Daily Fundamental ForexTime ( FXTM )

Chinese Yuan shows resilience, despite emerging markets pressured by trade concerns






Conflicting indications over the status of trade talks between the United States and China has contributed towards a subdued opening of the week for financial markets.

Reports that President Donald Trump will most likely impose tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods have collided with other reports that Beijing was considering rejecting trade talks with Washington. This collectively resulted in a cautious start to the trading week for investors, where they prefer to remain on the side-lines and await clarity on this ongoing issue before deciding what step to take next with their portfolios.

The atmosphere of caution and confusion has been reflected across the emerging market space with equities tumbling 1% while most EM currencies depreciated against the Dollar.

The Indian Rupee was a clear casualty of the uncertain external environment as it depreciated roughly 0.90% against the Dollar. It has been a painful year thus for the Rupee which has tumbled 12% against the Dollar (YTD), making it one of the world’s worst performing currencies this year. A heavily depressed Rupee will have significant ramifications on the Indian economy, especially when considering how the nation is a major energy importer. With a depreciating Rupee potentially stoking inflationary pressures, the Reserve Bank of India could be forced to hike interest rates for the third time this year.

Elsewhere, the Turkish Lira tumbled roughly 1.96% against the Dollar as concerns resurfaced over President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s grip on the economy. It seems the “feel good” effect from last week’s bold rate hike by Turkey’s central bank has worn off with traders refocusing on the political and economic developments within the Turkish economy. Investors will be keeping an eye out for the Turkish government’s new medium-term program (MTP) to be announced on Thursday which could provide insight into the direction of Turkish economic policy. The Lira could roar back to life if the (MTP) shows signs of the authorities embracing a tighter fiscal program to support growth.

In China, the Yuan fought back against the Dollar despite escalating trade tensions weighing on market sentiment. The Yuan’s resilience could be based on Dollar weakness, or that investors may be directing more of their energy to attacking currencies belonging to markets with high current account deficits. Looking at the technical picture, the USDCNY has the potential to challenge 6.8290 if bears are able to secure a daily close below 6.8500.

Gold sparkled in the background as escalating trade tensions supported the flight to safety. A softer Dollar stimulated appetite for the yellow metal further with prices punching above the psychological $1200 level. While Gold could appreciate further in the near term, gains remain threated by key fundamental themes. With the Greenback heavily supported by “safe-haven” demand and the Fed poised to raise interest rates this month, Gold is destined for further pain.

King Dollar tumbled into the trading week losing ground against a basket of major currencies despite global trade developments denting investor confidence. There is a possibility that the weakness observed could be on the back profit taking ahead of the possible announcement of additional tariffs on China. Technical traders will continue to closely observe how the Dollar Index behaves above the 94.50 support level. An intraday breakdown below this region could inspire a move towards 94.10.

Daily Fundamental ForexTime ( FXTM )

Sterling weakens despite wage growth surprise






There was appetite for the British Pound on Tuesday morning following official data that showed UK wage growth accelerating faster than expected. However, gains were later surrendered as investors redirected their focus back toward Brexit developments.

UK wage growth surprised to the upside by rising 2.9% in the three months to July while the unemployment rate remained steady at 4% - its lowest level since March 1975. Although the jobs report illustrates an encouraging picture of the UK economy, this is unlikely to convince the Bank of England to raise interest rates anytime soon. The central bank is poised to remain on hold until the thick smog of uncertainty created by Brexit fully dissipates.

Sterling’s extreme sensitivity to Brexit headlines has clearly become a dominant market theme. The explosive price action witnessed yesterday following encouraging comments from the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator is a testament to this fact. While a renewed sense of optimism over a Brexit deal possibly secured within 6-8 weeks could push Sterling higher, any hiccups during the talks are likely to expose the currency to downside shocks.

Looking at the technical picture, the GBPUSD is turning bullish on the daily charts. Prices are trading above the daily 20 Simple Moving Average while the MACD is in the process of crossing to the upside. Bulls will remain in control as long as the GBPUSD is able to keep above the 1.3000 level. However, a breakdown below 1.3000 could inspire a decline back towards 1.2940.

