USD edges higher, AUD supported, KRW in focus

October 10, 2013 — Mitul Kotecha

US equities and risk assets in general edged higher overnight as US politicians edged towards a budget deal. The nomination of Janet Yellen as next Fed Chairman was met with a positive reaction from risk assets as it was perceived that she would be more likely to maintain the easy policy of her predecessor, with markets in any case delaying expectations of tapering into next year.

The Fed FOMC minutes released overnight gave little clarity on the timing of Fed tapering however, but it did highlight the split within the FOMC between those wanting to begin tapering in September and those preferring to wait. More consolidation is likely today as markets await political developments in the US.

Contrary to our expectations the USD has actually edged higher over recent days shaking off some the pressure associated with the budget impasse in the US. News that President Obama will meet around 20 senior Republicans from the House following a similar meeting with Democrats highlights progress of sorts, with hints of compromise in the air.

A slight uptick in US bond yields has managed to provide the USD with a semblance of support and further consolidation is likely in the short term as market fears over a US default gradually recede. Indeed, it appears that the USD is in a bottoming out process at present, with short term pain likely to give way to medium term gain.

GBP has lost ground over recent days undermined yesterday by disappointing August manufacturing/industrial production data and a worse than expected trade deficit. The data is unlikely to affect the outcome of today’s Bank of England MPC meeting however, with an unchanged outcome both on policy rates and asset purchases on the cards.

Despite yesterday’s data disappointments UK data has been improving and point to a reasonably good growth outcome in Q3 and a reduced likelihood of further asset purchases by the BoE. Nonetheless, GBP’s gains look overdone, with scope for short covering having diminished. Further pressure is expected against both EUR and GBP in the short term.

Australian jobs data revealed an increase of 9.1k in employment evenly split between full time and part time jobs and a surprise drop in the unemployment rate to 5.6%. The headline increase in employment was below consensus. Moreover, there was a marginal drop in the participation rate which helped to push the unemployment rate lower. On balance, the data will leave the AUD unperturbed, with the AUD/USD likely to remain supported over the short term. AUD/USD looks primed to test resistance around the 0.9530.

Asian currencies are on the back foot in the face of a slightly firmer USD. KRW will be in focus, with the Bank of Korea delivering an unchanged policy outcome but revising lower its growth and inflation forecasts. Against this background KRW appreciation looks overdone and appears to face strong resistance on any breach down to USD/KRW 1070. Nonetheless, downside risks will be limited. Encouragingly Korea has been a major beneficiary of the prospects of a delayed Fed tapering, with the country recording a strong return of equity portfolio flows over recent weeks

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Little respite for the dollar

October 8, 2013 — Mitul Kotecha

Given that the government shutdown has reduced the number of market moving US data releases on tap, tensions surrounding the US budget and likely debt ceiling impasse continue to weigh on sentiment. Signs that senior Republicans are becoming less focussed on defunding Obamacare hint at potential for a compromise. However, a deal looks a long way off and nervousness is set to grow ahead of the October 17 debt ceiling deadline.

Reflecting this, risk measures rose overnight, with the VIX “fear gauge” spiking higher and equity markets lower. Safe haven currencies including CHF and JPY remain well supported against this background although gold prices have been range bound. Giving some relief from politics markets will be able to focus on the onset of the US Q3 earnings season this week.

The USD is susceptible to further slippage as traction towards a US budget deal remains out of reach. The USD index has now dropped by over 5% in the last three months, undermined more recently by a potential delay in Fed tapering and lower US Treasury yields. Uncertainty about the economic impact of the budget delay and prospective failure to raise the debt ceiling over coming weeks suggests that any upside traction for the USD will be extremely limited.

What is clear is that the longer the delay in reaching a deal the bigger hit on the economy and in turn the bigger the pressure on the USD. A delay in the release of trade data originally scheduled for release today will mean that market angst over the political impasse will be the bigger driver of the USD today. The USD index is set to edge further below the 80.00 level over coming days.

JPY is a clear beneficiary of the malaise in the US over recent days and looks set to strengthen further in the short term especially as risk aversion continues to increase and US yields remain constrained. The day’s ahead will be particularly important for the JPY from a domestic policy perspective too. Japan’s parliament meets from October 15 to December 16, marking a crucial period to pass legislation on Prime Minister Abe’s “growth strategy”.

Given past disappointment with Abe’s “third arrow” markets will look for strong evidence that reforms will move Japan to a higher and non deflationary growth trajectory. This is by no means guaranteed. Further disappointment would imply a firmer JPY. Having tested its 200 day moving average around 96.72 near term technical support for USD/JPY is seen around 95.92.

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US budget impasse deepens

October 7, 2013 — Mitul Kotecha

There has been no sign of agreement between the US administration/Democrats and Republicans over resolving the budget impasse that has caused a partial government shutdown as well as havoc with the timing of government data releases. If anything both sides have become more entrenched in their positions, implying that any agreement on raising the debt ceiling required by October 17 also looks out of reach.

Market reaction so far has been relatively muted in the expectation of an agreement but such hopes may prove optimistic. Following the delay in the US employment report which was originally scheduled for release last Friday markets will also be scrambling for clues as to the impact on the timing of any Fed tapering.

