EUR USD - FUNDAMENTAL DRIVERSEUR
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
Persistently high inflation has seen the ECB tilt more hawkish by hiking rates 50bsp in July. Additional pressure on inflation from gas supply shortages and drought-linked supply constraints has seen ECB members get more uneasy about price pressures, with comments last week suggesting that there is growing support for a 75bsp hike in September. This saw some initial upside in the EUR, but it’s important to remember that the bank quelled hawkish excitement at the July meeting by saying that frontloading hikes are not a signal of a higher terminal rate. Until that changes, higher rate expectations are likely only going to have short-lived upside potential for the Euro. