Peripheral debt concerns intensify

November 10, 2010 — Mitul Kotecha

European peripheral debt concerns have allowed the USD a semblance of support as the EUR/USD pullback appears to have gathered momentum following its post FOMC meeting peak of around 1.4282. The blow out in peripheral bond spreads has intensified, with Greek, Portuguese and Irish 10 year debt spreads against bonds widening by around 290bps, 136bps and 200bps, respectively from around mid October.

The EUR appears to have taken over from the USD, at least for now, as the weakest link in terms of currencies. EUR/USD looks vulnerable to a break below technical support around 1.3732. Aside from peripheral debt concerns US bonds yields have increased over recent days, with the spread between 10-year US and German bonds widening by around 17 basis points in favour of the USD since the beginning of the month.

The correlation between the bond spread and EUR/USD is significant at around 0.76 over the past 3-months, highlighting the importance of yield spreads in the recent move in the USD against some currencies. Similarly high correlations exist for AUD/USD, USD/JPY and USD/CHF.

Data today will offer little direction for markets suggesting that the risk off mood may continue. US data includes the September trade deficit. The data will be scrutinized for the balance with China, especially following the ongoing widening in the bilateral deficit over recent months, hitting a new record of $28 billion in August. Similarly an expected increase in China’s trade surplus will add to the currency tensions between the two countries. FX tensions will be highlighted at the Seoul G20 meeting beginning tomorrow, with criticism of US QE2 gathering steam.

Commodity and Asian currencies are looking somewhat precariously perched in the near term, with AUD/USD verging on a renewed decline through parity despite robust September home loan approvals data released this morning, which revealed a 1.3% gain, the third straight monthly increase.

However, the NZD looks even more vulnerable following comments by RBNZ governor Bollard that the strength of the Kiwi may reduce the need for higher interest rates. As a result, AUD/NZD has spiked and could see a renewed break above 1.3000 today. Asian currencies are also likely to remain on the backfoot today due both to a firmer USD in general but also nervousness ahead of the G20 meeting.

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All eyes on G20

November 8, 2010 — Mitul Kotecha

Although we move from feast to famine this week in terms of data there are still a few events that are noteworthy. In the US the September trade balance (Wed) will be of interest with a narrowing expected. Net exports negatively impacted GDP in Q3 but this is likely to reverse in Q4. Michigan confidence at the end of week is also likely to reveal better news with a rebound expected in October in the wake of firming equities, whilst the October budget statement is likely to reveal a sharp narrowing compared to October last year. Several Fed speakers over the week will be also be in focus as markets try to gauge the level of support within the FOMC for the QE2 announced last week.

There are a few data releases of interest in the eurozone including the preliminary estimate of Q3 GDP. Worryingly the divergence across the eurozone between healthier northern Europe and weaker performing in Southern Europe is becoming increasingly stark, a big headache for the Eurozone Central Bank with its one size fits all policy. Elsewhere, in the UK the Bank of England Quarterly Inflation Report will be scrutinized to determine whether recently firmer data and sticky inflation has pushed the BoE away from following the Fed into QE2. Japan’s volatile machinery orders data marks the highlight of its calendar, with a sharp drop expected in September following two strong months.

The main event of the week is the G20 leaders meeting in Seoul at the tail end of the week. Rhetoric going into the meeting suggests little support for the US plan to limit current account surpluses to 4% of GDP and even US officials appear to have cooled on the idea. Moreover the G20 meeting will probably elicit further reaction to the Fed’s QE2 announcement. Reaction was highly critical initially but seems to have softened lately. Currencies will nonetheless, remain the major topic of discussion although expectations of a global agreement are likely to be disappointed.

The Fed’s QE2 announcement helped provide a prop to risk assets and weighed on the USD last week despite the amount of asset purchases being within expectations. The USD will remain a sell on rallies this week and once again the best way to play USD weakness is likely via the higher yielding commodity currencies, especially AUD and NZD. Scandinavian currencies also offer a good way to capitalize on USD weakness.

The EUR may also struggle this week given worries about peripheral Europe and widening in peripheral bond spreads. Ireland’s budget cuts announced last week have so far failed to shore up confidence whilst political uncertainties are also rising. Greece’s regional elections revealed that the ruling socialist party narrowly retained control allowing the government to continue with reforms suggesting a modicum of support for its debt. Nonetheless, with Irish and Portuguese sovereign worries continuing, the EUR will continue to lag. Notably the CFTC IMM data revealed that speculative EUR sentiment deteriorated in the latest week to its lowest in over a month. EUR/USD is likely to target 1.3864 after dropping swiftly below the 1.4000 level.

Perhaps best way to play EUR vulnerability is versus the AUD, with a further decline through 1.3800 likely to pave the way for a drop below the 13 September low around 1.3660. AUD/JPY may also be another cross worth exploring especially as Japan’s new fund begins buying JGBs today, which could limit JPY upside. A test of AUD/JPY 83.65 is on the cards shortly. If Australia’s October employment report on Thursday reveals another strong reading it will likely give the currency further support into the end of the week.

Posted in Asia, Australia, Bond markets, central banks, Commodities, Currencies, Economics, Economy, equity markets, Europe, eurozone, Fiscal/Budget, FX, Greece, Interest rates, Ireland, Monetary Policy, Portugal, South Korea, UK, US, US administration. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments »

What QE2 means for currencies

November 5, 2010 — Mitul Kotecha

The sweeping gains for the Republican party in the US mid term elections has sharply changed the political dynamic in the US, with the prospects of further fiscal stimulus looking even slimmer than before although the chances of the Bush tax cuts being extended have likely increased.

