The Swiss Franc depreciated this week again. The euro rose to 1.960. One reason is the reduction in net long CHF speculative position from 8.2K to 1.6K contracts. Given the weak ISM non-manufacturing PMI, it remains unclear. why speculator now move into the dollar. Over the summer, the US dollar was out of favor with the speculators in the futures market. This means that gross long positions increased and gross...
Read More »FX Weekly Review, September 05 – September 09: Dollar Proves Resilient as Market Rates Rise
Swiss Franc Currency Index The Swiss Franc index remained mostly unchanged during the last week: Some gains against the dollar, but losses versus the euro. Since Tuesday the euro moved upwards against CHF. Given thatSwiss GDP was stronger than the one in the euro zone, this is surprising. But we must recognize that Draghi could be the reason. Inflation forecasts of 1.2% in 2017 and 1.8% in the euro zone would mean...
Read More »FX Daily, September 9: Ahead of the Weekend
(Dublin business trip is ending, London next week, sporadic posts to continue) Swiss Franc Click to enlarge. FX Rates The US dollar is lower against all the major currencies this week as North American participants close it out. On the day, the dollar is consolidating swings yesterday and is narrowly mixed. Bond yields are higher and equities are mostly lower. The euro has finished lower the last three Fridays....
Read More »FX Daily September 9: Draghi Says Little, Door Still Open for More
[unable to retrieve full-text content]In the last two days, the euro moved upwards against CHF. Given that Swiss GDP was stronger than the one in the euro zone, this is surprising. But we must recognize that Draghi could be the reason. Inflation forecasts of 1.2% in 2017 and 1.8% in the euro zone would mean the ECB hikes rates maybe in 2018 or 2019. I personally do not believe it, given that wage inflation in Italy or Spain is clearly under 1%. This is lower than Swiss wage inflation of 0.8%.
Read More »FX Daily, September 07: Dollar Stabilizes, but Hardly Recovers
[unable to retrieve full-text content]Disappointing industrial output figures from Germany and UK are helping stabilize the US dollar after yesterday's shellacking. Investors have been fickle about the prospects for a rate hike this month, and the unexpected dramatic slide in the service spurred a downgrading of such expectations, and a flight out of the dollar. It was not simply a quest for yields, though that was part of it. Surely the yen and euro's strength is not a function of superior...
Read More »Great Graphic: What Kind of Jobs is the US Creating
[unable to retrieve full-text content]The oft repeated generalization about the dominance of low paying jobs is not true for the last few years. This does note refute the disparity of wealth and income in the US. There is a restructuring taking place that favors educated and skilled workers.
Read More »FX Daily, September 6: Dollar Heavy in Quiet Markets
[unable to retrieve full-text content]The US dollar is trading heavily against most of the major and emerging market currencies. However, the losses are modest, and the greenback remains within recent ranges. The Antipodean and Scandi bloc currencies are performing best.
Read More »Services ISM Sends Greenback Reeling
[unable to retrieve full-text content]ISM showed unexpected weakness in Aug non-mfg PMI. Markit measure slipped but not as much as ISM. Odds of a Sept Fed hike slip to about 15%. Watch trendline in Dollar Index near 94.45.
Read More »FX Daily, September 5: While Americans were Celebrating Labor Day
[unable to retrieve full-text content]There were several developments that took place while US markets were closed for its Labor Day holiday. Most of the economic news was favorable. This included a strong snap back in the UK service PMI, more evidence that the moral suasion campaign to lift wages in Japan is yielding some success and a rise in the Caixin's China's service PMI.
Read More »FX Weekly Preview: Parsing Divergence: Focus Shifts from Fed to ECB
[unable to retrieve full-text content]Net-net, the September Fed funds futures contract was little changed on the week. Four high-income central banks meet in the week ahead; the ECB is the only one in play. China accounted for a full three quarters of the US trade deficit in July.
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