US data releases will not help the market mood or the USD, with consumer confidence set to soften, which will play for further delay in tapering. US September retail sales and August trade data are likely to be delayed although the Federal Reserve FOMC minutes of the last meeting will hopefully provide some clues to the timing of tapering.

Markets are set to become increasingly nervous over coming days suggesting an increase in risk aversion. Consequently pressure on risk assets is likely unless some sign of rapprochement is seen. So far US Treasury yields are holding above 2.6% while the USD index has stabilised around the 80.00 level.

Surprisingly gold has failed to benefit from the lack of budget agreement in the US. The VIX ‘fear gauge’ dropped slightly but none of this will last if Congress does not get its act together. A deal soon would minimise the economic impact but a protracted impasse would be much more negative for growth. Either way the beginning of Fed tapering looks to have been pushed into next year.

USD pressure is set to extend further against most major currencies, with safe havens, in particular JPY and CHF set to be well supported in the days ahead. The drop in US Treasury yields will help yield sensitive currencies especially the likes of the INR but higher risk aversion will counter any positive impact on high beta currencies.

The EUR meanwhile, looks well placed to take advantage of further USD weakness, especially given the prospects of firmer data releases this week including a series of industrial production data.

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Bracing for the worst

September 30, 2013 — Mitul Kotecha

There was little progress over the weekend during discussions between US politicians attempting to agree on a budget deal and thus avoiding a partial government shutdown by the end of today. The US Senate is now set to reject a House of Representatives plan to delay President Obama’s Affordable Health Care Act while renewing funding for the government until December 15, leaving an ongoing stalemate in discussions.

Markets are bracing for the worst, with risk aversion rising, US equities and the USD falling. Meanwhile US Treasury yields remain capped having dropped sharply since early September. Political shenanigans in the US threaten to overshadow the US September jobs report at the end of the week. Nonetheless, the data will provide major clues to the timing of Fed tapering regardless of the budget/debt discussions.

It’s not just in the US where politics is fuelling market tensions. In Italy former Prime Minister Berlusconi withdrew his party’s support from the coalition government, leaving current Prime Minister Letta scrambling to form a new parliamentary majority in order to avoid snap elections. The impact will likely be felt on Italian and peripheral bond yields over coming days.

Meanwhile following elections in Germany last week coalition discussions to form a new government are ongoing although no deal is in sight yet and talks could go on for some time yet. Political uncertainties are unlikely to alter the European Central Bank’s (ECB) course this week, with an unchanged policy decision expected although benign inflation and weak credit growth will reinforce the need for an easing bias and forward guidance. Political issues are set to dominate markets over coming days, leaving risk aversion elevated and risk assets under generalised pressure.

The USD index lurched lower in the wake of the uncertainties in the US, extending its drop from early September. The near term prospects for the currency are bleak, with limited potential for any upside unless a budget deal is reached. Safe haven currencies in particular the JPY will be buoyed in this environment. The EUR will not fully be able to take advantage of USD weakness however, given the political tensions within the Eurozone.

In terms of high beta emerging market currencies including Asian currencies, any positive impact from the fact that US yields are capped, with 10 year treasury yields dropping sharply recently (higher US yields have been negative for EM currencies over past weeks so a drop will be positive for them) will be outweighed by rising risk aversion, leaving most Asian currencies vulnerable.

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German election results help the euro

September 23, 2013 — Mitul Kotecha

St Louis Fed President Bullard put a dampener on the market’s euphoria in the wake of the Fed’s postponed ‘tapering’ announcement. He noted that the Fed’s decision was “borderline”, implying that the Fed was not far from pulling the trigger to the commencement of tapering. Going forward, the timing of tapering will be highly data dependent and obviously recent weaker data releases and possibly the political complications surrounding extending the debt ceiling and agreeing on a budget, played heavily on the Fed’s conscience. However, there are now plenty of questions about the Fed’s communication strategy. There will plenty of Fed speeches over coming days to provide more clarity although Janet Yellen, front runner to succeed Ben Bernanke as Fed Chairman, appears to be keeping conspicuously quiet.

A bounce in China’s September manufacturing confidence revealed this morning as well as a strong outcome in the German elections for Chancellor Merkel (see below) will nonetheless, help to settle some market nerves as the week commences. Merkel’s CDU/CSU party is set to win close to 42% of the vote, which amounts to a very strong mandate. Nonetheless, she will still fall short of an absolute majority while Merkel’s coalition partner the FDP failed to gain enough votes to pass the 5% threshold to win any parliamentary seats means that a new coalition government will need to be formed. The EUR has reacted well to the result, remaining above 1.3500 versus the USD and looks to set consolidate gains over the short term.

Aside from various Fed speakers there will be several data releases to digest over the week. In the US there will be September consumer confidence, August durable goods orders, new home sales, personal income and spending, and revised Q2 GDP data on tap. Overall US data will be reasonably good, with in particular GDP set to be revised higher. In Europe, aside from digesting the German election result there will be a host of business and manufacturing surveys including the German IFO business confidence survey. Consolidation or moderate improvement is expected to be revealed in these surveys, likely giving sufficient support for the EUR to maintain recent gains.

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