USD under pressure, AUD well supported

August 1, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

Despite comments by the German Finance Ministry that it sees no need to give the ESM bail out fund a banking license, market hopes of European Central Bank (ECB) action tomorrow remain in place, helping to give some support to markets and the EUR. However, the Fed is unlikely to deliver fresh stimulus measures following the conclusion of its two day meeting today.

Sentiment slipped slightly overnight although any weakness was limited by stronger than expected data releases in the US in the form of July consumer confidence and Chicago PMI. US and European equities ended lower but overall its appears to be a case of treading water until the policy decisions over coming days as well as Friday’s US jobs report.

There is perhaps less expectation of Fed action than the ECB but nonetheless, recent press reports suggest that the Fed is shifting closer to pulling the trigger for more balance sheet expansion. This in turn has put some restraint on the USD.

Although it is more likely that the Fed will want to wait to assess more economic data (the Fed will not be privy to the July jobs report before its release on Friday) there is a chance that the Fed could extend its guidance tonight. This will be less important from a USD perspective but if the Fed opens the door even wider to a third round of quantitative easing the USD will find little solace from a lack of QE today as the Fed will merely be seen to delay such a move until September.

Combined with the impact of firmer risk appetite over recent days and consequently reduced safe haven demand the USD will struggle to make any headway in the near term, with the USD index to find it difficult to break above 83.000.

AUD has been the best performing major currency in July. Yield attraction has increased and the AUD has been a key beneficiary. While my forecasts remain among the most bullish this year (1.08 by year end) I am cognisant of the risks of a pull back in the interim.

AUD has benefited to some extent from expectations of further policy stimulus in China as well as a generally more favourable tone to risk appetite. Reports that China is interested in buying Australian regional government bonds will also help buoy AUD.

While external conditions hold various risks to the AUD the domestic picture does not look too adverse and various domestic economic indicators have beaten expectations. Consequently I believe that market expectations for a bigger 75bp of Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) policy easing are overdone and an eventual correction in the markets’ overly dovish stance will help to support the AUD.

Meanwhile, speculative AUD positioning is well below the all time high reached in April 2011, suggesting scope for more gains. AUD/USD looks well supported around 1.0374.

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Fed disappoints, NZD jumps on firm GDP

June 21, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

The decision by the Fed to extend its maturity extension program through year end by USD 267 billion left markets with a taste of disappointment. Although the Fed noted that it was “prepared to take further action” it was clear that FOMC members were resistant to such action at this point in time. Nonetheless, any downside to risk assets was limited by the potential for more quantitative easing (QE) somewhere down the line.

Indeed, while equity markets took a softer tone it was notable that the VIX ‘fear gauge’ continued to drop reflecting an improvement in risk sentiment. The VIX has dropped by 35% from its high at the beginning of the month. Commodity prices remained under downward pressure, however. The lack of further Fed balance expansion capped gold prices too. The outcome is likely to play positively for the USD given that the Fed is not going to debase the currency any further for now.

Following the Fed decision clearly pressure is on other central banks to act. The European Central Bank’s Coeure hinted at the prospects a press interview while the Bank of England minutes were surprisingly dovish, indicating a strong likelihood of further UK QE at the next MPC meeting.

EUR/USD dropped to around 1.2638 following the FOMC outcome but rebounded probably helped by the fact that the Fed left open the door for further balance sheet expansion. EUR/USD 1.2750 remains a major barrier to the currency pair but if breached there is plenty of upside potential.

Flash Eurozone purchasing managers indices (PMI) releases today will likely restrain the EUR, with a further slight declines in manufacturing confidence expected, consistent with further contraction in activity. The data will put further pressure on the ECB to cut interest rates. EUR direction today will also come from Spanish and French bond auctions today.

It’s worth highlighting the surprisingly robust New Zealand Q1 GDP data released this morning. The data revealed a strong 1.1% quarterly increase compared to consensus expectations of a 0.4% increase. The data boosted NZD which rallied to a high of 0.8018 versus the USD and remains well supported. NZD/USD 200 day moving average around 0.7952 will provide decent support for the currency especially given the sharp move hawkish move in NZ interest rate markets.

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Euro gives up its gains, GBP tracks lower

June 19, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

Although attention may briefly turn to the Fed FOMC outcome tomorrow the lack of progress to resolve’s Europe’s crisis threatens to inflict much more severe damage onto global markets. Against this background the European summit at the end of the week will be particularly important but the scope for disappointment remains high.

As with news of Spain’s banking bailout the positive EUR reaction to the Greek elections has faded even more quickly than I anticipated. EUR/USD’s inability to build on gains above 1.2700 despite extreme short market positioning, highlights the lack of confidence in resolving the crisis. EUR/USD appears to be increasingly following the moves in peripheral bond spreads and the news here is not good either especially in Spain, with spreads continuing to widen out.

