Business travel will prevent the updating of the blog in the coming days. It resumes October 19 with the Week Ahead. Overview: The lack of details from China's fiscal briefing, the soft CPI (and deeper PPI deflation), and a smaller than expected trade surplus did not prevent Chinese equities from advancing (CSI 300 +1.9%). Industrial commodities, such as oil, copper, iron ore, are mixed. Among the G10 currencies, the Australian dollar often acts as the China...
Read More »CSI 300 Drops 7%, Oil Steadies, and the US Dollar Remains Firm
Overview: We suspect the market overreacted to the US jobs data, which was tainted by the lowest "establishment" response in over two decades and seasonal adjustments were likely thrown off by Hurricane Helene and the 33k strike at Boeing. We think Fed officials, and more speak today, have confirmed that it was not the game changer than many market participants think, which was likely influenced by positioning. It did help facilitate the dollar's upside correction...
Read More »US Rates Extend Gains to Fray 4 percent
Overview: The stronger than expected US jobs report triggered a 20 bp jump in the US two-year yield and sent the greenback broadly higher. The market slashed the probability that the Fed would cut by 75 bp in Q4. There are now slightly less than 50 bp discounted in the Fed funds futures strip. US rates have continued to back up today, and both the two- and 10-year yields traded above 4% today. The greenback is mostly firmer, though the yen, Swiss franc, and...
Read More »Bailey Weighs on Sterling
Overview: The dollar enjoys a firmer tone today. The escalating conflict in the Middle East is keeping the market on edge. And then there is tomorrow's US employment report. Among the G10 currencies, sterling has been the hardest hit. It is off around 1% after Bank of England Governor Bailey seemed to signal that after pausing last month, the central bank may turn more aggressive here in Q4. Nearly all the emerging market currencies are lower. Global equities and...
Read More »Patient BOJ Weighs on the Yen, Hong Kong Re-Opens with a Bang, Middle East War Underpins Crude, while the Dollar Consolidates
Overview: The US dollar is mostly little changed today. Comments from the new Japanese government and BOJ Governor Ueda reinforce the sense driven by the softness in the September Tokyo CPI and larger-than-expected decline in August industrial output that there is no urgency for another rate hike. The yen is the weakest of the G10 currencies today. The Norwegian krone leads the major currencies higher after underperforming yesterday. Outside of the yen and krone,...
Read More »Powell’s Lack of Urgency Helps the Dollar Correct Higher
Overview: Japan will go to polls a little ahead of the US. And the US election still looks too close to call. Canada may be forced into snap elections if the Bloc Quebecois abandon's negotiating with the minority Liberal government as it has threatened to do at the end of the month. The UK's new Labour government is putting together its first budget to be delivered at the end of the month. Among the first tasks of the new French prime minister is submission of...
Read More »Mortgage Relief Lifts China’s CSI 300 by more than 8% Ahead of the Golden Week Holiday
Overview: The US dollar is narrowly mixed on the last trading day of Q3 24. The Australian dollar, the G10 proxy for China, is leading the major currencies higher and reached its best level since February 2023 (~$0.6940). The yen and Swiss franc continue to trade heavily and are off 0.2%-0.25%. The euro firm and traded above $1.12 for the fifth time since late August but has failed to settle above there once. The soft inflation readings have boosted the chances of...
Read More »China’s Politburo Validates and Extends Pivot while the US Dollar Sees Yesterday’s Gains Pared
Overview: After its recent losses were extended, the dollar reversed higher in North America yesterday. Technically, this looks to have ended the sharp drop over the last couple of weeks, but there has been no follow-through gains today and a consolidative tone emerged. G10 currencies are firmer today, led by the recovery in the Antipodeans. The Swiss National Bank delivered the expected 25 bp rate cut, but the Swiss franc is up about 0.25%. Emerging market...
Read More »The Dollar is Bid but Ueda Lends Support to the Yen
Overview: The dollar is bid as the upside correction that began last week continues today. The greenback is trading above last week's highs against most of the G10 currencies. The yen is the notable exception. Comments by BOJ Governor Ueda has reiterated his intention to raise rates further provided the economy continues to perform as the central bank expects. The dollar has unwound yesterday's gains against the yen and is lower than last week's close (~JPY146.15)....
Read More »USD is Trading Mostly Firmer, but Yen and Swiss Franc Show Resilience
Overview: The US dollar is mostly firmer, though consolidating against most of the G10 currencies. The Japanese yen and Swiss franc are the strongest, while the Scandis and Antipodean currencies are the heaviest. Among emerging market currencies, a handful of Asian currencies, including the Chinese yuan are higher, but central European currencies, the South African rand, and the Mexican peso are softer.The news stream is light but the threat of the escalation of the...
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