BOJ Downgraded Economic Outlook for FY2020, Inflation to Fare Better During Forecasting Horizon
The January BOJ is non-eventful. Cautioning that risks to the economic outlook is tilted to the downside, the central bank announced to leave all its stimulus measures unchanged. In contrast to speculations, the central bank did not adjust the implicit trading band of the 10-year JGB yield.
There is a...
Euro Vulnerable as ECB Awaited, Strong Risk-On Sentiment Continues
Euro recovers mildly today but stays as one the weakest, along with Dollar, Yen and Swiss Franc. Strong risk-on sentiments pushed major US indices to new records overnight. Commodity currencies are generally strong on the sentiments. Canadian Dollar was additionally lifted by the not-so-dovish BoC statement, but it's awaiting...
CAD Extended Rally as BOC Sounded Less Dovish
BOC’s January meeting came in less dovish than expected. While leaving the monetary policy measures unchanged, the central bank has upgraded the economic outlook for 2022. Meanwhile, policymakers hinted QE tapering if confidence over recovery improves. At the meeting, BOC kept the overnight rate at 0.25% and the QE...
Euro Down Again as Recovery Lost Momentum, Commodity Currencies Jump
Euro weakens notably today as recovery momentum diminished quickly. Dollar is not gaining much, though, as commodity currencies trade broadly higher with new wave of buying. Australian Dollar is once again leading others. Canadian Dollar shrugs off weaker than expected inflation reading, and await BoC rate decision and the...
Canadian Dollar in Spotlight, With Eyes on BoC and Oil Price
Canadian Dollar is a main focus today with BoC rate decision featured. Recent strong risk-on markets haven't given the Loonie much lift. It's upside is somewhat capped as oil price turned into consolidation after last week's spike. Also, traders turned cautious before BoC's indication on the chance of a...
Euro Rises While Dollar and Yen Stay Pressured
Yen and Dollar remain the worst performing ones for today with markets generally in risk-on mode. Investors are awaiting US Treasury nominee Janet Yellen's Senate hearing for more information on the her stance on fiscal stimulus and Dollar exchange rate. Though, buying focuses turned from commodity currencies to Euro...
Asian Markets Surge With Strong Risk Appetite, Yen Under Heavy Selling
Asian markets are trading in strong risk-on mode today, with particular strength seen in Hong Kong. DOW future is also currently up 150 pts, as markets look forward to US Treasury nominee Janet Yellen's confirmation hearing. Yen is back under heavy selling pressure, followed by Dollar and Swiss Franc....
ECB Preview – Awaiting More Comments of Strong Euro
While ECB would likely leave its monetary policy measures unchanged this week, the market should focus on several issues: members’ view on recent euro strength, discussions on QE tapering and economic impacts of renewed lockdown. Following the recalibration in December, ECB would leave the size of the Pandemic Emergency...
Commodity Currencies Stay Generally Weak While Euro Could Stabilize Temporarily
Commodity currencies remain generally weak today on mixed market sentiments. On the other hand, Yen, Swiss Franc and Dollar are the strongest. Euro remains soft too, but recovery in crosses, in particular against Sterling, is limiting its downside for the moment. Gold also stabilizes back in prior range after...
EUR/USD Pressing 1.2 Key Support as Dollar Lifted by Yellen
Dollar opens the week generally higher, as supported by comments from former Fed chair Janet Yellen. Though, at this point, Yen mildly stronger while Swiss Franc is also firm. The triple argues that there is some underlying cautiousness in investor sentiments, despite solid Q4 China data. That's also reflected...
BOC Preview – All Eyes on Likelihood of Micro Rate Cut
BOC is widely expected to leave its overnight rate at the effective lower bound of 0.25% in January. The size of asset purchases will also stay unchanged at CAD4B/week. Over the past month, there has been market speculations about the possibility of a micro rate cut since November. While...
Dollar and Yen in Driving Seat While Other Markets Turned Mixed
Sterling ended the week as the best performing one. But the late selloff, and rejection by resistance against Dollar and Yen, suggest that the latter too were in the driving seat. Weakness was apparently see in Euro, New Zealand Dollar, and to a lesser extent Australian. Dollar could be...
CFTC Commitments of Traders – Rebound in USD Prone to be Short-lived
As suggested in the CFTC Commitments of Traders report in the week ended January 12, NET SHORT of USD Index futures fell -1 045 contracts to 14 952. Speculative long positions dropped -941 contracts, and short positions decreased -1 986 contracts. USD rebounded as talks about Fed's balance sheet...
CFTC Commitments of Traders – Crude Oil Price Lost Momentum after Gaining Three Weeks in a Row
According to the CFTC Commitments of Traders report for the week ended January 12, NET LENGTH for crude oil futures gained +9 068 contracts to 527 717 for the week. Speculative long position rose +8 183 contracts, while shorts slipped -885 contracts. While recording its third consecutive weekly gain,...
Yen and Swiss Franc Rise as Sentiments Weighed Down by Weak Data
Yen and Swiss Franc are trading stronger together with Dollar today, as stock markets are pulling back slightly. On the other hand, New Zealand Dollar is leading other commodity currencies lower. US President-elect Joe Biden's new spending package was generally ignored by investors. Instead, worse than expected US data...
Euro Stays Weak, More Downside Before Weekly Close
The forex markets are generally staying in tight range in Asian session today. Dollar is mildly higher even though Fed chair Jerome Powell further talked down stimulus removal. Yen is also strengthening while commodity currencies turn slightly softer. For the week, Sterling remains the strongest one, followed by Canadian....
Euro’s Decline Continues as Italy Yields Jump, Dollar and Yen Mixed
Euro's broad based decline continues today, dragging down the Swiss Franc, and to a lesser extent Sterling too. Italy bench yield jumps sharply on increasing risk of fresh elections in the summer. On the other hand, commodity currencies continue to be strong, as supported by overall solid risk sentiments....
Euro Falls Against Commodity Currencies, Dollar Mixed Despite Pull Back in Yields
Selloff in Euro against commodity currencies appear to be a main theme today, in otherwise mixed markets. Dollar seems not too bothered by the pull back in treasury yields overnight and stays generally inside last week's range. Sterling is struggling to extend gain despite staying as the strongest one...
US Crude Inventory Continued to Trim, while Petroleum Stockpile Gained Further
The report from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows that total crude oil and petroleum products (ex. SPR) stocks sank -9.43 mmb to 1334.27 mmb in the week ended January 8. Crude oil inventory dropped -3.25 mmb (consensus: -2.27 mmb) to 482.21 mmb. Stockpile decreased in 4 out...
Sterling Strong in Mixed Markets, Dollar Stabilizes
Sterling strength continues today, in the otherwise mixed markets. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the parliament that restrictions measures are already "starting to have an effect in many parts of the country". Canadian Dollar is following as second strongest for today, lifted slightly by upside acceleration in oil...