The onus is on monetary policy to do the heavy lifting and the Fed delivered on its end of the bargain, with the announcement of $600 billion of purchases of long-term securities over 8-months through June 2011.

Given the likelihood that the economic impact of the asset purchases is likely to be limited and with little help on the fiscal front the Fed has got a major job on its hands and $600 billion may end up being a minimum amount of purchases necessary for the Fed to fulfil its mandate.

The decline in the USD following the Fed decision is unlikely to mark the beginning of a more rapid pace of USD decline though further weakness over coming months remains likely. The USD remains a sell on rallies for now and an overshoot on the downside is highly probable as the Fed begins its asset purchases.

The bottom line is that the Fed’s program of asset purchases implies more USD supply and in simple economic terms more supply without an increase in demand implies a lower price. The USD will remain weak for some months to come and the Fed’s actions will prevent any USD recovery as the USD solidifies its position as the ultimate funding currency.

Nonetheless, with market positioning close to extreme levels, US bond yields unlikely to drop much further, and the USD already having sold off sharply in anticipation of QE2, (USD index has dropped by around 14% since June) those looking for a further sharp drop in the USD to be sustained are likely to be disappointed.

It is difficult however, to fight the likely further weakness in the USD even if turns out not to be a rapid decline. The path of least resistance to some likely USD weakness will be via the likes of the commodity currencies, scandies and emerging market currencies. There will be less marked appreciation in GBP, CHF and JPY against the USD.

The Fed’s actions will continue to fuel a rush of liquidity into emerging markets, particularly into Asia. This means more upward pressure on Asian currencies but will likely prompt a variety of responses including stronger FX intervention as well as measures to restrict and control such flows.

There have been various comments from central banks in the region warning about the Fed’s actions prompting further “hot money” flows into the region and even talk of a coordinated response to combat such flows.

This suggests more tensions ahead of the upcoming G20 meeting in Seoul. Assuming that at least some part of the additional USD liquidity flows into Asia, the implications of potentially greater FX intervention by Asian central banks to prevent Asian currencies from strengthening, will have a significant impact on major currencies.

Already it is apparent that central banks in Asia have been strongly using the accumulated USDs from FX intervention to diversify into EUR and other currencies including AUD and even JPY. Perversely this could end up exacerbating USD weakness against major currencies.

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G20 Leaves The US Dollar Under Pressure

October 25, 2010 — Mitul Kotecha

The G20 meeting of Finance Ministers and Central bankers failed to establish any agreement on clear targets or guidelines. Perhaps the problem of trying to achieve consensus amongst a variety of sometimes conflicting views always pointed to an outcome of watered down compromise but in the event the G20 summit appears to pass the buck to November’s summit of G20 leaders in Seoul where more concrete targets may be outlined.

Officials pledged to “move towards more market determined exchange rate systems” and to “refrain from competitive devaluation of currencies”. What does this actually mean? The answer is not a great deal in terms of practical implications. The first part of the statement is the usual mantra from such meetings and the addition of the latter part will do little to stop central banks, especially in Asia from continuing to intervene given that no central bank is actually devaluing their currency but rather preventing their currencies from strengthening too rapidly.

The communiqué highlighted the need for advanced economies being “vigilant against excess volatility and disorderly movements in exchange rates”, but once again this is the mantra found in the repertoire of central bankers over past years and is unlikely to have the desired effect of reducing the “excessive volatility in capital flows facing some emerging countries”. In other words many emerging countries will continue to have an open door to impose limited restrictions on “hot money” flows.

Although the language on currencies was stronger than in previous summits it arguably changes very little in terms of the behaviour of central banks and governments with respect to currencies. The communiqué is wide open to varying interpretations by countries and is unlikely to prevent the ongoing trend of USD depreciation and emerging market country FX appreciation and interventions from continuing over coming weeks.

The onus has clearly shifted to the November summit of G20 leaders but once again it seems unlikely that substantial agreements will be found. In the interim the November 3 Fed FOMC meeting will be the next major focus and if the Fed embarks on renewed asset purchases as widely expected FX tensions will remain in place for some time yet.

So whilst a “currency war” was always unlikely “skirmishes” will continue. In the meantime the USD is set to remain under pressure although it’s worth noting that speculative positioning has recorded a reduction in net aggregate USD short positions over the last couple of weeks, suggesting that some of the USD selling pressure may have abated. Whether this reflected caution ahead of the G20 meeting (as the data predates the G20 meeting) or indicated the USD having priced in a lot of quantitative easing (QE2) expectations already, is debatable.

The path of least resistance to USD weakness remains via major currencies including AUD, CAD and NZD. Officials in Europe are also showing little resistance to EUR strength despite the premature tightening in financial conditions and negative impact on growth that it entails. Scandinavian currencies such as SEK and NOK have also posted strong gains against the USD and will likely continue to show further outperformance.

The JPY has been the best performing major currency this year followed not far behind by the CHF despite the FX interventions of the authorities in Japan and Switzerland. Although USD/JPY is fast approaching the 80.00 line in the sand level expected to result in fresh FX intervention by the Japanese authorities, the path of the JPY remains upwards. Japan is unlikely to go away from the G20 meeting with any change in policy path as indicated by officials following the weekend deliberations.

Posted in Asia, Australia, central banks, China, Currencies, Economics, Economy, emerging markets, Europe, eurozone, Federal Reserve, FX, IMF, Interest rates, Japan, Monetary Policy, South Korea, Sweden, US. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment »