RBA on hold, RBI hikes rates

May 3, 2011 — Mitul Kotecha

News of the death of Osama Bin Laden gave the USD a lift and its gains have extended for a second day. Extreme short market positioning as well as increasing risk aversion (perhaps due to worries about retaliation following Bin Laden’s death) have helped the USD.

However, the boost to the USD could be short-lived in the current environment in which it remains the preferred global funding currency. Indeed, the fact that US bond yields have dropped sharply over recent weeks continues to undermine the USD against various currencies.

The USD firmed despite the US ISM manufacturing index dropping slightly, albeit from a high level. The survey provided some useful clues to Friday’s US jobs report, with the slight decline in the employment component of the ISM survey to 62.7 consistent with a 200k forecast for April payrolls.

Ahead of the European Central Bank (ECB) meeting on Thursday hawkish rhetoric from new Council member and Bundesbank chief Weidmann (replacing Weber) and more reassurances from Greek and EU officials that there will be no debt restructuring or haircut on the country’s debt has helped the EUR although it is notable that it could not sustain a foot hold above 1.49. Eurozone bond yields have risen by around 20bps compared to US yields over the past month, a fact that suggests that the EUR may not fall far in the short-term.

USD/JPY is trading dangerously close to levels that may provoke FX intervention by the Japanese authorities. General USD weakness fuelled a drop in USD/JPY which has been exacerbated by a rise in risk aversion over recent days (higher risk aversion usually plays in favour of a stronger JPY). The biggest determinant of the drop in USD/JPY appears to a narrowing in bond yields (2-year bond yields have narrowed by around 20bps over the past month) largely due to a rally in US bonds.

Unsurprisingly the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) left its cash rate on hold at 4.75%. The accompanying statement showed little inclination to hike rates anytime soon, with credit growth noted as modest, pressure from a stronger exchange rate on the traded sector and temporary prices shocks which are expected to dissipate. The only indication that rates will eventually increase is the view that longer term inflation is expected to move higher.

I look for further rate hikes over coming months even with the AUD at such a high level. AUD has lost a bit of ground after hitting a high just above 1.10 against the USD and on the margin the statement is slightly negative for AUD. A slightly firmer USD overall and stretched speculative positioning, with IMM AUD positions close to their all time high, points to some downside risks in the short-term.

In contrast India’s central bank the RBI hiked interest rates by more than many expected. Both the repo and reverse repo rates were raised by 50bps, with the central bank governor highlighting renewed inflation risks in his statement. The decision reveals a shift in RBI rhetoric to an even more hawkish bias in the wake of rising inflation pressures, which should be beneficial to the rupee.

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Central bank decisions and US payrolls in focus

May 1, 2011 — Mitul Kotecha

The USD’s troubles are far from over. Data and events this week will do little to stop the rot. As US Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke made clear last week the Fed is committed to completing its asset purchase programme by the end of June though there is plenty of debate about what comes after. Reduced growth forecasts and the Fed’s view that price pressures are “transitory” have been sufficient to keep the USD on its knees.

The weaker than expected reading for Q1 US GDP growth at 1.8% QoQ clearly did nothing to alleviate pressure on the USD even though it is widely believed that the soft growth outcome will prove fleeting, with recovery set to pick up pace over the coming months. In truth much will depend on the trajectory for oil prices, especially as petrol prices in the US verge on the psychologically important $4 per gallon mark. Even higher energy prices could dent growth further but lower or stable prices will keep the recovery on track.

The highlight in this holiday shortened week for many countries this week is the US April jobs report at the tail end of the week. Estimates centre on around a 200k gain in payrolls but forecasts will be refined with the release of the ADP private sector jobs report and ISM manufacturing survey earlier in the week. The unemployment rate may prove sticky and will likely remain at 8.8%, a disappointment to those looking for a quicker recovery. The elevated unemployment rate will only reinforce expectations that the Fed will not be quick to reverse policy, with the USD continuing to suffer as a result.

Central bank meetings will be plentiful this week, with the European Central Bank (ECB) and Bank of England (BoE) likely to garner most attention. Recent data in the Eurozone has provided further evidence of growth divergence between North and South, but the EUR has remained resilient to this as well as to increased concerns about the periphery. This make the ECB’s job even tougher than usual when it meets this week and it is unlikely that the Bank will hike rates again so soon, especially given the strength of the EUR. Nonetheless, Trichet will continue to sound hawkish, limiting any damage to the EUR (if any) of no move in policy rates.

Similarly the Bank of England will also remain on the sidelines though this should come as little surprise in the wake of disappointing data recently and a surprise drop in inflation, albeit to still well above the BoE’s target. GBP has made up ground against a generally weak USD but judged against other currencies it has been an underperformer as expectations of monetary tightening have been pared back. Finally, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is set to remain on hold, but a hike over coming months remains likely even with the AUD at such a high level. Quite frankly although the USD is looking increasingly oversold there is nothing this week that would suggest it will recover quickly.

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Australian Dollar Looking Stretched

April 7, 2011 — Mitul Kotecha

Central bank decisions in Japan, Europe and UK will dictate FX market direction today. No surprises are expected by the Bank of Japan (BoJ) and Bank of England (BoE) leaving the European Central Bank (ECB) decision and press conference to provide the main market impetus. Although a hawkish message from ECB President Trichet is likely the market has already priced in a total of 75 basis points of tightening this year. We retain some caution about whether the EUR will be able to make further headway following the ECB meeting unless the central bank is even more hawkish than already priced in.

EUR/USD easily breached the 1.4250 resistance level and will now eye resistance around 1.4500. News that Portugal formally requested European Union (EU) aid came as no surprise whilst strong German factory orders provided further support to the EUR. The data highlights upside risks to today’s February German industrial production data. The EUR will find further support versus the USD from comments by Atlanta Fed’s Lockhart who noted that he doesn’t expect the Fed to hike interest rates by year end.

USD/JPY is now around 7.5% higher than its post earthquake lows. Japanese authorities will undoubtedly see a measure of success from their joint FX intervention. To a large degree they have been helped by a shift in relative bond yields (2-year US / Japan yield differentials have widened by close to 30 basis points since mid March, and are finally having some impact on USD/JPY as reflected in the strengthening in short-term correlations. Whilst the BoJ is unlikely to alter its policy settings today the fact that it is providing plenty of liquidity to money markets, having injected around JPY 23 trillion or about 5% of nominal GDP since the earthquake, is likely playing a role in dampening JPY demand.

AUD/USD has appreciated by close to 6% since mid March and whilst I would not recommend selling as yet I would be cautious about adding to long positions. My quantitative model based on interest rate / yield differentials, commodity prices and risk aversion reveals a major divergence between AUD/USD and its regression estimate. Clearly the AUD has benefitted from diversification flows as Asian central banks intervene and recycle intervention USDs. However, at current levels I question the value of such diversification into AUD.

Speculative AUD/USD positioning as indicated by the CFTC IMM data reveals that net long positions are verging on all time highs, suggesting plenty of scope for profit taking / position squaring in the event of a turn in sentiment. Moreover, AUD gains do not match the performance of economic data, which have been coming in worse than expected over recent weeks. Consequently the risks of a correction have increased.

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Markets in limbo ahead of policy rate decisions

April 6, 2011 — Mitul Kotecha

Markets are generally range-bound ahead of tomorrow’s Japan, Eurozone and UK interest rate decisions, as reflected in the flat performance of equity markets overnight. Risk appetite remains positive though still lower than the high levels seen during most of March. China’s interest rate hike did not change the market’s perspective, with markets reacting well.

Overnight the Fed FOMC minutes reflected a range of opinions on the timing of the end of QE2 and the Fed’s exit strategy but the majority view was to end QE2 as planned at the end of June leaving markets, with little new to digest. The USD was a little undermined by a weaker than expected US March ISM non-manufacturing survey but losses are likely to be limited.

Meanwhile there was more negative peripheral news in Europe, with Moody’s cutting Portugal’s sovereign credit ratings by one notch, with Moody’s highlighting the urgent need for financial support from the EU. Portuguese debt took a hit but eurozone markets in general including the EUR continue to take such news in their stride, with EUR/USD holding above 1.4200. Firm readings for the eurozone final services purchasing managers index (PMI) in March helped to support sentiment, outweighing the negative impact of a drop in eurozone retail sales.

