The market has much to digest. The Bank of England's new purchases of Gilts coincided with a reassessment of the trajectory of Fed policy. After the hawkish FOMC decision and forecasts, the market briefly thought the terminal rate could be 5.25-5.50% in the middle of next year. However, by the end of last week, it had returned to around 4.5% at the end of Q1 23. Italy has a right-wing government, and what it means for the country's debt and relationship with the EU...
Read More »Markets Look for Direction
Overview: The biggest development today in the capital markets is the jump in benchmark interest rates. The US 10-year yield is up five basis points to 2.86%, which is about 10 bp above Monday’s low. European yields are up 9-10 bp. The 10-year German Bund yield was near 0.88% on Monday and is now near 1.07%. Italy’s premium over German is near 2.18%, the most in nearly three weeks. Although Asia Pacific equities rallied, led by Japan’s 1.2% gain, but did not...
Read More »Week Ahead: More Evidence US Consumption and Output are Expanding, and RBNZ and Norges Bank to Hike
After two-quarters of contraction, many still do not accept that the US economy is in a recession. Federal Reserve officials have pushed against it, as has Treasury Secretary Yellen. The nearly 530k rise in July nonfarm rolls, more than twice the median forecast in Bloomberg's survey, and a new cyclical low in unemployment (3.5%) lent credibility to their arguments. If Q3 data point to a growing economy, additional support will likely be found. While the interest...
Read More »Euro Parity Holds ahead of US CPI
Overview: The US dollar is consolidating with a slight downside bias ahead of the June CPI report. The euro held above $1.00 but is still pinned in the trough. The rate hike by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand failed to have much impact. On the other hand, the JP Morgan Emerging Market Currency Index is lower for the fourth consecutive session. Most of the large markets in the Asia Pacific region rose, led by a 2.7% rally in Taiwan after the government promised to...
Read More »Turkey gets a Reprieve before US Thanksgiving, but Capital Strike may not be Over
Overview: The dramatic collapse of the Turkish lira was like an accident one could not help look at, but it was not an accident, but the result of a disregard for the exchange rate and compromised institutions. The lira was off around 15% at its worst yesterday, before settling 11.2% lower. After falling for 11 sessions, it has steadied today (~2.7%) but the capital strike may not be over. On the other hand, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand delivered the 25 bp...
Read More »Dollar Rallies as Energy Surge Quashes Animal Spirits
Overview: Investors worry that surging energy prices will sap economic activity and boost prices. It is sparking a sharp drop in equities and bonds while lifting the dollar. The Nikkei fell for the eighth consecutive session, and today's 1% drop brings the cumulative decline to 9%. South Korea's Kospi also fell by more than 1%. Some of the smaller markets in the region, like Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, rose by more than 1%. They are an anomaly. ...
Read More »Ever Grand
Overview: Coming into yesterday's session, the S&P 500 had fallen in eight of the past ten sessions. It closed on its lows before the weekend and gapped. Nearly the stories in the press blamed China and the likely failure of one of its largest property developers, Evergrande. Those that are prone to the sky-is-falling narratives refer to it as Lehman moment. The S&P 's 2.7% decline yesterday was the largest in half of a year, and the VIX jumped to...
Read More »Ever Grand
Overview: Coming into yesterday's session, the S&P 500 had fallen in eight of the past ten sessions. It closed on its lows before the weekend and gapped. Nearly the stories in the press blamed China and the likely failure of one of its largest property developers, Evergrande. Those that are prone to the sky-is-falling narratives refer to it as Lehman moment. The S&P 's 2.7% decline yesterday was the largest in half of a year, and the VIX jumped to...
Read More »Consolidative Mood Grips Markets
Overview: The dollar is consolidating yesterday's advance and is confined to fairly narrow ranges in quiet turnover. Most of the major currencies are within 0.1% of yesterday's close near midday in Europe. The $1.1700-level held in the euro. Most emerging market currencies have edged a little higher. Despite the largest fall in the US NASDAQ in three weeks and the largest fall in the S&P 500 in a month, the MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose for the first time in...
Read More »FX Daily, July 14: RBNZ Moves Ahead of the Queue, Will the Bank of Canada Maintain its Place?
Swiss Franc The Euro has risen by 0.18% to 1.0833 EUR/CHF and USD/CHF, July 14(see more posts on EUR/CHF, USD/CHF, ) Source: markets.ft.com - Click to enlarge FX Rates Overview: The Reserve Bank of New Zealand jumped to the front of the queue of central banks adjusting monetary policy by announcing the end of its long-term asset purchases. New Zealand’s s 10-year benchmark yield jumped seven basis points, and the Kiwi is up almost 1%, to lead the move against...
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