Market Overview
Aussie Jumps on GDP Upside Surprise, Dollar and Yen Soft
Australian Dollar is back in the driving seat today as GDP beat market expectation. The Aussie is trading as the strongest one for today and for the week. But strength is so far limited as RBA has made its neutral stance very clear again yesterday. While Canadian Dollar follows...
Sterling Lifted by Services PMI But Buyers Hesitate
Sterling is so far the strongest major currency today. Better than expected UK services PMI raised the chance of an August BoE hike. But there is no follow through buying in the Pound yet. BoE's decision will be heavily data dependent, and there are still two more months of...
Dollar Higher as US Yields Rebound, Aussie Pares Gain as Neutral RBA Stands Pat
Dollar trades broadly higher today as helped by the rebound in US treasury yields. 10 year yield closed up 0.042 at 2.937 overnight. With a base formed at 2.759 last week, TNX will likely head higher to 3.000 handle. The development would be dollar supportive in near term. Meanwhile,...
Dollar Under Broad Based Pressure as Correction Extends, Aussie Hold Gains ahead of RBA
Australian Dollar remains the strongest one today as helped by strong risk appetite. At the time of writing, TSE is trading up 0.55%, DAX up 0.25% and CAC Is up 0.33%. US futures also point to another day of rally. New Zealand Dollar follows as the second strongest. Meanwhile,...
Australian Dollar Higher on Retail Sales, Trade Tensions Shrugged by the Markets
Australian dollar opens the week higher as lifted by stronger than expected retail sales today. That's followed by Euro as the second strongest as European political risks receded. As sentiments improved, Yen stays soft against all others, followed by the Swiss Franc. While trade tensions occupy a lot of...
A Look at Why Dollar Failed to Surge on Strong US Job Numbers
It was a roller coaster week with political turmoil in Italy dominated the first half of the week. The formation of the populist Italian government after acceptance by President Sergio Mattarella marked the end of the episode. Trade war then took over as US President Donald Trump decided to...
Dollar Jumps on All Round Better than Expected NFP
Dollar surges in early US session after non-farm payroll report beat market expectation on all front. The job market grew 223k in May, above expectation of 190k. Unemployment rate dropped to 3.8%, beat expectation of 3.9%. That's also the lowest level in 18 years. More importantly, wage growth was...
US-World Trade War Formally Starts as EU, Canada and Mexico Ready Retaliation
Trade war is the dominate theme for the market at the moment after US starts to impose steel and aluminum tariffs on its closest allies in Canada, Mexico and the EU. The move drew strong criticism from these countries and retaliation measures are on the way. Italy took a...
Trump Escalates Trade Tension by Imposing Steel Tariffs on Allies EU, Canada and Mexico
Euro has been strong most of the day as Italian political risk temporarily receded. Stronger than expected Eurozone CPI reading also provided some support to the common currency. But it's Yen that's taking the spotlight again in early US session on risk aversion. DOW opened losing triple digits and...
Dollar Pressured as Focus Turns from Italy to US Steel Tariffs and Trade War
The forex markets are mixed today so far. Easing concerns over Italy political turmoil calmed markets temporarily. But the situation is not solve yet. Meanwhile, the upcoming decision on US steel tariff temporary exemption could turn sentiments around again. For now, Commodity currencies are generally higher with the help...
Euro Recovers on Revived Hope of Italy Government Formation, Robust German Data
Euro recovers broadly today as markets digest the over-stretched decline. Negative sentiments over Italian political turmoil recedes mildly as there is revived hope of a non-anti-euro government. Italy 10 year yield pull back below 3% handle while German bund yields is back above 0.35 at the time of writing....
Yen Continues to Shine as Sentiments Weighed Down by Italy and Trade Tension
Italy political turmoil and trade tensions are weighing on market sentiments on two fronts. Italy will now likely go into a snap election soon. And the eurosceptic parties will frame that as referendum on Euro membership. US President Donald Trump reignites trade spat with China while NAFTA negotiation is...
Euro Pared Loss after Steep Selloff as 5 Star Di Maio Calmed Markets
While Euro remains the worst performer for today, selling slowed and it recovered much ground as in early US session. Investors seemed to be calmed by Five Star leader Di Maio's facebook comment that he never see leaving the Euro. Also, there are reassessment on how bad the situation...
Yen Extends Rally as 10 Year Yield Breaches 2.9%
Yen is staying strong today and it's extending recent rally. Falling major European and US treasury yields and risk aversion are the main factors. German 10 yield bun yield closed at 0.353% yesterday's concern. That's nearly half of this month's high at 0.651%. US 10 year yield's decline continues...
Euro Decline Resumes as Italy is Facing New Election Risks
Euro is back under broad based selling pressure after an ex-IMF official accepted the mandate to form an interim government. While traders were relieved that the anti-establishment eurosceptic coalition government couldn't be formed, they're now facing uncertainty of a new election. EUR/USD has already broken last week's low at...
Euro Rebounds as Markets Cheer Italy Political Turmoil, Yen and Franc Retreat
Euro rebounds strongly and broadly today as the markets cheer political turmoils in Italy. On the other hand, Swiss Franc and Japanese Yen are trading as the weakest as sentiments improved. There appears to be some breakthrough again between US and North Korea as South Korean President Moon Jae-in...
Yen Surged Again as Italy, Protectionism, Geopolitics and Central Bank Expectations Weighed on Yields
Yen ended as the strongest one last week followed by Swiss Franc. Meanwhile Sterling was the weakest one, followed by Euro, Canadian and then US Dollar. A number of factors were behind such development and they're all inter-related. The most direct one is decline in major European and US...
Italy Concerns Hammer German Yield and Euro, Canadian Dollar Falls With Oil Price
Canadian Dollar, Euro, to a lesser extend Sterling, are the clear losers today. The Loonie is dragged down by oil price as WTI drops through 70 handle. It reaches as low as 68.96 so far on news that OPEC and Russia are considering to raise production. On the other...
Markets Calm as North Korea Responded Diplomatically to Trump’s Unilateral Cancellation of Summit
Markets are rather steady in Asian session today. Major forex pairs and crosses are staying in yesterday's range. Dollar is a bit firmer entering into European session. But there is no follow through buying yet. US President Donald Trump's cancellation of the summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong...
Trade Wars and Auto Tariffs Dominate the Markets, 10 Year Yield Losing 3% Handle
Sterling recovers mildly today as there was finally a piece of better than expected key data from the UK. Nonetheless, Swiss Franc outshines Sterling as the strongest one for today. And the Pound is still the weakest one for the week, followed by Euro. Canadian Dollar, on the other...