Across the Atlantic, the Dollar rebounded against a basket of major currencies as rising global trade tensions boosted its safe-haven demand. The Dollar is likely to remain king across currency markets on the back of US rate hike expectations and the bullish sentiment towards the US economy. Taking a peek at the technical picture, the Dollar Index could challenge 95.80 once bulls are able to secure a solid daily close above 95.50.

Daily Fundamental ForexTime ( FXTM )

BoE inflation report hearings in focus, Dollar powers higher






A sense of gloom was evident across financial markets today as worries over rising trade tensions and emerging market weakness weighed heavily on global sentiment.

Looming U.S. tariffs set to be imposed on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods as soon as Thursday brings on oppressive feelings, while uncertainty over NAFTA negotiations has compounded anxieties. Caution can be reflected across global equity markets, with Asian stocks concluding mixed while European shares struggle for direction.

Emerging market currencies witnessed further weakness on global trade tensions and Dollar strength. No prisoners were taken as the Turkish Lira, Argentina Peso, South African Rand and many other EM currencies felt the burn. The outlook for EM currencies remains gloomy, especially when considering the turmoil in Turkey and Argentina, trade war fears and prospects of higher US interest rates all present downside risks ahead.

The British Pound had a rocky start to the week after Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier warned that he “strongly” disagreed with key sections of Theresa May’s Brexit proposal. Sellers attacked the Pound further this morning on reports that UK construction activity slowed in August.

Much attention will be directed towards the UK’s inflation report hearings where Mark Carney and several MPC members are set to testify before parliament. Investors will be paying very close attention to any comments around monetary policy, economic outlook and ongoing Brexit developments. Will he stay or will he go? This remains a recurrent question on the mind of many investors. Lawmakers are likely to use this opportunity to quiz Carney about his future plans. The battered Pound could receive a knock out blow if Carney strikes a dovish tone and talks down rate hike prospects.

In the currency markets, the Dollar was King as concerns over escalating US-China trade tensions boosted safe-haven demand for the currency. Another key driver behind the Greenback’s healthy appreciation is speculation over higher US interest rates this year. Taking a peek at the technical picture, the Dollar Index punched above the 95.50 level. A solid daily close above this region could inspire a move towards 95.80.

Gold bears were back in action on Tuesday thanks to a broadly stronger US Dollar. With the mighty Dollar set to dim Gold’s shine and US rate hike expectations denting appetite for the zero-yielding metal further, the outlook remains tilted to the downside. Sustained weakness below the $1,200 psychological level could open a path towards $1,180.

Daily Fundamental ForexTime ( FXTM )

Global risk appetite increases on US and Mexico deal






It has been an incredibly bullish day for the US markets after the US and Mexico agreed in principal on a trade deal to replace NAFTA. While Mexico has agreed in principal around this deal the main issue for many has been the exclusion of Canada thus far, with a separate agreement looking to be reached in the long run for Canada and the US and Mexico. This move however will need approval by congress and the senate but markets believe it will happen and as a result and we've seen some very bullish moves at the start of the week globally.



Looking at the S&P 500 it is clear that investors thus far believe that any trade deal that has been agreed will favour the US economy heavily, as Trump has been a staunch opponent of the current NAFTA deal and the effect it had on blue collar workers. While protectionism of certain industries is not ideal in any situation the equity markets believe that in this case it may be warranted and have pushed the market to a record high of 2900. With this being a key level of resistance for the market we're waiting to see if the market has further legs and can lift to 2925 at present. In the event that it does not have the movement that was envisioned then a potential fall back to support at 2877 could likely be on the cards. With further falls in the long run to 2847 and 2818. However, the US equity markets continue to be upbeat so I am looking at this as very bullish in the long run.

One of the other moves at the start of the week and one to watch has been the New Zealand dollar which has crept up the charts thus far. Markets I feel have not been expecting this one, but some recent weakness in the USD has given it a bit of a reprieve and we've seen some small gains. In the long run though, the New Zealand economy is still suffering and it may be a very long time until we see any sort of rate rises in the current market environment.



