All Eyes On US Jobs Data

January 3, 2011 — Mitul Kotecha

Happy New Year!

2010 ended on a sour note especially for eurozone equity markets (and the Australian cricket team) where there has yet to be a resolution to ongoing growth/fiscal/debt tensions.  The EUR strengthened into year end but this looked more like position adjustment than a shift in sentiment and EUR/USD is likely to face stiff resistance around the 1.3500 level this week, with a drop back towards 1.3000 more likely.  In the US there was some disappointment in the form of a surprise drop in December consumer confidence data but pending home sales and the Chicago PMI beat expectations, with the overall tone of US data remaining positive.

There will be plenty to chew on this week in terms of data and events which will provide some much needed direction at the beginning of the year.  The main event is the December US jobs report at the end of the week.   Ahead of this there will be clues from various other job market indicators including the Challenger jobs survey, ADP employment report, and the ISM manufacturing and non-manufacturing surveys.  The data will reflect a modest improvement in job market conditions and the preliminary forecast for December payrolls is for a 135k increase, with private payrolls set to rise by 145k and the unemployment rate likely to fall slightly to 9.7%.

The minutes of the 14 December Fed FOMC meeting (Tue) will also come under scrutiny against the background of rising US bond yields.  In addition, Fed Chairman Bernanke will speak on the monetary and fiscal outlook as well as the US economy to the Senate Budget Panel.   Bernanke will once again defend the use of quantitative easing whilst keeping his options open to extend it if needed.  However, the changing composition of the FOMC with four new members added in 2011 suggests a more hawkish tinge, which will likely make it more difficult to agree on further QE.   In any case, the tax/payroll holiday package agreed by the US administration means that more QE will not be necessary. 

It’s probably not the most auspicious time for new member Estonia to be joining the eurozone especially as much of the speculation last year focussed on a potential break up.  The beginning of the year will likely see ongoing attention on the tribulations of Ireland after its bailout, with looming elections in the country.  Portugal and Spain will also remain in focus as the “two-speed” recovery in 2011 takes shape.  Data releases this week include monetary data in the form of the eurozone December CPI estimate and M3 money supply.  Inflation will tick up to 2% but this ought to be of little concern for the ECB.  Final PMI data and confidence indices will likely paint a picture of slight moderation.   

The USD ended the year on a soft note, with year lows against the CHF and multi year lows vs. AUD registered, but its weakness is unlikely to extend much further.  The key driver will remain relative bond yields and on this front given the prospects for relative US yields to move higher, the USD will likely gain support.  There maybe a soft spot for the USD in Q1 2011 but for most of the rest of the year the USD is set to strengthen especially against the EUR which will increasingly comer under pressure as peripheral tensions and growth divergence weigh on the currency.

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Risk on mood prevails

December 23, 2010 — Mitul Kotecha

The end of the year looks as though it will finish in a firmly risk on mood. Equity volatility in the form of the VIX index at its lowest since July 2007. FX volatility remains relatively low. A lack of market participants and thinning volumes may explain this but perhaps after a tumultuous year, there is a certain degree of lethargy into year end.

Whether 2011 kicks off in similar mood is debatable given the many and varied worries remaining unresolved, not the least of which is the peripheral sovereign debt concerns in the eurozone. It is no surprise that the one currency still under pressure is the EUR and even talk that China offered to buy Portuguese sovereign bonds has done little to arrest its decline.

Reports of officials bids may give some support to EUR/USD just below 1.31 but the various downgrades to ratings and outlooks from ratings agencies over the past week has soured sentiment for the currency. The latest move came from Fitch ratings agency which placed Greece’s major banks on negative ratings watch following the move to place the country’s ratings on review for a possible downgrade.

The USD proved resilient to weaker than forecast data including a smaller than forecast 5.6% gain in existing home sales in November. The FHFA house price index recorded a surprise gain of 0.7% in October, which mitigated some of the damage. The revised estimate of US Q3 GDP revealed a smaller than expected revision higher to 2.6% QoQ annualized from a previous reading of 2.5%. Moreover, the core PCE was very soft at 0.5% QoQ, supporting the view that the Fed has plenty of room to keep policy very accommodative.

Despite the soft core PCE reading Philadelphia Fed President Plosser who will vote on the FOMC next year indicated that if the economy continues to strengthen he will look for the Fed to cut back on completing the $600 billion quantitative easing (QE) program. Although the tax deal passed by Congress will likely reduce the need for QE3, persistently high unemployment and soft core inflation will likely see the full $600 billion program completed. Today marks the heaviest day for US data this week, with attention turning to November durable goods orders, personal income and spending, jobless claims, final reading of Michigan confidence and November new home sales.

Overall the busy US data slate will likely maintain an encouraging pattern, with healthy gains in income and spending, a rebound in new home sales and the final reading of Michigan confidence likely to hold its gains in December. Meanwhile jobless claims are forecast to match the 420k reading last week, which should see the 4-week average around the 425k mark. This will be around the lowest since August 2008, signifying ongoing improvement in payrolls. The data should maintain the upward pressure on US bond yields, which in turn will keep the USD supported.

Please note that this will be the last post on Econometer.org this year. Seasons greatings and best wishes for the new year to all Econometer readers.

Posted in Bond markets, central banks, Currencies, Economics, Economy, Europe, eurozone, Federal Reserve, FX, Greece, Interest rates, Monetary Policy, Portugal, US. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Drastic Action Needed

December 1, 2010 — Mitul Kotecha

There has been no let up in pressure on eurozone markets and consequently risk aversion continues to increase. The failure of Ireland’s bailout package to stem the haemorrhaging in eurozone bond markets highlights the difficulties in finding in a lasting solution and worsening liquidity conditions in several eurozone bond markets highlights the urgency to act.

Indeed, if spreads continue to widen as they have since late October, by early to mid 2011, Portuguese, Spanish and Italian Euribor spreads would be higher than the EFSF loan spread. In the (admittedly extreme) case that sovereigns could not raise money in the market, peripherals would run out of money early in 2011. Policy makers will try to not let the situation get so out of hand but what can be done to stem the damage?

The European Central Bank (ECB) may be forced to delay its exit strategy by maintaining unlimited liquidity allotments to banks into next year and/or implement further liquidity support measures. The ECB meeting will be closely scrutinized for details, with ECB President Trichet having to adjust policy accordingly. A further option could be for the ECB to step up its bond buying programme which may provide some relief to peripheral eurozone bond markets and the EUR.

Whether this offers a lasting solution however, is debatable. The risk of action by the ECB tomorrow may fuel some caution in the market towards selling the EUR further in the short term and could even prompt some short EUR covering around the meeting which could see EUR/USD regain a sustainable hold above 1.3000 again but this may be temporary, offering better levels to sell.

Meanwhile, speculation of a break up of the eurozone into a core euro and a peripheral euro has intensified given the growing divergence in growth and competitiveness across the region. Such speculation looks far fetched. The eurozone project has been politically driven from the start and over the last 60 years or so internal economic strains have been papered over by politicians. The political will is likely to remain in place even if the divergence in fundamentals across Europe has continued to widen.

Bond market sentiment was not helped by the fact that S&P put Portugal’s ratings on creditwatch negative citing downward economic pressure and concerns over the government’s credit worthiness. Importantly S&P still expects Portugal to remain at investment grade if downgraded. Note that Portugal’s central bank highlighted that the country’s banking sector faced “intolerable” risk unless the government implements planned austerity measures.

In contrast the US story is looking increasingly positive, highlighting that the USD’s strength is not merely a reaction to EUR weakness but more likely inherent and broad improvement in USD sentiment. US consumer confidence, Chicago PMI and the Milwaukee PMI beat forecasts in November, continuing the trend of consensus beating data releases over recent weeks.
Although this does not change the outlook for quantitative easing (QE) as the Fed remains focused on core CPI and the unemployment rate, the data paints an encouraging picture of the economy.

Posted in central banks, Currencies, ECB, Economics, Economy, Europe, eurozone, Federal Reserve, Fiscal/Budget, FX, Germany, Greece, Interest rates, Ireland, Monetary Policy, Portugal, US. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Caught In The Headlights

November 15, 2010 — Mitul Kotecha

For a prolonged period of time market attention had firmly focused on the Fed and prospects for quantitative easing (QE2). Now that QE has been delivered with little surprise, as the Federal Reserve arguably did a good job of living up to market expectations, it is Europe that is back in the limelight. Until recently the major surprise about Europe was how well the economy and the EUR were doing and how quickly the European Central Bank (ECB) would diverge from the Fed in its policy path.

This all looks premature and as if to confirm the shift in outlook the slowing in eurozone growth in Q4 (0.4% QoQ) revealed last week is likely to mark the beginning of a sharp and diverging deceleration in growth over coming quarters. The EUR may still have some life left in it given the ongoing purchases via recycled intervention flows from Asian central banks but weaker growth and peripheral worries are undermining this vestige of support.

Unfortunately for Europe the region is now not being caste in a good light and the peripheral trio of Ireland, Greece and Portugal are all staring into the headlights with nowhere to run. A crash of sorts seems inevitable but will there be any casualties? Markets are being whipsawed as they determine what will happen next in this slow motion saga.

Irish officials have maintained they do not need any aid package following discussions held over the weekend. Any bailout would likely come from a EUR 60 billion fund from the European Commission meaning a quick distribution but Ireland’s refusal will likely see pressure resume on peripheral debt markets in Europe as well as the EUR.

Portugal is also in the spotlight following comments by its foreign minister that the country may be forced to abandon the EUR if there is a failure to adopt a broad coalition government to deal with the crisis. This sounds like scaremongering but nonetheless highlights the political tensions in the country.

In Greece the second round of regional elections reveals the ruling Pasok party candidates are in the lead, reducing the prospect of early general elections. Nonetheless, this will do little to alleviate pressure as the EU is set to revise higher Greece’s 2009 deficit and debt estimates implying even more difficulty in meeting this year’s targets.

An EU/IMF team will visit Greece to assess progress as well as decide on whether the country should receive its 3rd instalment of a EUR 110 billion loan. Suggestions from PM Papandreou that he does not rule out having to extend the repayment of the loan will not auger well for sentiment. Finally, the government is set to present its 2011 final budget on Thursday, suggesting plenty of event risk this week.

A meeting of EU finance ministers tomorrow and Wednesday will also garner attention. Germany’s stance that investors will only have to take the brunt of losses from debt rescheduling only from 2013 still remains a contentious issue amongst officials even though it is a slightly softer stance than previously stated. Agreement on this as well as pressure on Ireland to accept funding will be key points of discussion.

Event wise, an auction of T-bills in Greece tomorrow as well as a Spanish debt auction on Thursday will be watched to determine how far the contagion of Irish woes have spread. The news is unlikely to be good, with higher yields likely. Unfortunately tomorrow’s German November ZEW investor confidence survey will provide further signs of retreating investor sentiment in the wake of renewed peripheral debt concerns.

Posted in Currencies, Economics, Economy, Europe, eurozone, Federal Reserve, Financial crisis, Fiscal/Budget, FX, Germany, Greece, IMF, Interest rates, Ireland, Monetary Policy, Portugal, Spain, US. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Euro pressure mounts

November 12, 2010 — Mitul Kotecha

The effects of eurozone peripheral bond concerns are cascading through eurozone markets and hitting risk appetite in the process. The EUR is a clear casualty having dropped further against the USD and versus other currencies. EUR/Asian FX remains a sell in the current environment. Contagion outside Greece, Portugal and Ireland had been limited but Italy and Spain have also seen a growing impact on their bond markets. Having broke below support around 1.3734, EUR/USD will target 1.3508 support.

Speculation that Ireland will be forced to follow Greece in seeking international financial support has intensified. Although Ireland has sufficient funds to last until next spring, yields on its debt are already higher than Greek debt before it received funds a few months back. Attention is firmly fixed on the country’s budget on 7 December and the prospects of an agreement between the government and opposition in its austerity plans.

Not helping is the fact that the Irish government has a very slim majority. Even if the budget is passed there is no guarantee that sentiment will improve given the negative impact of even deeper fiscal tightening announced last week will have on economic growth. Moreover, Germany’s insistence that the cost of any Greek style bailout should be borne mostly by private investors has only added to market tension. Even the European Central Bank is unlikely to provide much support, with ECB member Stark suggesting that ECB bond purchases will remain limited.

This leaves eurozone markets in a precarious state and the EUR continues to look heavy as further downside opens up. Moreover, the problems in peripheral Europe are beginning to have a broader impact on risk appetite, with equity markets slipping, although some of this was related to a weaker sales forecast from Cisco in the US. Nonetheless, spreading risk aversion could also dampen sentiment for Asian currencies, which is why selling EUR/Asian FX looks a better bet than selling USD/Asian FX over the short term.

In contrast sentiment for the US is undergoing an improvement. Data releases over recent weeks have generally beaten forecasts and there is even growing speculation that the Fed’s calibrated asset purchases may end up being smaller than planned. Such speculation has boosted the USD but it is premature to suggest that the Fed is on the verge of scaling back asset purchases even as the program of purchases gets going. Although there are clearly some FOMC members who are opposed to significant asset purchases the probability that the Fed remains set to carry out its full $600 billion of planned purchases.

Attention today will focus squarely on day 2 of the G20 meeting and any resolution to disputes over trade imbalances and currencies. Unfortunately none is likely to be forthcoming. Despite a reported 80 minute meeting between US and Chinese leaders little agreement was reached, with plenty of finger pointing remaining in place. It appears that the mantra of moving towards “market-determined exchange rates” and efforts at “reducing excessive imbalances” as agreed at the G20 meeting of finance ministers and central bankers will be as far as any agreement reaches. As a result markets will be left with very little to chew on.

Posted in Asia, central banks, China, Currencies, Economics, Economy, Europe, eurozone, Federal Reserve, Fiscal/Budget, FX, Germany, Greece, Interest rates, Ireland, Monetary Policy, Portugal, Spain, US, US administration. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment »
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