The G20 communiqué offered no support to the EUR, with little by way of concrete measures while Germany continues to stick to its stance of no renegotiation of Greece’s bailout terms. The EU finance ministers summit in a couple of days time may provide some relief but only if concrete measures are outlined. In the meantime EUR/USD will continue to remain under pressure. As noted yesterday, I look for a test of EUR/USD 1.2515 which could happen as early as today.

Considering that the prospects of a further round of Bank Of England quantitative easing has grown as hinted at by BoE Governor King, GBP has shown some resilience. Indeed, it is not clear that GBP will weaken if and when the BoE expands its balance sheet again. My analysis reveals that the reaction of GBP has been mixed both to the announcement and implementation of asset purchases.

Inflation data will provide some clues to the room for further monetary stimulus while the minutes of the last MPC meeting two weeks ago will provide some inkling of the support within the Committee for fresh QE. CPI is likely edge higher but this will be due to seasonal factors, while the minutes will likely reveal two dissenters.

GBP meanwhile, will continue to track the EUR with the currency pair trading in a 0.80-0.81 range. EUR’s drop overnight has taken the wind out of GBP’s sails, but strong technical support will be found around GBP/USD 1.5601.

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Euro grinding lower as officials talk about Greek exit

May 14, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

The week begins in sour mood although notably Asian market pressure was limited even in the face of ongoing Eurozone tensions. China’s cut in its RRR over the weekend helped to limit the damage to markets but there are still plenty of negatives to chew on. Notably European officials are openly discussing and even preparing for the possibility of a Greek exit from the euro, an outcome that has grown in probability as fresh elections loom in Greece.

FX markets have finally awoken from their stupor, with a spike in volatility and moves out of long worn ranges registered. The USD has extended its upward trajectory that began in this cycle on 27th April. The rally looks strong and sustainable but is built largely on the fact that the USD looks less ugly than some other currencies rather than on positive US economic developments.

Admittedly US recovery is taking shape but the data is not sufficiently strong to erase expectations of further Fed quantitative easing, a factor that will limit the ability of the USD to capitalise on weakness elsewhere. Data over coming days will not help to provide much clarity on the issues, with April retail sales likely to be soft and the Fed FOMC minutes unlikely to deliver much new information. Even so, risk aversion is intensifying, providing the USD with firm support, suggesting that the USD will continue to edge higher over coming days.

The EUR in particular has sustained a drop below the psychologically important 1.30 level, spelling more downside risks. Greek politics and the potential for fresh elections remain at the forefront of attention. A small amount of relief on upcoming Greek bond redemptions following the EU’s deliverance of EUR 4.2 billion funds will not be sufficient to offset political worries.

EUR will also find direction from the Eurogroup meeting of finance ministers meeting today who aside from Greek issues will also discuss the Spanish banking sector. Meanwhile, a meeting between French President and Hollande and Germany’s Chancellor Merkel will have the potential to move markets but the chances of a breakthrough on any fresh deal is limited.

Data releases will confirm Eurozone recession while the May German ZEW investor confidence survey is set to record a decline. All of this will not bode well for the EUR, with the currency set to grind lower over coming sessions. EUR/USD 1.2852 will be a crucial support level, a break of which will see EUR slide much further.

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EUR resilience, AUD hit by soft inflation

April 24, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

A distinctly downbeat tone to risk assets in the wake of disappointing manufacturing sentiment surveys in Europe and China and political uncertainties in Europe threatens to engulf markets today. There is very little on the data and events front that will change this as markets refocus to the outcome of the Fed FOMC meeting tomorrow. Consequently risk assets will remain under a degree of pressure in the short term unless the Fed delivers any fresh hints of more quantitative easing tomorrow.

A round of weaker than expected readings for Eurozone purchasing managers indices has led to a renewed wave of pessimism towards the Eurozone economy and selling in Eurozone assets. The collapse of the Dutch government over budget cuts and the results of the first round of French elections only added to the malaise. Once again however, the EUR remains resilient and has hardly flinched in the wake of bad news in the region.

I believe it is only a matter of time before the EUR succumbs to growing pressure, especially given a likely widening in its growth gap versus the US. Today’s bond auctions in Spain, Italy and Netherlands will be in focus but ought to provide little relief for the EUR, with the currency likely to edge towards 1.3057 support versus USD.

Australian Q1 CPI inflation data came in much softer than expected, with the trimmed mean CPI coming in at 0.3%, half the consensus expectation and well within the Reserve Bank of Australia’s target range. The data seals the case for the RBA to pull the trigger at its 4 May monetary policy meeting. The main imponderable is the magnitude of the rate cut. A 25bps cut had already been priced in but speculation of a 50bps move is likely to have grown.

Nonetheless, I believe the market is overly dovish, with a lot of easing already priced in (100bps in the current cycle). I don’t agree with market pricing, suggesting that eventually the AUD will recover as rate expectations correct. However, wariness ahead of the RBA meeting and deterioration in risk appetite will keep the AUD under restrained in the near term. AUD/USD support is seen around 1.0226, with a break below this leading to a test of 1.0145.

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