Summary: Populism-nationalism is not really a wave sweeping across the world. Where it succeeded was where a center-right party in a two-party system embraced part of the populist agenda. Center-right parties in Europe are not embracing key agenda for populist-naitonalist, but appear to be tacking to the right on domestic issues. The conventional narrative is that in the aftermath of the Great Financial...
Read More »European Commission Offers 5 Scenarios
Summary: EC is committed to the future of Europe. Juncker presented five scenarios. Even if the populist-nationalist do not win the electoral contests, the national identity issues will continue to exert influence. Later this month, Europe celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, which established the European Economic Community. Very near to the anniversary, which was not one of the original...
Read More »FX Daily, March 02: Dollar Remains Bid
Swiss Franc EUR/CHF - Euro Swiss Franc, March 02(see more posts on EUR/CHF, ) Source: Investing.com - Click to enlarge FX Rates The US dollar is bid against the major currencies as the combination the increased expectation of a Fed rate hike and the President’s commitment to fiscal stimulus buoys sentiment. The dollar-bloc, where speculators in the futures market, have grown a net long position, are leading the...
Read More »FX Daily, March 01: Greenback Bounces, More Fed than Trump
Swiss Franc EUR/CHF - Euro Swiss Franc, March 01(see more posts on EUR/CHF, ) - Click to enlarge GBP/CHF The pound to Swiss Franc rate has now slipped below 1.25, a trend I did say I expected to take shape this month. Whilst some commentators do foresee the pound finding some strength once Article 50 is triggered I believe there is a strong likelihood that we will actually be more likely to see the pound...
Read More »FX Daily, March 01: Greenback Bounces, More Fed than Trump
Swiss Franc EUR/CHF - Euro Swiss Franc, March 01(see more posts on EUR/CHF, ) - Click to enlarge GBP/CHF The pound to Swiss Franc rate has now slipped below 1.25, a trend I did say I expected to take shape this month. Whilst some commentators do foresee the pound finding some strength once Article 50 is triggered I believe there is a strong likelihood that we will actually be more likely to see the pound...
Read More »Beware the Ides of March
Summary: Numerous events converge in the middle of March. We still lean toward a May hike rate than March. Wilders may garner a plurality of the vote in the Netherlands, but is unlikely to form a government for want of coalition partners. How will the Republican US Congress and President deal with the debt ceiling? T.S. Eliot tells us that April is the cruelest month. A great poet he was, but a trader he was...
Read More »FX Daily, February 27: Asia Stumbles, Europe Recovers, Waiting for Trump
Swiss Franc EUR/CHF - Euro Swiss Franc, February 27(see more posts on EUR/CHF, ) - Click to enlarge FX Rates The late recovery in US equities before the weekend did little good for Asian markets. Nearly all the Asian equity markets moved lower, led by the 1.0% decline in Japan’s Topix. It was the third successive loss for the Topix, which is the long losing streak of the year so far. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index...
Read More »FX Weekly Preview: Macroeconomics and Psychology
United States There is a broad consensus around the macroeconomic picture. The headwinds slowing the US economy in H1 16 have eased, and above trend growth in H2 16 appears to be carrying into 2017. Q4 16 GDP is expected to be revised to 2.1% up from 1.8%. Many economists appear to accept that a good part, though not all, of the decline in the estimated trend growth in the US, is a function of demographic...
Read More »FX Daily, February 24: Anxiety? What Anxiety?
Swiss Franc EUR/CHF - Euro Swiss Franc, February 24(see more posts on EUR/CHF, ) - Click to enlarge FX Rates The US dollar is finishing the week on a mixed note in choppy activity in narrow ranges. It is an apt way to finish this week, which has been largely directionless as investors wait for fresh incentives, and are especially looking toward Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress next week. It is...
Read More »FX Daily, February 23: Dollar Chops About, as “Fairly Soon” Does not Mean mid-March
Swiss Franc EUR/CHF - Euro Swiss Franc, February 23(see more posts on EUR/CHF, ) - Click to enlarge GBP/CHF This week the House of Lords have been debating the issue of the Brexit bill and assuming there are no amendments made this could see a free run towards the triggering of Article 50 due to take place during March. This helped the Pound to hit its best rate to buy Swiss Francs in 2017 creating some...
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