Looking at the NZDUSD on the charts it has been quite the aggressive mover as of late and the bears have taken a big chunk out of it. Resistance at 0.6712 has so far held back any bullish movements as I feel markets are cautious over any rises. However, there is further potential to rise to 0.6755 and 0.6833 in the long run if bullish sentiment continues. If the bears take back control then support levels can be found at 0.6600 and 0.6560 at present.

Daily Fundamental ForexTime ( FXTM )

Quiet market before Powell Jackson Hole speech






There is a lower level of market volatility at the end of the week, with investors on stand-by mode before Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks at Jackson Hole later today.

Traders are probably on the edge of their seats wondering whether Powell will respond at all to the criticism from President Trump towards US interest rate policy earlier in the week, but the most market-friendly way to respond to such comments would be to ignore them. The Federal Reserve does remain set on raising US interest rates once again next month, and there is no reason for the Fed to deter from this path. I personally doubt that he would acknowledge the comments made by President Trump during Jackson Hole.

Powell might be able to create some volatility for traders is if he highlights the potential impact the ongoing trade tensions is a risk to the global economy. There are indications that the global economic outlook is slowing when compared to this time last year, and the latest FOMC Minutes release from this week did create a picture that Federal Reserve policymakers are concerned about the prolonged trade tensions. If Powell suggests that these concerns over trade tensions could also weaken the US economic outlook, this would represent a risk for the Dollar.

Elsewhere a threat for financial market volatility would be if Jerome Powell takes an unexpected turn towards offering monetary guidance on what the outlook for 2019 could bring. The market is already pretty much set-on for the Federal Reserve to raise US interest rates next month with the door also remaining open for a potential US interest rate increase before the year concludes, but there isn’t much guidance on what to expect next year. It might be a little premature at this stage to speculate, but if Powell suggested that 2019 would bring a less active approach towards raising US interest rates this would be seen as a negative for the US Dollar.

Daily Fundamental ForexTime ( FXTM )

NZD falls on RBNZ dovish stance






USD bulls have continued their strong run globally, as weakness in overseas market continues, but also strong economic growth continues to be a major factor. US retail sales m/m were very strong today coming in at 0.5% (0.1% exp), showcasing that consumers are not worried about tariffs or the high USD for that matter and currently are out spending. If consumption is a good indicator of economic health it may also bolster inflation expectations as retailers feel they can increase prices slightly during periods of expansion without fear of losing to many customers. So while economic growth is strong so far the markets will be looking to the FED to see if it changes its mind about anything and if more future rate hikes are coming in the long term.

On the markets though today oil was for me one of the more interesting trades as it hit the bullish trend line and beat a retreat shortly after. US oil inventories once again showed much more stronger figures than anyone expected with a surplus of 6.8M (-2.5M exp), with only gasoline registering a drawdown on stockpiles. Oil has also struggled against a robust USD at present which has managed to hold back the oil bulls as well, but with OPEC holding back supply it's likely we could see prices remain elevated.



Looking at oil on the chart we've hit the sweet spot for bullish support here with the trend line coming into play and also support at 63.98. Technically I would expect the bulls to be stronger here as the market has a chance to push back against the recent trend, however at present it's still looking a bit weak. With that weakness in mind I would be careful of a push through here to support at 61.93; if we did see that happen then the bears are likely to really take hold of things in the current market climate. If the bulls do however wrestle back control resistance can be found at 66.03 and 67.45.

The pound has continued to come under large pressure from markets as the Brexit debate continues to rage and the prospect of a hard Brexit looks to impact markets. I would expect more impactful debate on Brexit from the UK government after the summer break, nevertheless the major sticking points have no solutions and it looks like it could get drawn out for much longer than anyone expected and markets won't be loving it.



For the GBPUSD the fall is likely to continue with the uncertainty and support at 1.2652 has so far stopped any further movements lower. If we a see a breakthrough at this level then I would expect to see it fall as low as 1.2461 and even potentially further lower if markets feel a no deal Brexit is coming. On the flip side, if the bulls can push back then resistance can be found at 1.2798 and 1.2958 as well.

