Swiss franc to remain strong

August 3, 2011 — Mitul Kotecha

Given the uncertainties enveloping both the US and Europe safe haven and various emerging market currencies have looked increasingly attractive. Currencies that remain on top in the current environment are the CHF and to a lesser extent the JPY, much to the chagrin of the Swiss and Japanese authorities. Indeed, in reaction to unwanted CHF strength the Swiss central bank, SNB unexpectedly cut interest rates and said it will increase CHF liquidity to the money markets. The CHF fell in the wake of the announcement but the impact may prove short lived.

Both the JPY and CHF have registered a strong correlation with risk aversion over the last 3-months, strengthening as risk aversion has intensified. In particular, the CHF has been the best performing major currency this year and shows no sign of turning around despite the fact that it has already strengthened by around 21% against the USD and over 12% against the EUR. The Swiss National Bank had even ceased from intervening in the currency markets given the lack of success and pain on the SNB’s balance sheet.

The Japanese authorities last intervened in the FX market in March 2011 following the devastating earthquake in the country. However, despite the fact that the JPY has strengthened after a brief period of success, the authorities have been reluctant to intervene since. The major explanation for a lack of intervention is that the Japanese authorities blame the drop in USD/JPY on USD weakness rather than inherent JPY strength. A more accurate reason is that the yield differential between the US and Japan has narrowed, leading to JPY strength versus USD while more recently rising risk aversion has pushed the JPY higher.

I am bearish on both the CHF and JPY over the medium term but clearly any drop in these currencies is taking longer than initially anticipated. Higher relative yields taken together with some normalisation in risk appetite will help but the risks at present are still skewed for further CHF and JPY strength in the short term given that risk aversion remains elevated. The fact that peripheral bond spreads in Europe have continued to widen will only raise the attraction of the CHF as a safe haven currency so despite the SNB’s new measures, it may do little to prevent further strength in the currency.

Posted in central banks, Currencies, Economics, Economy, Europe, eurozone, FX, Interest rates, Japan, Switzerland, US. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments »

CHF and JPY remain on top

August 2, 2011 — Mitul Kotecha

It’s been a tumultuous few week for global markets. First a debt deal in Europe and then a debt ceiling agreement in the US. In both cases any boost to sentiment has and will be limited. Europe’s debt deal, while comprehensive, left quite a few questions in terms of implementation, scope and mutual country agreements.

In the US the deal to raise the US debt ceiling by $1.2 trillion hammered out between Republican and Democrat party leaders helps to stave off a debt default but is far smaller and less comprehensive in terms of deficit reduction measures than had been hoped for and may still be insufficient to prevent a credit ratings downgrade by S&P and/or more ratings agencies. The deal will prove a disappointment to USD bulls.

Markets in the US have failed to find much to rally them despite the debt deal. Indeed, all that has happened is that attention has shifted back towards economic growth worries in the wake of a disappointing ISM manufacturing index in the US (50.9 in July, a reading which is just about in expansion territory) which follows on from a run of soft data in the US including the Q2 GDP report. Unfortunately data elsewhere is no better as a series of weak manufacturing surveys have highlighted this week.

Weak data and the US debt deal have pushed Treasury yields lower but despite this the USD has rallied, especially against the EUR, which is not only suffering from renewed peripheral debt concerns and weaker growth, but also from a run of disappointing earnings releases in contrast to the US where earnings have on the whole beaten forecasts. The USD may have benefited from a renewed increase in risk aversion and in this respect further US equity weakness may provide the USD with further support.

Whether EUR/USD will extend its recent losses is doubtful, however. Much will depend on Friday’s US July jobs report and if there is another weak outcome as looks likely, speculation of another round of Fed asset purchases could dent USD sentiment. The currencies that remain on top in this environment are the CHF and to a lesser extent the JPY much to the chagrin of the Swiss and Japanese authorities

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Edging Towards A European Deal For Greece

July 21, 2011 — Mitul Kotecha

The momentum towards some form of agreement at the Special EU Summit today is growing, with French and German leaders reaching a “joint position on Greece’s debt situation”. Details of this position are still unknown, however. EUR has found support as expectations of a positive outcome intensify.

However, given that positive news is increasingly being priced in, and the market is becoming increasingly long, upside EUR potential will be limited even in the wake of a comprehensive agreement. A break above EUR/USD resistance around 1.4282 would bring in sight the next key resistance level around 1.4375 but this where the rally in EUR/USD is set to be capped.

Prospects of a major US debt default or at the least a government shutdown appear to be receding as the US administration has indicated some willingness to opt for a short term increase in the US borrowing limit to give more time for a bigger deficit reduction deal to be passed by Congress. Meanwhile, there will be further news on the deficit reduction plans put forward by the “gang of six” US senators, with a press conference scheduled for later today.

Debt ceiling negotiations are likely to be the main focus of market attention, with the Philly Fed manufacturing survey and weekly jobless claims relegated to the background. A speech by Fed Chairman Bernanke is unlikely to deliver anything new today. The USD is likely to be on the back foot given expectations of a deal in Europe and improved risk appetite but we expect losses to be limited.

The JPY continues to defy my bearish expectations. Over recent days the US yield advantage over Japan in terms of 2Y bonds dropped to multi-year lows below 20bps. Given the high correlation between USD/JPY and yield differentials, this has corresponded with the fall below 80.00.

Expectations of JPY weakness versus USD is highly dependent on the US – Japan yield gap widening over coming months. For this to happen it will need concerns about the US economy and expectations of more Fed asset purchases to dissipate, something that may not happen quickly given the rash of disappointing US data releases lately.

GBP found itself on the front foot following the release of the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee minutes, which were less dovish than anticipated. They also revealed that the BoE expects inflation to peak higher and sooner than previously expected. However, the fact that the overall tone was similar to the last set of minutes meant there was little follow through in terms of GBP.

