Euro relief, but will it last?

September 8, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

The European Central Bank (ECB) decision to embark on outright monetary transactions helped to provide a major lift to markets but did not spur the EUR onto major greater gains. The program of conditional albeit unlimited bond purchases was much anticipated and well received (except by the German Bundesbank) despite many of the details being leaked in advance. The lack of EUR reaction in part reflected this.

In fact, the EUR appeared to rally more in the wake of aggressive buying of EUR/CHF, which finally moved away from its 1.2000 floor, possibly with some official help. Markets will now await the decisions of Spain and Italy which would have to formally request aid for the bond buying plan to be put into action and perhaps there will be some hesitation on the part of the EUR to push higher.

Although there could be some nervousness ahead of the decision by the German constitutional court on the ESM permanent bailout fund and Dutch elections on 12 September the ECB’s move has provided a floor under risks assets over the short term. Given the EUR’s strong relationship with peripheral Eurozone bond yields, the implication is that the drop in the yields will provide some support for the EUR.

Before everyone becomes too excited it should be noted that there is still a long way to go before the Eurozone crisis will be resolved given the many structural and growth issues that need to be overcome. Nonetheless, the downside risks for the EUR are clearly diminishing, leaving the currency in better shape than it has been for a long while.

The fact that EUR/USD is back above its 100-day moving average is a positive signal. Moreover, despite some short covering the market is still very short EUR. However, we would be cautious about becoming overly bullish. Further gains in the EUR will be difficult to achieve given the constant drag on the currency due to relatively weaker growth and the simple fact that many of the underlying issues in the Eurozone remain unresolved.

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Euro capped ahead of ECB meeting

September 6, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

Having failed to get above the 1.2650 barrier EUR/USD looks restrained going into today’s European Central Bank (ECB) meeting. Reports overnight of a great ‘plan’ to buy bonds up to 3 years in unlimited size in sterilised fashion, helped provide some support to the currency but further gains will be limited. The ECB has already let the cat out of the bag and FX markets are quite correct to go into the ECB meeting with a dose of caution.

How will the EUR react? Given that much of what the ECB will do today has already been leaked the scope for positive surprises is limited, suggesting any upside for EUR will be capped although comments on yield targets (if any), conditionality, and the seniority issue will be important.

Profit taking, lowered expectations over recent days and uncertainty ahead of the US jobs report tomorrow will limit the damage to the currency, however. A drop to support around 1.2431 is the most that can be expected in the short term.

Unlike a likely rate cut from the ECB the Bank of England (BoE) is set to stay pat having embarked on further asset purchases in July. Weaker growth and upside inflation risk do not make for an enviable concoction. Although I anticipate further asset purchases later in the year, further action today is unlikely. This will mean that EUR/GBP in particular will lack independent direction and continue to track moves in EUR/USD (very strong sensitivity over the last 3-months). Given the potential for some further short term slippage in EUR/USD, EUR/GBP will likely follow suit.

As for GBP/USD it will struggle to sustain a break above this week’s high of 1.5935 unless US payrolls data tomorrow disappoints. Long speculative positioning means that GBP is vulnerable to profit taking especially having strengthened by over 3% since the beginning of June. The 28 August low around 1.5754 will provide near term support.

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Risk assets to slip ahead of ECB and US payrolls

September 3, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

Although Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke did not categorically state that a third round of quantitative easing or QE3 is on the cards his stoic defence of past QE while playing down of the risks emanating from such actions, highlight that the prospects are more likely than not for more Fed balance sheet expansion.

Markets clearly liked what they heard, with risk assets finishing off the week on a positive note. Notably commodities continue to outperform and the prospects of more currency debasing by the Fed and European Central Bank suggest that gold in particular, will continue to look attractive. However, the weaker than expected Chinese manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) in August, with the index dropping below the 50 boom/bust level, will put a dampener on markets.

The main impediment to QE3 would be a major improvement in job market conditions and in this respect markets will have the August jobs report to digest at the end of this week. Preliminary estimates of an 125k increase in payrolls and an unemployment rate stuck at 8.3% suggests that it should be no hindrance to more QE.

The other key event of the week is the European Central Bank meeting although markets will eye events in Greece ahead of this, with the Troika set to revisit the country mid week. The ECB continues to play its game of brinkmanship with governments, and while they Bank will likely commit to a bond buying programme it is unlikely to announce the onset of a new round of bond purchases until governments in particular Spain formally request aid from the EFSF / ESM bailout funds. Although there is some scope for disappointment expectations of major ECB action have already been pared back.

Other central banks in the frame include the Reserve Bank of Australia and Bank of Canada but unlike the ECB policy easing is unlikely from either of these central banks. Overall, risk assets to trade with a heavy tone and the USD will recoup some of its losses over coming days, especially against the EUR.

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JPY, SEK and GBP view

August 30, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

USD/JPY remains stuck within a tight range having reversed its recent break higher towards the 80.00 level, once again settling back below 79.00. Once again the main determinant of the exchange rate appears to be yield differentials and notably the JPY has had a very low sensitivity to gyrations in risk over recent months.

For JPY bears it it’s worth noting that US 2-year bond yields have began to edge higher this week, suggesting some upward pressure on USD/JPY. The speculative market remains net long JPY suggesting scope for a drop in JPY speculative appetite too, but any upside is set to be gradual, with a technical hurdle at around 79.37 likely to be tough level to break above.

EUR/SEK has edged higher over recent days following its dramatic multi month drop. Why has the currency pair turned now? One of the key factors appears to be an increased sensitivity to risk which is playing negatively now that risk aversion is rising again. Indeed my risk barometer has been moving higher since around the middle of the month, in turn dragging SEK lower.

My quantitative model estimate based on interest rate differentials, relative equity performance and risk aversion, suggests that the SEK has further to weaken especially against the EUR. Based on the results of the model I suggest playing for such a move, targeting 8.7252, with a stop loss at 8.1616.

Another currency for which I am bearish on versus EUR is GBP. Although the move higher in EUR/GBP has been a slow grind, I continue to see value in this trade. Indeed, my models show that there is still much upside potential left for EUR/GBP based on the current levels of yield differentials and risk aversion.

As for cable (GBP/USD) it appears to be stuck to the coattails of EUR/USD but I expect it to lag any move higher in EUR/USD going forward. Moreover, if as I expect EUR/USD loses momentum into next week, this will leave GBP/USD rather exposed to downside risks.

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Euro firmer, AUD vulnerable to risk gyrations

August 29, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

A surprise drop in US August consumer confidence which dropped to its lowest since November last year put a dampener on markets and notably the VIX index edged higher. Consequently treasuries rose and equities slipped despite a firmer than expected increase in US house prices in June. The confidence data adds the pressure on Fed Chairman Bernanke to give some indication of a further round of quantitative easing during his speech at Jackson Hole on Friday.

An upward revision to US Q2 GDP and a bounce in July pending home sales today are unlikely to change this perspective although the Fed’s Beige Book will likely show some moderate improvement providing the Fed with useful information.

Separately decent debt auctions in Spain and Italy helped to calm Eurozone market nerves further amid hopes of European Central Bank (ECB) action next week despite the news that Spanish region Catalonia formally asked for EUR 5 billion in funding. As a result the EUR retained a firmer tone.

Contrary to expectations, EUR/USD continued to push higher. Just why the currency is strengthening given the significant event risk in the days and weeks ahead is questionable although in part the move is attributable to an ongoing short squeeze. Hopes of constructive ECB action next week taken together with Fed quantitative easing expectations have helped to put the USD on the back foot, allowing the EUR to take advantage.

Admittedly the drop in Eurozone peripheral bond yields is certainly helpful for the EUR, while my short term quantitative ‘fair value’ estimate for EUR/USD suggests more upside too. Nonetheless, given the risk that so much could go wrong in the weeks ahead I am loathe to get on the bullish EUR bandwagon. While EUR/USD and EUR on the crosses will likely remain firm ahead of Jackson Hole I expect the EUR to struggle to hold onto gains into next week.

AUD has lost ground since around 10 August. This has roughly coincided with a rise in risk aversion over recent weeks. Indeed, AUD maintains a strong correlation with risk aversion and is therefore highly susceptible to swings in risk appetite. Additionally renewed China worries have also dampened the attraction of the AUD given the increasing dependency of Australia’s economy to China both directly through trade and indirectly via commodity prices.

While I remain positive on the AUD over the medium term, the high level of speculative positioning in the currency suggests some vulnerability to profit taking over the short term, with AUD/USD vulnerable to a drop to technical support around 1.0282. Much will depend on news out of China in terms of AUD direction, with Chinese stock market gyrations also providing some influence.

Posted in Australia, ECB, eurozone, Federal Reserve, US. Tags: , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »
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