[b]Daily Fundamental ForexTime ( FXTM )

NZD falls on RBNZ dovish stance[/b






It's been an exciting morning for the Reserve Bank of New Zealand as they announced that they see rates being held at 1.75% until 2020 in the current market environment . This pails in regards to previous assumptions from economists that we would see a rate rise in early 2019, and with that thrown out of the window the NZD has fallen accordingly. There is hope that the NZ economy will see moderate growth to say the least, and that core inflation will also pick up in the long run, however all things considered and a trade war going on, it may be a hard ask to say the least. One thing is very clear though, and that is the RBNZ has taken a very dovish stance and provided some stern guidance on expectations and as a result markets will be looking to price this in.



For the NZDUSD it has been a case of free fall at this stage with the NZDUSD crashing through support at 0.6712 and heading down towards support at 0.6600. Certainly this is what the RBNZ is hoping for as a weaker kiwi dollar leads to higher export prices for producers. If the NZDUSD is able to swing things around and actually be bullish then resistance at 0.6755 is likely to be the main focus, with the 20 day moving average hovering around there. Beyond this there is a strong resistance band at 0.6833 and 0.6859 which will likely contain any bullish ambition. All in all though, it's likely the bears that will remain in control on the back of all this news.

The other big mover today has been oil as it shot down the charts on some bearish swings. The catalyst of course was oil inventory data which showed a weaker than expected drawdown of -1.35M barrels (-3M exp) and a surge in gasoline inventories as well to 2.9M (-1.9M exp). All of this has taken the heat of the oil market which had been looking stronger on the back of Iran sanctions.



Looking at the movements of oil on the charts, it's clear to see that it has shot down lower and hit support around 66.03 in this instance, before seeing a small retreat. If we continue to see bearish pressure here then I would expect a fall to 63.98, but more importantly there is the trend line which could create an even bigger hurdle given it's bullish. If the bulls are able to come back in then resistance at 67.45 and 69.38 are likely to be the key targets, with the market seemingly being a little unsure on oil being over 70 dollars a barrel.

Daily Fundamental ForexTime ( FXTM )

Is Trump truly winning the trade war?






Escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and China remain the financial markets’ hottest topic. President Trump seems to be celebrating winning the first battle of this war, saying that “tariffs are working big time” in a Tweet on Sunday. He believes that they will enable the U.S. to start reducing the large amount of debt accumulated throughout Obama’s administration. Trump also cited that the steep fall in Chinese equities as evidence that tariffs are working. In his opinion, they will make the U.S. much richer than it currently is and that “only fools would disagree”.

The tariffs so far are approximately on $85 billion of imported goods. Assuming a 25% tariff, it would raise $21.25 billion. This number represents 1.33 % of the $1.6 trillion in additional debt President Trump has accumulated since taking office in 2017 and only 0.1% of the current $21 trillion in total debt. So, it doesn’t seem the imposed tariffs would reduce the American debt substantially.

In my opinion, a large portion of the tariffs will be paid by U.S. consumers and I also expect CPI figures to begin reflecting these higher prices, especially if Trump’s administration imposes additional tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods. Rising inflation leads to higher U.S. interest rates, translating into higher cost of borrowing and debt servicing. Several U.S. companies have cut their profit forecast as a result of these tariffs, especially car makers; shares of GM, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler fell sharply after announcing their results. Other U.S. companies affected by Trump’s global trade war include Tyson Foods, Harley Davidson, United Technologies, Caterpillar and Coca-Cola, among several others.

This explains why the S&P 500 failed to reach a new record high, despite 81% of companies so far managing to beat their profit forecast in one of the best earning seasons in history. Given that we’re almost at the end of earning season, trade wars will return to dominate the headlines. The next big risk is likely to be the U.S. midterm elections in November. I think there’s a high chance that the Democratic Party will take over the U.S. Congress and end the Republican single-party control. This won’t be good news for equities, and I expect to see rotation to non-cyclical stocks and an increase of cash in investors’ portfolios.

