FOREX TRADING

The dollar rose on Friday for a third consecutive day, pressuring stocks and commodity prices for a third day. US nonfarm payrolls declined a modest 20K in January with the unemployment rate falling to 9.7%. The S&P 500 gained 3.08 to 1,066.19 and erased earlier large losses as US consumer credit declined less than forecast and support at 1050 held. The yen fell versus the dollar but rose against most other key currencies on carry trade unwinding. The euro declined amid ongoing concerns about the fiscal stability in the PIGS countries and concern that efforts by Greece, Portugal and Spain to reduce their deficits will hurt the fragile economic recovery. Sterling fell despite higher-than-expected producer-price inflation. The oversold Australian and Canadian dollars rose. The Canadian dollar was supported by an unexpected drop in Canada’s unemployment rate and stronger-than-expected employment growth. The Swiss National Bank reportedly intervened in the FX market to prevent the Swiss franc from further appreciation against the euro after the EUR/CHF fell to the lowest level since October 2008.

The dollar index rose for a third straight day and touched the highest level since July 9. The appreciating dollar is increasing deflationary pressures, depreciating risky assets and may end the US/global fragile economic recovery. The dollar index rose about 9% since the beginning of December. There are support in the 79-area and important resistance at the 81 area. We expect a consolidation between the support and resistance.

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This Week’s Market Outlook

Highlights

• Currency markets to remain beholden to the risk trade
• Bullion’s bull-run still intact
• Sterling takes a hammering, focus on 3Q GDP and public finances
• Key data and events to watch next week

Currency markets to remain beholden to the risk trade

The moves this week should convince anyone that had any doubt, that the correlation between equity markets and currencies remains alive and well. It was a rollercoaster, with EUR/USD oscillating between 1.4800 support and 1.5000 resistance for the better part of the week. The S&P 500 meanwhile continued to find interest on either side of the pivotal 1100 level. It seems that EUR/USD 1.50 and the S&P 1100 go hand in hand as both remain extremely challenging technical and psychological levels. Indeed, both have only closed above those crucial levels three times this year – euro in October and stocks just this week. It should not surprise anyone that the correlation between these two since the beginning of the second half of 2009 has been a stellar 92%. Don’t look for much to change on this front anytime soon.

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USD Sharply Lower, IMF Says USD Still Overvalued

FX Highlights

• The USD is trading lower to start the week pressured by stronger equity markets, in reaction to the G-20 meeting and by a statement from the IMF about the USD, the G-20 was silent on USD weakness and pledged to continue to support the global economy, the IMF says that USD is still being used as a funding currency and may be overvalued, EUR supported by strong industrial output data and widening of German trade surplus, commodity currencies supported by another record rise in the price of gold and higher price of crude, the Fed is expected to maintain low yields as worse than expected US unemployment threatens the US recovery
• Focus turns to today’s release of Canada’s housing starts
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Preview of Thursday’s BOE & ECB meetings

The Bank of England (BOE) will hold a policy meeting on Thursday November 5th. At the October policy meeting the BOE elected to maintain the current level of interest rates at a record low 0.5% and asset purchases at £175bln. The BOE indicated that they would keep the scale of the asset purchase plan under review. Two recent UK economic reports generated concern about the outlook for the UK economy and may encourage the BOE to expand its asset purchase plan at the November policy meeting. UK Q3 GDP posted an unexpected 0.4% decline.

The trade had expected a rise of 0.2% for Q3 GDP. The decline in GDP suggests that the BOE asset purchase plan has yet to boost the UK economy out of recession. UK manufacturing output fell by 1.8% in August. The decline in manufacturing output adds additional doubt about the UK economic recovery. The BOE must also take in consideration today’s report of continued UK bank troubles. The UK government announced Tuesday that it will take a bigger stake in RBS and Lloyds Bank. It is not clear if he BOE will hold its asset purchase plan unchanged or elect to expand the purchase plan by £25bln or £50bln at Thursday’s policy meeting. Today’s Wall Street Journal reports that a majority of economists expect the BOE to hold policy steady and expand its asset purchase plan by £25bln. Based on the UK Q3 GDP report it may be difficult for the BOE to refrain from adding additional stimulus. Recent GBP price action has found that the GBP benefits from BOE decision to hold the level of asset purchases and weakens when the BOE elects to expand quantitative ease. Monday, the BOE’s Blanchflower said that the BOE may expand its asset purchase program by another £50bln. The Sunday Times however carried a piece warning the BOE not to panic over the Q3 GDP report. GDP is seen as a lagging indicator.

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