USD/JPY edging higher

February 18, 2014 — Mitul Kotecha

The release of a much weaker than expected print for Japan’s Q4 GDP placed today’s BoJ meeting in a different light. While there was very little expectation of any policy action by the BoJ today the Bank surprised by increasing its lending program.

While asset purchases were not increased it is unlikely to be long before the BoJ embarks further along this path too. Clearly as the GDP data shows the task to boost growth / end deflation is going to be tough especially given the upcoming consumption tax hike. In other words the potential for future action remains significant.

USD/JPY fell initially on the BoJ outcome but pushed higher after an initial disappointment. The recent widening in the US / Japan yield differential (10 year differential at 224 basis points) indicates that USD/JPY will be supported on the upside, with support around 101.38.

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What to watch this week

February 17, 2014 — Mitul Kotecha

Despite a slow start to the week there are plenty of events and data this week for markets to chew on for further direction including in the US the February Empire and Philly Fed manufacturing surveys, January housing starts and existing home sales, as well as CPI and PPI inflation and FOMC meeting minutes. Overall the data will look relatively unimpressive, with softer manufacturing confidence, weaker housing data and benign inflation readings likely.

In the Eurozone, the flash purchasing managers’ indices will capture most attention. A slight softening is expected but this will not alter the picture of gradual recovery in the Eurozone economy. Indeed, last week’s better than expected Eurozone GDP release revealing broad based growth of 0.3% in Q4 highlighted the positive recovery path, in turn maintaining positive sentiment for the EUR.

On the policy front the Bank of Japan decides on policy tomorrow but no change is expected despite a disappointing Q4 GDP release this morning, which revealed that growth came in at a paltry 0.3% QoQ compared to 0.7% expected. Nonetheless, the weaker GDP data highlights that the BoJ and government has a big job to do in the months ahead especially given the risks to growth from the upcoming consumption tax hike. USD/JPY may find some support if the data translates into expectations of more aggressive BoJ action.

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US dollar under pressure

February 17, 2014 — Mitul Kotecha

US stocks have clawed back almost all their losses registered in the wake of the mini emerging markets crisis in January. The S&P 500 closed at 1838.63, up 0.48% on Friday. The rally in stocks is impressive considering the run of weaker than forecast US data releases over recent weeks although investors appear to be placing much of the blame on poor weather conditions. The gains in US stocks echoes the generalized improvement in risk appetite, with sentiment towards emerging markets also having stabilized.

The USD continues to be a casualty of the firmer risk tone, with a lack of upward momentum in US yields also not helping the currency (10 year US Treasury yield around 2.7428%). The USD index is now close to its lows for the year around 80.00, with the JPY and commodity currencies the biggest gainers so far this year among major currencies. In terms of emerging market currencies the Indonesian rupiah and Thai baht have been the best performers versus USD.

Despite the firmer tone to risk, gold prices have continued their ascent, closing above their 200 day moving average at the end of last week. As I wrote in Gold breaches its 200 day moving average, I don’t expect the rally in gold prices to be sustained. Some market consolidation is likely today with a lack of key data releases and a US holiday (President’s Day) keeping activity subdued.

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Australian dollar rallies, Korean won bounces back

February 11, 2014 — Mitul Kotecha

On the currency front, the best performers so far this year have been an odd combination of JPY, NZD and AUD versus USD. JPY has benefitted from both compressed yield differentials with the US and risk aversion but its gains are likely to reverse over the coming weeks as these factors reverse.

I have been generally more constructive on AUD and NZD than the consensus and remain so. Both AUD and NZD look oversold and will gradually appreciate further, especially as both the RBA and RBNZ have now likely ended their easing cycles, with the latter set to raise policy rates by the end of this quarter. AUD/USD breached 0.90 this morning helped by a strong business confidence reading for January.

Most Asian currencies have rebounded so far this month, with some of the biggest losers over January recording gains. The KRW has been the best performer in February recording gains despite continued outflows of equity capital. Korea has recorded $1.26 billion in equity outflows so far this month, the highest among Asian countries.

In contrast bond inflows into Korea have been relatively solid over January and this continued into February, helping to provide some support to KRW despite equity outflows. Helping the KRW is the fact that is much less sensitive to US bond yields than many other Asian currencies helping it to avoid any fallout from higher US yields in February. USD/KRW is on path for a break below support around 1070.

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USD/JPY bracing for a rebound

February 10, 2014 — Mitul Kotecha

In the post below I look at the arguments for JPY weakness in the weeks and months ahead.

A combination of elevated risk aversion and a narrowing US / Japan yield differential have been the major contributors to the strengthening in the JPY over January resulting in safe haven JPY demand and repatriation flows. The sensitivity of the JPY to both factors has been especially strong and it will require a reversal of one if not both of these to spur another wave of JPY selling.

Improving risk appetite required
If there is not a metamorphosis of the current bout of pressure into a full blown crisis as seems likely, risk appetite will improve and the upward pressure on the JPY will abate. Any improvement in risk appetite will however, be gradual and prone to volatility, especially in an environment of Fed tapering. It may therefore require more than simply improving risk appetite to weaken the JPY anew.

Japanese equity performance will be eyed
Of course associated with any improvement in risk appetite has to be a reversal of the recent negative performance of Japanese equities. Although Japanese equities will continue to be hostage to the fortunes of global risk sentiment, assuming that “Abenomics” continues to deliver results and growth in Japan continues to pick up (our forecast this year is 2% YoY GDP growth) further fallout in the Japanese equity market may be limited.

Flows will need to reverse
Over the past several weeks Japan has registered net inflows of capital in large part due to repatriation by Japanese investors. JPY has faced upward pressure from such inflows over recent weeks. Looking ahead assuming that risk appetite improves and US yields increase net capital outflows are expected to resume, which will put further downward pressure on the JPY.

Yield differentials will be particularly important
The extra dose of JPY pressure and important determinant of renewed weakness will be a re-widening of the US / Japan real yield differential. Eventually US bond yields will resume their ascent, driving the yield differential with Japan wider, and putting upward pressure on USD/JPY. The same argument will apply for EUR/JPY, albeit to a lesser degree.

Speculation positioning more balanced
The recent short covering rally has likely resulted in a market more evenly balanced in terms of positioning, providing a solid footing for the next leg lower in JPY. Indeed, compared to the three month average, JPY positioning has bounced back and is susceptible to a rebuilding of JPY shorts over coming weeks, driving the JPY lower.

Model points to renewed JPY weakness
Combining the factors above (except positioning) and adding in forecasts for US bond yields, risk aversion and conservative estimates for a recovery in Japanese equity markets over coming months, my quantitative model for USD/JPY highlights the prospects of a major rebound in the currency pair.

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