Daily Fundamental ForexTime ( FXTM )

Gold slips ahead of non-farm






The US labour market has continued to impress as of late as US initial jobless claims came in strong at 218K (220K exp), showcasing the labour market surging ahead. However US durable goods orders continued to be less upbeat than expected coming in at 0.2% m/m (0.5% exp), this is not likely to be a big mover for the USD however as the labour market continues to be the key FOMC focus as well as inflation additionally. With all this in mind it looks likely that interest rates will continue to rise, and coupled with the USD flight we've seen lately that the USD will continue to be the dominate currency in financial markets at present.



One of the key movers as outlined yesterday has been of course gold, which has been suffering for some time now. So far today we've seen a very strong break through support at 1213 as gold looks to push down to the psychological level at 1200. I feel this is not likely to hold given the current market sentiment and a more realistic target may be support at 1189, which has been a long term support level in the past. If gold did reverse then resistance levels at 1240 and 1258 would be key targets for traders in this market. However, I feel the 20 day moving average is likely to be the main level of dynamic resistance in this market at present, given how badly gold bugs are feeling at present.

The other big loser at present in the markets has been of course the Australian dollar which finds itself under pressure constantly. The services index was released today and showed a sharp decline to 53.6 - still showing expansion, but not anywhere near the previous reading of 63. Markets when focusing on the AUDUSD will now be clearly focused on non-farm payroll figures due out tomorrow which could add further pressure to the AUDUSD which has been bearish for some time now. I'm apprehensive about any bullish movements in the current market, as the USD continues to strengthen.



On the charts the AUDUSD has continued to be bearish and shows no sign of letting up. We've so far seen sharp falls and support at 0.7310 is looking to be the next major target. On the flip side, if the AUDUSD was to rise it would find strong resistance at 0.7377 and with the 50 day moving average as well - with a potential trend line in play as well, but we've not seen any real tests on this level. All in all though, it feels like the AUDUSD is likely to spiral further lower.

Daily Fundamental ForexTime ( FXTM )

Bank of Japan unwilling to shift gears yet






After weeks of speculation that the Bank of Japan may begin to adjust its stimulus program, the central bank once again decided not to join the global trend towards tighter policies.

The BoJ left its overnight interest rates unchanged at -0.1% and reiterated that it would resume buying Japanese Government Bonds to keep the 10-year yields around 0%. The bank may allow for more flexible movement on the 10-year bonds, however this isn’t considered a significant shift in policy.

The BoJ also made tweaks to its ETF purchases, as it increased the composition of TOPIX-linked ETFs while shifting slightly away from the Nikkei 225 Index, but maintained its annual pace of ETF buying.

It seems the Bank of Japan will be the last major central bank to pull the trigger on tightening policy as the Japanese economy continues to struggle with stubbornly low inflation levels. This should allow further widening in spreads between Japan’s bonds and other global bonds towards year-end, suggesting that the Yen is likely to remain under pressure for the near future.

The Federal Reserve is next in line to announce policy on Wednesday. That’s why today’s Core Personal Expenditure figures carry significant importance. If Core PCE came in at 2% or above, it would reinforce expectations for two more rates hikes in 2018. Many traders want to know whether President Donald Trump’s criticism of the Fed will lead to a change in language; I believe there will be no change in guidance and the Fed will continue sending the message that more rate hikes are on the way.

We also have inflation and Q2 GDP numbers from the Eurozone. Consumer Price Index figures are expected to rise 2.0% y-o-y in July, remaining unchanged from June. Meanwhile, GDP growth is expected to see a 0.3% fall from a year ago, towards 2.2%.

In equity markets, the tech sector continued to weigh on sentiment. Shares of Facebook, Twitter and Netflix plunged further on Monday, as investors started to become more worried about their business models after they announced their latest earnings results. Amazon and Alphabet were also dumped. Meanwhile, all eyes will shift to Apple earnings today in the hopes of providing some support for FAANG stocks.