USD under pressure, except versus JPY

January 14, 2013 — Mitul Kotecha

Following another positive week for risk assets where equities in particular benefitted from substantial capital inflows this week is unlikely to look much different. A host of earnings, especially from financials will help dictate the equity market and in turn risk tone over coming days. There will also be plenty of focus on speeches by various Fed and European Central Bank (ECB) officials including Fed Chairman Bernanke today.

The week will start off in more subdued fashion however, with a Japanese holiday and little fresh news to digest over the weekend. Hope and faith in global economic recovery helped by data releases in the US and China in particular, have helped to calm markets while there is little angst as yet about the looming debt ceiling / spending cut negotiations in the US.

Despite the rush into equities, core bond yields appear to have hit a short term ceiling. Meanwhile, the USD is likely to maintain a weaker tone over the short term except versus JPY where the currency pair has broken through key technical barriers on the top side and is verging on a break of 90.00 helped by more comments over the weekend by Japanese Prime Minister Abe pushing for a 2% inflation target to be implemented.

Data releases this week will maintain the growth recovery story in the US while the Eurozone will continue to show a weaker trajectory. In the US there are plenty of releases to chew on including December retail sales, inflation, industrial production, manufacturing surveys, housing starts, Michigan confidence, and the Fed’s Beige Book. Overall, US releases will help paint a picture of steady and gradual recovery.

In contrast the Eurozone data slate is more limited and what there is (German GDP, Eurozone industrial production) will be less impressive supporting the view of Eurozone economic underperformance over coming months. Admittedly this has yet to affect the EUR which continue to benefit from peripheral bond yield compression and receding crisis fears although EUR/USD will likely run into resistance around 1.3385 which if broken will open the door for a test of 1.3486.

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EUR and GBP slipping, JPY lower

January 10, 2013 — Mitul Kotecha

Slightly better market sentiment allowed equity markets in the US to close higher in the wake of earnings helped too boost sentiment but overall direction remains limited ahead of a plethora of earnings releases over coming days and more immediately the European Central Bank and Bank of England meetings today.

Fed speakers will also be watched closely, while bond auctions in Spain and Italy will be another key influence for Eurozone markets. Meanwhile, the VIX ‘fear gauge’ rebounded slightly but remains at a low level while the USD index continued its ascent and is likely to continue to remain firm.

The ECB and BoE are set to leave policy unchanged today but this will not prevent both EUR and GBP from losing ground against the USD. The principle risk to GBP revolves around the UK economy. Weaker data releases have restrained GBP both against the USD and EUR.

Given the likelihood that growth will not recover quickly this will continue to act as a weight on GBP in the months ahead. Only the fact that the Eurozone economy will look even weaker will allow GBP to appreciate versus EUR while relative US economic outperformance will ensure a relatively softer GBP versus USD.

The breach of GBP/USD’s 100 day moving average level around 1.6061 is a trigger for a steeper decline. Conversely EUR/GBP may register some further short term upside but technical indicators suggest a relatively flat picture for the currency pair over coming weeks.

It is clear that the Japanese authorities have a fresh determinism to weaken the JPY as reflected by the news that Japan purchased bonds issued by the European Stability Mechanism. Additionally pressure on the Bank of Japan to implement a 2% inflation target has not eased, with Prime Minister Abe continuing to highlight the prospects of a joint accord between the government and BoJ.

Reflecting these factors and the higher starting point for USD/JPY I have revised my forecast and now look for the currency pair to end 2013 at 92.00 versus 85.00 previously. It will not be a one way bet for the JPY, however. Its drop against the USD looks excessive especially as it has largely been driven by expectations rather than actual policy change. There is scope for disappointment should policy be less aggressive than hoped for.

Posted in Bank of England, Bank of Japan, ECB, Federal Reserve. Tags: , , , , . Leave a Comment »

USD firm but running into resistance

January 7, 2013 — Mitul Kotecha

Happy New Year!

The consensus view for 2013 favours equities over bonds helped by expectations of a sustained improvement in risk appetite as tail risk diminishes further. Additionally relative valuations support the consensus. So far equities are on track although it may be a mistake to make a strong judgement based on the first week’s trading.

The US December jobs report provided more evidence that the US economy will trundle along this year at a modest pace of growth. Meanwhile, the US fiscal cliff agreement may have played into a tone of firmer risk appetite but the fact that in less than two months there may be even greater tensions on the debt ceiling and spending cuts suggest that a one way bet of improving risk appetite can by no means be guaranteed.

The USD has begun the year in firm shape appearing to break free from the constraint of improving risk appetite at the turn of the year. In part its strength especially against the JPY can be attributed to higher US bond yields which in turn was pushed higher by less dovish than expected Fed December 11-12 FOMC minutes last week. Given that yields are running into technical resistance the USD may find less support from this source over coming days.

A light data week will give little directional impetus to the USD, with highlights including trade data, consumer credit and small business confidence. Instead the USD will take its cue from various Fed speakers who will likely provide more elaboration on their views on an eventual exit from QE. The USD is likely to remain firm in the short term although we would be wary of extrapolating trends based on early year moves.

