USD under broad based pressure

December 5, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

There remains a great deal of angst in markets due to the lack of resolution to the US fiscal cliff, which is putting pressure on overall market sentiment as reflected in the multi day rise in the VIX fear gauge over recent days. The fact that both the US administration and senior Republicans are giving little ground in discussions suggests a deal is not in sight although the pressure for compromise will intensify as year end approaches.

The news in Europe is a little better as reflected in the narrowing in peripheral bond yields. There will be little directional influence on markets today, with trading likely to be subdued ahead of the US jobs report on Friday, with any news on the fiscal cliff also closely watched.

The USD continues to come under broad based pressure, with the USD index having lost around 2% of its value since 16 November. The lack of traction in terms of resolving the fiscal cliff and the weaker US data this week, namely the November ISM manufacturing index have weighed on the currency.

How much of the USD move is due to position adjustments as year end approaches fast or renewed confidence in the EUR is debatable but it is clear that the USD looks like it will end the year in a bad state. The ADP jobs report today may give further direction but it seems unlikely that pressure on the USD will abate ahead of the November payrolls data on Friday.

While the EUR’s gains are beginning to look overdone, the momentum for the currency continues to be to the topside as short positions continue to be covered into year end. The EUR’s appreciation is taking place hand in hand with the drop in peripheral bond yields. A positive reception for Greece’s debt buy back as well as Spain’s request for aid for its banking sector has also helped the currency.

Rumours of a German debt downgrade have done little to diminish the EUR’s appeal. An upcoming meeting of EU finance ministers next week ahead of the EU leaders’ summit to try and make some progress towards banking supervision is also hoped to deliver some good news. A test of sentiment will come from a Spanish bond auction today but this is unlikely to be much of an obstacle to the EUR. Near term EUR/USD resistance is seen around 1.3172.

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Risk appetite firms

October 16, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

More encouraging news in the US in the form of a bigger than forecast increase in September retail sales and stronger than expected earnings from Citigroup Inc. helped to boost equity markets and risk assets in general. The US data follows on from recent positive consumer confidence and housing data.

Meanwhile, the VIX ‘fear gauge’ dropped while the Baltic Dry Index continued its ascent. The latter is particularly encouraging in terms of its positive implications for global growth. This is corroborated by my own risk barometer which continues to move lower. In contrast, commodity prices dropped, with gold prices losing more ground as better US data acts to dampen expectations of the magnitude of Fed QE that will need to be carried out.

I expect the constructive risk tone to be maintained with data releases both in the US (industrial production) and Europe (German ZEW investor confidence) to be supportive of risk assets. A reports in the FT today that Spain is verging on requesting a bailout will also come as welcome news for markets although there has yet to be confirmation of such a request.

Despite the better market tone I do not see major breaks out of recent ranges, with attention on the 84 S&P 500 companies set to release earnings this week and developments at the upcoming EU Council meeting. Hesitation ahead of a slate of Chinese data tomorrow will also cap market movements today.

Firmer risk appetite is usually negative for the USD but it is notable that my risk barometer has had a positive and significant correlation with the USD over recent months. In other words, lower risk aversion has actually been associated with a firmer USD. I see the USD remaining supported especially if expectations of the magnitude of Fed QE are pared back although the USD will likely lose some momentum given growing hopes of an imminent Spanish bailout request.

Asian currencies look relatively firm against the backdrop noted above. The most sensitive Asian currency to risk is the KRW and notably USD/KRW has finally broken below 1110, which opens the door for a test of 1100. TWD, THB, MYR and INR are also major Asian FX beneficiaries in an environment of better risk appetite. I expect Asian currencies to continue to trade with a firmer tone in the short term helped by strengthening capital inflows. Firmer Chinese CNY fixings are also aiding Asian currencies.

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Asian currencies running into resistance

October 10, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

As the US Q3 earnings season gets underway caution is prevailing as reflected in the losses in US and European equity markets overnight. The VIX jumped as risk aversion increased in the wake of lower revised growth estimates from the IMF and worries that earnings will be far less flattering than in previous quarters. Nonetheless, stronger than forecast earnings from Alcoa helped to kick of the earnings season in positive mode.

In Europe the visit by Chancellor Merkel to Athens was accompanied by reassuring statements from the German leader but this was to little avail as demonstrations in the Greek capital continued. Reports that lenders are discussing extending Greece’s bailout program by two years may provide some relief, however.

Spain remains the major focal point and in this regard there is no progress in the country moving forward with a bailout request much to the chagrin of peripheral debt markets and the EUR. There are few data releases of interest today of which the Fed’s Beige Book will be the main highlight. The market tone will continue to remain cautious but we don’t expect a major relapse in risk appetite.

The USD continues to make good headway in an environment of higher risk aversion, as the USD index continues to maintain a strong correlation with risk. We see little reason for this to reverse although EUR/USD may run into some support around the 1.2824 area. Our preferred crosses include playing short EUR/AUD given that our model indicators show that AUD is oversold at current levels.

Asian currencies will run into some resistance against the background of a firmer USD and the ADXY index is struggling to break higher. The PHP and THB have been the major outperformers so far this month, with most other Asian currencies have weakening.

India has been the biggest beneficiary of renewed portfolio flows to the region, unsurprising in the wake of recent reform announcements registering around $1.3 billion of equity flows month to date. USD/KRW looks like it will struggle to break below 1110 having failed on its attempts to break through this level. Equity capital inflows to Asia are on par with the inflows registered in 2009 and 2010.

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USD buffeted, JPY firming, AUD risks receding

October 9, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

A lacklustre day for equity markets yesterday saw many indices close lower and risk aversion edge higher, with the VIX ‘fear gauge’ being a prime mover, Some encouraging signs for global activity continue to emerge from the rise in the Baltic Dry Index but market growth fears remain high. Attention remains firmly focussed on events in Europe, with the Ecofin meeting today likely to see further discussions on a wide range of issues. As yet there is no breakthrough regarding a Spanish bailout or next tranche of Greek loan disbursement, with the latter only likely to be confirmed in November. A visit by German Chancellor Merkel to Athens today is unlikely to result in any breakthroughs. US corporate earnings will also garner greater attention as the week goes on, with Alcoa set to begin the earnings season tomorrow.

The USD is being buffeted by conflicting factors at present. QE3 is likely to cap any gains in the currency but the expansion of balance sheets by other central banks suggests that a weaker USD outlook is by no means a foregone conclusion. Moreover, from a growth perspective the USD comes out on top. Even though US recovery is a weak one by historical standards the economic outlook still looks better than in Europe, notwithstanding the looming US fiscal cliff. Further evidence of recovery will be gauged from the release of the September small business optimism survey today. A likely third straight gain will provide encouraging news although the survey still remains lower than levels it was at earlier in the year. Over coming days I expect the USD to edge higher as it capitalizes on the various strands of uncertainty in the Eurozone.

As Japan returns from an extended weekend USD/JPY has reversed its recent break higher and is verging on another test of 78.00. There seems little in terms of directional influences to give any major impetus to the currency pair especially as many JPY correlations have broken down lately. JPY speculative long positions remain relatively high suggesting scope for some reduction and JPY selling but I suspect that USD/JPY will remain stuck in its current 77.77 – 79.00 range for some time to come. Nonetheless, JPY bears may be encouraged by recent signs of strong bond outflows adding to data showing equity outflows over recent weeks. Indeed, in the week to 28 September 2012 Japan registered its biggest net equity and bond outflows since early May.

AUD has been a major underperformer this month, with pressure intensifying following last week’s surprise RBA rate cut. Although a further sharp drop appears unlikely hefty long speculative positioning suggests that upside traction will be limited. Nonetheless, my quantitative models show that the AUD is looking increasingly oversold against the USD. The market is already pricing in another RBA rate cut by the end of the year suggesting that the reaction to upcoming data will be asymmetric. In other words the AUD will rally more in the wake of positive data than it will weaken in the wake of soft data. Business and consumer confidence indicators will provide further direction over coming days, but the main driver will come from the September jobs report on Thursday where a further drop in employment is expected. I continue to look for strong support for AUD/USD around the 1.0100 level, with 1.0285 a barrier to any upside break.

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Euro firmer, AUD vulnerable to risk gyrations

August 29, 2012 — Mitul Kotecha

A surprise drop in US August consumer confidence which dropped to its lowest since November last year put a dampener on markets and notably the VIX index edged higher. Consequently treasuries rose and equities slipped despite a firmer than expected increase in US house prices in June. The confidence data adds the pressure on Fed Chairman Bernanke to give some indication of a further round of quantitative easing during his speech at Jackson Hole on Friday.

An upward revision to US Q2 GDP and a bounce in July pending home sales today are unlikely to change this perspective although the Fed’s Beige Book will likely show some moderate improvement providing the Fed with useful information.

Separately decent debt auctions in Spain and Italy helped to calm Eurozone market nerves further amid hopes of European Central Bank (ECB) action next week despite the news that Spanish region Catalonia formally asked for EUR 5 billion in funding. As a result the EUR retained a firmer tone.

Contrary to expectations, EUR/USD continued to push higher. Just why the currency is strengthening given the significant event risk in the days and weeks ahead is questionable although in part the move is attributable to an ongoing short squeeze. Hopes of constructive ECB action next week taken together with Fed quantitative easing expectations have helped to put the USD on the back foot, allowing the EUR to take advantage.

Admittedly the drop in Eurozone peripheral bond yields is certainly helpful for the EUR, while my short term quantitative ‘fair value’ estimate for EUR/USD suggests more upside too. Nonetheless, given the risk that so much could go wrong in the weeks ahead I am loathe to get on the bullish EUR bandwagon. While EUR/USD and EUR on the crosses will likely remain firm ahead of Jackson Hole I expect the EUR to struggle to hold onto gains into next week.

AUD has lost ground since around 10 August. This has roughly coincided with a rise in risk aversion over recent weeks. Indeed, AUD maintains a strong correlation with risk aversion and is therefore highly susceptible to swings in risk appetite. Additionally renewed China worries have also dampened the attraction of the AUD given the increasing dependency of Australia’s economy to China both directly through trade and indirectly via commodity prices.

While I remain positive on the AUD over the medium term, the high level of speculative positioning in the currency suggests some vulnerability to profit taking over the short term, with AUD/USD vulnerable to a drop to technical support around 1.0282. Much will depend on news out of China in terms of AUD direction, with Chinese stock market gyrations also providing some influence.

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