German Action Backfires

May 19, 2010 — Mitul Kotecha

Just as it appeared that a semblance of calm was returning to markets over the last day or so, markets went into a tailspin in reaction to the announcement that the German regulators will temporarily ban naked short-selling of shares in 10 financial institutions, EUR government bonds and credit-default swaps based on these bonds. “Exceptional volatility”, “massive” short-selling and excessive price movements were cited as reasons for the ban. The action was reminiscent of a similar move by the US SEC in September 2008.

The action appears to have backfired, fuelling uncertainty over its impact, potential replication by other European countries, how and to whom it would apply as well as how it will be enforced. Once again a single eurozone country has enforced a unilateral measure in an uncoordinated fashion. It is unclear whether other eurozone countries will follow Germany’s actions but it is clear that the measure has led to a further bailout from European asset markets.

Aside from a reversal in equity markets, risk currencies will remain under pressure, with EUR/USD dropping to a low of 1.2163 following a tentative rally earlier. Options barriers on the way down could prevent a more rapid sell-off, with 1.2033 seen as the next support level. Pressure is likely to continue today and will likely spread through Asian markets and currencies. Clearly confidence is extremely low and unfortunately such measures are doing very little to change the growing negative sentiment towards Europe.

Even at current levels the risk of intervention on EUR/USD remains low. The pace of the move in EUR/USD and its volatility may be more important than even the level of the currency. In any case, at current levels EUR/USD is trading around “fair value” and a weaker EUR will be a boon to the European economy. Implied EUR/USD volatility is also not at a particularly high level, suggesting little concern by European officials about the level of the EUR.

Posted in Bond markets, Currencies, Economics, Economy, Europe, eurozone, Financial crisis, Fiscal/Budget, FX, Germany, Greece, IMF, Monetary Policy. Tags: , , , , , , . 1 Comment »

Capital Flowing Out of Europe

May 18, 2010 — Mitul Kotecha

When investors’ concerns shift from how low will the EUR go to whether the currency will even exist in its current form, it is blatantly evident that there is a very long way to go to solve the eurozone’s many and varied problems. As many analysts scramble to revise forecasts to catch up with the declining EUR, the question of the long term future of the single currency has become the bigger issue. Although the EUR 750 billion support package was hailed by EU leaders as the means to prevent further damage to the credibility of the EUR, it has failed to prevent a further decline, but instead revealed even deeper splits amongst eurozone countries.

Although the European Central Bank (ECB) confirmed that it bought EUR 16.5 billion in eurozone government bonds in just over a week, with the buying providing major prop to the market, private buyers remain reluctant to renter the market. As a result of the ECB’s sterilised interventions bond markets have stabilised but the EUR is now taking the brunt of the pressure, a reversal of the situation at the beginning of the Greek crisis, when the EUR proved to be far more resilient. Reports that some large institutional investors have exited from Greek and Portuguese debt markets whilst others are positioning for a eurozone without Greece, Portugal and Spain, suggest that the ECB may have taken on more than it has bargained for in its attempts to prop up peripheral eurozone bond markets.

As was evident in the US March Treasury TICS report it appears that a lot of the outflows from Europe are finding their way into US markets. The data revealed that net long-term TIC flows (net US securities purchases by foreign investors) surged to $140.5 billion in March. The bulk of this flow consisted of safe haven buying of US Treasuries ($108.5 billion), although it was notable that securities flows into other asset classes were also strong especially agencies and corporate bonds, which recorded their biggest capital inflow since May 2008. Asian central banks also reversed their net selling of US Treasuries, with China investing the most into Treasuries since September 2009. Anecdotal evidence corroborates this, with central banks in Asia diversifying far less than they were just a few months ago.

This reversal of flows is unlikely to stop anytime soon. It is clear that enhanced austerity measures in the eurozone will result in weaker growth and earnings potential. This will play negatively on the EUR especially given expectations of a superior growth and earnings profile in the US. Evidence of implementation, action and a measure of success on the fiscal front will be necessary to begin the likely long process of turning confidence in the EUR around. This will likely take a long time to be forthcoming. EUR/USD has managed to recover after hitting a low of around 1.2235 but remains vulnerable to further weakness. The big psychological barrier of 1.20 looms followed by the EUR launch rate of around 1.1830.

Posted in Asia, Bond markets, central banks, China, Currencies, Economics, Economy, eurozone, Financial crisis, Fiscal/Budget, FX, Germany, Greece, IMF, US. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment »

EUR/USD to test 1.2510, GBP/USD heading for 1.4500

May 13, 2010 — Mitul Kotecha

Following on from the EUR 750 billion EU / IMF package European governments are starting to hold up to their end of the bargain. Spain announced a bunch of austerity measures. The measures aim at cutting the country’s budget deficit by an additional EUR 15 billion from 11.2% of GDP in 2009 to close to 6% in 2011. This was accompanied by some better economic news as Spain edged out of a close to 2-year recession in Q1 2010.

Evidence that some action is being taken on the fiscal front in Europe accompanied a slightly stronger than expected reading for Eurozone GDP in Q1 2010, helping risk appetite to improve overnight. Portugal was also able to find some success in its sale of EUR 1 billion of 10-year bonds, with a bid to cover ratio of 1.8 and a premium of only 18bps above the yield at April’s sale. Portugal has also pledged to cuts its budget deficit further than initially planned, aiming for a deficit of 7.3% of GDP this year.

Of course, pledges need to be followed by action and implementation and execution will be essential to bring markets back on side given the likely damage inflicted on confidence in the whole EUR project. Continued skepticism explains why EUR/USD has failed to take much notice to the developments in Spain and Portugal, with the currency continuing to languish, heading towards technical support around 1.2510 in the short-term.

The new UK coalition government is also moving quickly to appease markets, with plans to cut the budget deficit in the country by GBP 6 billion this year. The plans failed to have a lasting impact on GBP, which was dealt a blow by the dovish interpretation of the Bank of England’s quarterly inflation report released yesterday. GBP/USD continues to struggle to gain a foothold above 1.5000 and technical indicators suggest the currency pair is still heading lower, with a move to 1.4500 likely over the short-term.

Posted in Bond markets, central banks, Currencies, Economics, Economy, Europe, eurozone, Fiscal/Budget, FX, Germany, Greece, IMF, Interest rates, Monetary Policy, UK. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Pandemonium and Panic

May 7, 2010 — Mitul Kotecha

Pandemonium and panic has spread through markets as Greek and related sovereign fears have intensified. The fears have turned a localized crisis in a small European country into a European and increasingly a global crisis.  This is reminiscent of past crises that started in one country or sector and spread to encompass a wide swathe of the global economy and financial markets such as the Asian crisis in 1997 and the recent financial crisis emanating from US sub-prime mortgages.  

The global financial crisis has morphed from a credit related catastrophe to a sovereign related crisis. The fact that many G20 countries will have to carry out substantial and unprecedented adjustments in their fiscal positions over the coming years means the risks are enormous as Greece is finding out. The IMF estimate that Japan, UK, Ireland, Spain, Greece, and the US have to adjust their primary balances from between 8.8 in the US to 13.4% in Japan. Such a dramatic adjustment never been achieved in modern history.

Equity markets went through some major gyrations on Thursday in the US, leading to a review of “unusual trading activity” by the US Securities and Exchange Commission in the wake of hundreds of billions of USDs of share value wiped off in the market decline at one point with the Dow Jones index recording its biggest ever points fall before recouping some of its losses. Safe haven assets including US Treasuries, USD and gold have jumped following the turmoil in markets whilst risk assets including high equities, high beta currencies including most emerging market currencies, have weakened. Playing safe is the way to go for now, which means long USDs, gold and Treasuries.

There is plenty of expectation that the G7 teleconference call will offer some solace to markets but this line of thought is destined for disappointment. Other than some words of comfort and support for Greece’s austerity measures approved by the Greek government yesterday, other forms of support are unlikely, including intervention to prop up the EUR. The ECB also disappointed and did not live up to market talk that the Bank could embark on buying of European debt and it is highly unlikely that the G7 will do so either. Into next week it looks like another case of sell on rallies for the EUR.   Remember the parity trade, well it’s coming back into play. 

Aside from the turmoil in the market there has been plenty of attention on UK elections. At the time of writing it looks as though the Conservatives will win most seats but fall short of a an overall majority. A hung parliament is not good news for GBP and the currency is likely to suffer after an already sharp fall over the last few days. GBP/USD may find itself back towards the 1.40 level over the short-term as concerns about the ability of the UK to cut its fiscal deficit grow. A warnings by Moody’s on Friday that the “UK can’t postpone fiscal adjustments any longer” highlights the risk to the UK’s credit ratings and to GBP.

Posted in Bond markets, central banks, Currencies, Economics, Economy, emerging markets, equity markets, Europe, eurozone, Financial crisis, Fiscal/Budget, FX, Greece, IMF, Interest rates, Monetary Policy, US. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Risk Aversion Back With A Vengeance

May 5, 2010 — Mitul Kotecha

Risk aversion is back with a vengeance as reflected in the rise in equity volatility (VIX), drop in equity markets and rally in US Treasuries.  European peripheral debt markets sold off despite the EU/IMF aid package for Greece, whilst EUR/USD slid below 1.3000.  Various rumours dealt a blow to markets including talk of a sovereign ratings downgrade and a EUR 280 billion bailout for Spain.   The message is clear.  This situation is becoming increasingly dire by the day.  Europe is in big trouble and the whole euro project is under threat of unravelling.  

Concerns about parliamentary approvals, implementation/execution risk, prospects for relatively weaker growth in Europe, as well as contagion to Spain and Portugal, has tempered any enthusiasm towards the EU/IMF bailout package.  In addition, despite the large size of the EUR 110 billion loan package there are growing worries that it will be insufficient to cover Greece’s funding requirements over the next three years.  All of this implies that the EUR will remain under pressure for some time yet.  I have previously spoken about a drop to around EUR/USD 1.25 but the risk is for a much sharper decline is growing.

The USD is the clear winner, spiking to its highest level since May 2009 and is looking well set to consolidate its gains over the short-term despite the fact that net aggregate USD speculative positioning has already reached its highest level since September 2008 (according to the CFTC Commitment of Traders IMM data) in contrast to EUR positioning, which is at a record low.  This is unlikely to stand in the way of further downside for EUR/USD, with the next technical support level seen at 1.2885, which would match the previous lows see in April 2009.

A combination of worries including contagion to Spain and Portugal, policy tightening in China, debt concerns in the UK and Japan, all threaten to undo the positive message from recent positive economic data including further strengthening in Purchasing Managers Indices globally.   The immediate attention remains on Greece and growing scepticism about the ability of Greece to carry out austerity measures in the face of rising domestic opposition, including a nationwide strike today. 

The rout in US and European markets will spill over to Asia, putting equity markets and Asian currencies under pressure.  Another risk currency to suffer is the AUD, which has dropped sharply following the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) meeting, in which the Bank indicated that rates were close to peaking.  Speculative positioning has dropped for the past two weeks as longs are taken off but AUD/USD weakness is set to be temporary, with buyers likely to emerge around near term support seen around 0.9001.

Posted in Asia, Australia, Bond markets, central banks, China, Currencies, Economics, Economy, equity markets, Europe, eurozone, FX, Germany, Greece, IMF. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »
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