Further direction will come from June retail sales data today and forecasts of a bounce in sales will likely help allay concerns about a downturn in consumer spending. Nonetheless, GBP is still likely to struggle to break through resistance around 1.6230 versus USD.

Posted in central banks, Currencies, ECB, Economics, Economy, Europe, eurozone, Federal Reserve, Financial crisis, Fiscal/Budget, France, FX, Germany, Greece, Interest rates, Japan, Monetary Policy, New Zealand, UK, US, US administration. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Which is the ugliest currency?

July 11, 2011 — Mitul Kotecha

The contest of the uglies has once again been set in motion in FX markets as last Friday’s weak US jobs report, which revealed a paltry 18k increase in June payrolls, downward revisions to past months and a rise in the unemployment rate, actually left the USD unperturbed. Europe’s problems outweighed the negative impact of more signs of a weak US economy, leaving the EUR as a bigger loser.

The USD’s resilience was even more impressive considering the drop in US bond yields in the wake of the data. However, news over the weekend that talks over the US budget deficit and debt ceiling broke down as Republicans pulled out of discussions, will leave USD bulls with a sour taste in their mouth.

Should weak jobs recovery dent enthusiasm for the USD? To the extent that it may raise expectations of the need for more Fed asset purchases, it may prove to be an obstacle for the USD. However, there is sufficient reason to look for a rebound in growth in H2 2011 while in any case the Fed has set the hurdle at a high level for more quantitative easing (QE).

Fed Chairman Bernanke’s reaction and outlook will be gleaned from his semi-annual testimony before the House (Wed) although he will likely stick to the script in terms of US recovery hopes for H2. This ought to leave the USD with little to worry about. There will be plenty of other data releases this week to chew on including trade data, retail sales, CPI and PPI inflation and consumer confidence as well as the kick off to the Q2 earnings season.

Fresh concerns in Europe, this time with contagion spreading to Italy left the EUR in bad shape and unable to capitalise on the soft US jobs report. In Italy high debt levels, weak growth, political friction and banking concerns are acting in unison. The fact that there is unlikely to be a final agreement on second Greek bailout package at today’s Eurogroup meeting will act as a further weight on the EUR.

Discussions over debt roll over plans, the role of the private sector and the stance of ratings agencies will likely drag on, suggesting that the EUR will not find any support over coming days and will more likely lose more ground as the week progresses. If these issues were not sufficiently worrisome, the release of EU wide bank stress tests on Friday will fuel more nervousness. Against this background EUR/USD looks vulnerable to a drop to technical support around 1.4102.

The Bank of Japan is the only major central bank to decide on interest rates this week but an expected unchanged policy decision tomorrow is unlikely to lead to any JPY reaction. In fact there appears to be little to move the JPY out of its current tight range at present. USD/JPY continues to be the most correlated currency pair with 2-year bond yield differentials and the fact that the US yield advantage has dropped relative to Japan has led to USD/JPY once again losing the 81.0 handle.

However, as reflected in the CFTC IMM data the speculative market is still holding a sizeable long position in JPY, which could result in a sharp drop in the currency should US yields shift relatively higher, as we expect over coming months. In the short-term USD/JPY is likely to be well supported around 80.01.

Posted in Currencies, Economics, Economy, Europe, eurozone, Federal Reserve, Financial crisis, Fiscal/Budget, Greece, Interest rates, Italy, Japan, Monetary Policy, US, US administration. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

EUR higher but resistance looms

June 30, 2011 — Mitul Kotecha

EUR and risk currencies in general were buoyed by the passage of the austerity bill in the Greek parliament. The implementation bill is also likely to be passed later today opening the door for the disbursement of EUR 12 billion from the European Union / IMF from the EUR 110 bailout agreed for the country. Combined with news that German banks are progressing towards agreeing on a mechanism to roll over Greek debt alongside French banks as well as likelihood of an European Central Bank (ECB) rate hike next week, the EUR is set to remain supported over the short term.

Nonetheless, it once again looks as though a lot of good news is priced in and it would be surprising if EUR/USD could extend to above strong resistance around 1.4557 given the many uncertainties ahead, not the least of which includes the stance of ratings agencies on any Greek debt rollover.

USD/JPY is the only major currency pair that is correlated with bond yield differentials at present (2-year yields) and therefore it should not come as a surprise that USD/JPY has moved higher as the yield differential between the US and Japan has widened by around 10bps over the past week. Indeed, yesterday’s move above 81.00 was spurred by the move in yield differentials although once again the currency pair failed to build sufficient momentum to close above this level.

Further gains will require US bond yields to move even higher relative to Japan but perhaps the end of QE2 today may mark a turning point for US bond markets and currencies. The end of QE2 taken together with a jump in bond supply over coming months, will see US Treasury yields will move sharply higher, implying much more upside for USD/JPY.

AUD has bounced back smartly over recent days, with the currency eyeing resistance around 1.0775 versus USD. A general improvement in risk appetite has given the currency some support but markets will be unwilling to push the currency much higher ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) meeting next week. On the plus side, there are no rate hikes priced in for Australia over the remainder of the year, suggesting an asymmetric risk to next week’s meeting.

In other words, unless the RBA openly discusses rate cuts in the statement, the AUD will likely remain supported. Conversely any indication that a rate hike may be in prospect will be AUD supportive. In any case we continue to believe the AUD offers better value especially relative to NZD and maintain our trade idea to buy AUD/NZD.

Posted in Australia, Bond markets, central banks, Currencies, ECB, Economics, Economy, Europe, eurozone, Federal Reserve, FX, Germany, Greece, Interest rates, Monetary Policy, US. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »
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