In contrast to the limited US data schedule there are plenty of data releases and events in Europe to digest this week including the European Central Bank Council meeting. The ECB is unlikely to ease policy at this meeting, with those in the Council against a cut unlikely to have shifted their stance although a rate cut, possibly in March remains on the cards. Data releases will continue to show weakness although importantly sentiment surveys will stabilise rather than drop further.

Sovereign debt issuance may take more importance for the EUR this week, with Austria, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Italy and Spain all scheduled to issue debt. Given the better risk environment a generally favourable reception to the debt issues will give the EUR some solace, likely preventing the currency from sliding further. Strong EUR/USD technical support is set to come just below 1.3000 at 1.2996.

Posted in ECB, equity markets, eurozone, US. Tags: , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Euro falls, yen rises as risk aversion picks up

December 20, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

The USD index is quickly slipping back to its mid September lows, although downside momentum has been restrained by an overnight jump in risk aversion. The USD had been undermined by a continued improvement in risk appetite as markets expect (hope) that a deal to avert the fiscal cliff can be averted although recent developments have not been encouraging on this front. Additionally, given the relative strong performance of US equities this year there may be an element of profits repatriation out of the US weighing on the USD. A likely upward revision to US Q3 GDP, rise in the Philly Fed survey manufacturing, and existing home sales, will if anything imply firmer risk appetite and consequent USD weakness.

EUR/USD is trading close to multi month highs but dropped from a high of 1.3309 overnight despite a firmer than expected reading for the December German IFO survey on renewed caution over a deal to avert the fiscal cliff. News flow has provided some impetus to the EUR over recent weeks following recent agreements by European leaders on issues such as banking supervision and a positive Greek debt buyback. Such progress has set the background for a firm end to the year for the currency. Nonetheless, as reflected in its drop overnight any increase in risk aversion will limit the ability of the EUR to move higher. Additionally the EUR will be restrained by caution expressed by the Greek finance minister in the FT over the country’s future highlighting that Greece is not out of the woods yet.

The JPY’s slide has continued unabated ahead of today’s BoJ policy decision. Markets have already priced in further easing in the form of an increase in asset purchases and any outcome that reveals anything less than JPY 10 trilion in asset purchases will provoke JPY buying in a market that is heavily short. However, the LDP’s strong showing in elections implies that markets will need to take seriously threats of more aggressive policy action over coming months, especially with regard to JPY strength. Indeed, weak export data revealed yesterday, while not solely attributable to JPY strength, will nonetheless, fuel more pressure for a weaker currency. Therefore, any pull back in USD/JPY will prove short lived as investors once again eye the JPY as the favoured short leg of carry trades.

Please note this will be my last blog post for 2012. Thank you for reading econometer.

Seasons Greetings and best wishes for the new year to all econometer.org readers.

ps. if you haven’t checked it out please click on the link below to order my new book, Chronology of a Crisis.

http://www.searchingfinance.com/products/books-econ-politics-finance/chronology-of-a-crisis.html

Posted in Bank of Japan, eurozone, Greece, US administration. Tags: , , , , . Leave a Comment »

GBP resilience, SEK vulnerable

December 18, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

Signs of some further flexibility on both sides reveal that negotiations over the US fiscal cliff are progressing, albeit very slowly. Discussions between President Obama and House speaker Boehner yesterday appeared to go relatively well but the chances of a deal by year end remain slim. Against this background US equities posted gains while risk measures improved ignoring the weaker than expected reading for the December Empire manufacturing survey.

There is little else in terms of directional influence today, with highlights including RBA December board minutes, a vote on the Italian 2013 budget, UK inflation data and an interest rate decision in Sweden. The overall tone is likely to continue to be constructive for risk assets.

While I expect GBP to show some resilience over the coming year especially against the EUR, I look for the currency to eventually end the year weaker against the USD. The principal risk to GBP revolves around the UK economy. It seems very likely that the UK economy has contracted in the final quarter of the year. Worryingly, a weaker external environment taken together with the relative resilience of GBP has resulted in a deteriorating trade deficit, which could ultimately inflict pressure on GBP to weaken.

The fact that the UK basic balance (direct investment + portfolio flows + current account) position remains in negative territory also suggests that the underlying support for GBP is weak. Given these soft economic fundamentals it is difficult to see GBP breaking significantly higher over the coming months. Although the relationship is not perfect, my expectation that EUR/USD will drift lower over the course of 2013 will act to drag EUR/GBP lower too, with my forecast at 0.79 by end year.

EUR/SEK has probed higher over recent weeks and look to register further upside. Today’s Riksbank policy meeting will be the next focal point for SEK but with a rate cut largely priced in following recent deterioration in employment data and other signs of slowing growth, the SEK is unlikely to find any support in the near term. Sweden’s industry body and the OECD have highlighted the policy room to lower interest rates, with the OECD also noted the fiscal leeway that Sweden has should economic conditions worsen.

Officials are also targeting the exchange rate given recent comments by Sweden’s finance minister Borg about increasing foreign exchange reserves over the longer term. The implication is that the SEK will suffer as other currencies are bought against it. The weakness in the SEK is consistent with my quantitative models and a break of EUR/SEK 8.80 is looming over the short term.

Posted in Sweden, UK, US administration. Tags: , , . Leave a Comment »
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