GBP was a key outperformer, helped by a much stronger than expected services PMI, which helped GBP/USD breach 1.63 overnight. Today’s industrial and manufacturing production data will likely reveal firm readings too, helping GBP to consolidate its gains but the currency looks rather rich around current levels, with risks skewed to the downside.

JPY was another mover, having breached 85.00 versus the USD, with USD/JPY now some 6 big figures higher from its post earthquake lows. Japanese authorities will undoubtedly see a measure of success from their joint intervention but the reality is that the shift in bond yields (2-year US / Japan yield differentials have widened by close to 30 basis points since mid March, are finally having some impact on USD/JPY as reflected in the strengthening in short-term correlations.

EUR/USD remains resilient to negative peripheral news such as the Portugal credit ratings downgrade, with further direction from tomorrow’s European Central Bank (ECB) meeting and accompanying statement. The risk that the ECB is not as hawkish as the market has priced in holds some downside risks to EUR.

Asian currencies are holding up well though it looks as though the ADXY (Bloomberg-JP Morgan Asian currency index) may have hit a short term barrier. Range trading for EUR/USD suggests little directional influence for Asian currencies in the short-term. Nonetheless, portfolio capital inflows continue to support Asian FX with all Asian equity markets recording foreign inflows so far this month. In particular, KRW continues to outperform. Note that Korea has recorded a whopping inflow of $1.1bn in equity inflows month-to-date.

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ECB to Hike, BoJ, BoE & RBA on Hold

April 4, 2011 — Mitul Kotecha

The better than expected March US jobs report will likely help to shift the debate further towards the hawkish camp in the Fed. There is little this week to match the potency of payrolls in terms of market moving data this week. Instead attention will focus on a raft of Fed speakers over coming days as well as the minutes of the March 15 FOMC meeting.

This week’s Fed speakers include Lockhart, Evans, Bernanke, Kocherlakota, Plosser and Lacker. Of these only Lockhart and Lacker are non voters. Given the intense focus on recent Fed comments FX markets will be on the lookout for anything that hints a broader Fed support for a quicker hike to interest rates and/or reduction in the Fed’s balance sheet.

In any case the USD may struggle to make much headway ahead of an anticipated European Central Bank (ECB) rate hike of 25 basis point on Thursday. Much will depend on the press statement, however. If the ECB merely validates market expectations of around 75bps of policy rate hikes this year the EUR will struggle to rally.

It may also be possible that once the ECB meeting is out of the way the EUR may finally be susceptible to pressure related to ongoing peripheral tensions. Last week the outcome of the Irish bank stress tests, and political vacuum in Portugal ahead of elections set for June 5 were well absorbed by the EUR but it is questionable whether the dichotomy between widening peripheral bond spreads and the EUR can continue.

The Tankan survey in Japan released today unsurprisingly revealed a deterioration in sentiment. The survey will provide important clues for the Bank of Japan (BoJ) at its meeting on April 6 & 7th. Although a shift in Japan’s ultra easy monetary policy is unlikely whilst strong liquidity provision is set to continue, pressure to do more will likely grow. This will be accentuated by a likely downward revision in the economic outlook by the BoJ.

The JPY will not take much direction from this meeting. Nonetheless, its soft tone may continue helped by foreign securities outflows (particularly out of bonds), with USD/JPY eyeing the 16 December high around 84.51. Speculative positioning as reflected in the CFTC IMM data reveals a sharp deterioration in JPY sentiment as the currency evidence that finally the currency maybe regaining its mantle of funding currency.

It is still too early for the Bank of England to hike rates despite elevated inflation readings and MPC members are likely to wait for the May Quarterly Inflation Report before there is decisive shift in favour of raising policy rates. Even then, members will have to grapple with the fact that economic data remains relatively downbeat as reflected in the weaker than expected March manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) data.

Today’s PMI construction data will likely paint a similar picture. The fact that a rate hike is not expected by the market will mean GBP should not suffer in the event of a no change decision by the BoE this week but instead will find more direction from a host of data releases including industrial production. GBP has come under growing pressure against the EUR since mid February and a test of the 25 October high of 0.89415 is on the cards this week.

Finally, congratulations to the Indian cricket team who won a well deserved victory in the Cricket World Cup final over the weekend. The celebrations by Indians around the world will go on for a long while yet.

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