR today.

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Gyrating expectations for Fed tapering

November 18, 2013 — Mitul Kotecha

Gyrating expectations for Fed tapering have left FX markets in somewhat of a limbo. Just as markets had shifted expectations for Fed tapering to next month or January 2014 Fed Chairman nominee Yellen managed to add a dovish spin on things by indicating strong support for ongoing Fed quantitative easing. The USD hasn’t been harmed too much as policy expectations in Japan and the Eurozone has also taken a more dovish slant leaving the EUR and JPY exposed to downside pressure. In contrast, GBP has benefitted from the Bank of England’s revisions to growth and employment expectations.

Yellen’s comments last week and some likely softer economic data releases this week including subdued CPI inflation, declines in retail sales and existing home sales, will likely cap US Treasury bond yields and the USD. Fed FOMC meeting minutes will have some bearing on market direction. Nonetheless, as noted above any pressure on the USD is set to be limited given the relatively dovish policy stances in other countries. Indeed, weak Eurozone and Japan Q3 GDP released last week have led to expectations of more monetary policy action from both the Eurozone Central Bank and Bank of Japan. Consequently EUR/USD will struggle to sustain any recovery above 1.3500 and USD/JPY will find a stronger footing above 100.

GBP/USD has retained a degree of composure but GBP bulls are better taking a long position against EUR where further GBP gains are likely given revelations in the BoE quarterly inflation report that the unemployment threshold will be hit sooner than expected, indicating higher policy rates earlier than forecast. Although the EUR may find some solace from better data this week in the form of flash manufacturing surveys and increases in the German ZEW investor confidence and IFO business confidence surveys any EUR upside will likely remain limited given expectations of further monetary easing by the ECB in the wake of very subdued inflation pressures.

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