Risk currencies under pressure

May 9, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

Risk aversion continues to edge higher. This spells more bad news for risk/high beta currencies including many highly correlated currencies such as AUD, NZD and emerging market currencies.

Greece’s travails have come back to haunt markets and the inability to form a government puts at risk the whole bailout programme and possibly Greece’s ability to stay within the Eurozone. A failure to form a government will mean fresh elections in mid June and a delay in aid disbursements.

EUR/USD began the European session below the 1.30 level but I’m not convinced its heading much lower in the short term. The fact that the market is highly short (looking at the CFTC IMM data) means that positioning has already become very negative. Moreover, as in past months, there is plenty of inherent demand for EUR below this level. The better option is to play EUR weakness on the crosses.

UK economic news was soft overnight with the BRC retail sales survey plunging by 3.3%. GBP has acted as a semi safe haven against the background of the current Eurozone malaise but the data highlights that the job of the Bank of England is not particularly clear cut. No action is expected at tomorrow’s policy meeting leaving GBP reasonably well supported.

Safe haven currencies remain favoured, leaving the likes of the USD, JPY and CHF well supported. My quant models point to more short term downside for USD/JPY with a further decline below 80 remaining in place. One other currency that looks relatively attractive is the CAD. Relatively favourable fundamentals highlight the potential for CAD outperformance on the crosses

AUD downside remains intact and a drop below parity with the USD looms. A relatively austere budget after Prime Minister Gillard dropped a corporate tax cut has opened the door to potentially bigger easing from the RBA. While a lot of easing is already priced in the market will react by pricing in more cuts. Moreover, with a likely soft jobs report expected tomorrow and AUD’s susceptibility to risk aversion it all spells more weakness for AUD.

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Renewed caution

December 8, 2009 — Mitul Kotecha

Risk appetite is struggling to make any headway, with equities losing ground overnight. The positive impact on markets and adjustment to growth expectations following the US jobs report has given way to renewed concerns. Caution increased as Fed Chairman Bernanke introduced a dose of reality to markets talking about “formidable headwinds” to growth. As a result, bonds gained some lost ground and markets pared back expectations of interest rate hikes, leaving the USD vulnerable.

Eurozone risk factors continue to dampen market enthusiasm too, with ECB President Trichet warning of further bank writedowns and S&P downgrading the outlook for Greece and Portugal. The release of German factory orders data revealing a sharp 2.1% fall in October fed into concerns and played against strengthening recovery hopes in the region. EUR/USD failed to close below 1.4820 suggesting some alleviation of downside pressure. FX markets are likely eye stocks for further direction, with various EUR negative specific factors set to limit the upside.

The delayed release of additional stimulus measures in Japan will be the main focus of attention in Japanese markets assuming that an agreement is reached within the coalition. In the meantime markets will digest news that the current account surplus narrowed in October but was still up 51.4% from a year earlier. Additionally loan growth continued to slow, for the 11th straight month in November, adding further evidence that the injections of liquidity into banks are not finding their way into the economy.

GBP has come under growing pressure over recent days and bulls will be disappointed by the BRC retail sales data. The 1.8% YoY rise in like-for-like sales according will come as another disappointment for GBP. The gain was the slowest since August and below forecasts and as noted by the BRC looks even weaker when considering that the year ago figure was very weak. The sales data may fuel concerns about the recovery in consumer spending, especially going into the all important Christmas season. Attention will turn to the release of November Halifax house price data and October industrial production data later today and the pre-budget report tomorrow. GBP/USD looks likely to track EUR/USD for now and looks supported above 1.6390.

Although the USD has slipped as markets pare back expectations of rate hikes, the currency appears to be in a win-win situation and will likely see limited downside as risk aversion creeps back. Lingering concerns about Dubai as well as short covering towards year as well as other factors pushing risk aversion higher will likely see the USD retaining some support into the end of the week ahead of the US retail sales and Michigan confidence data

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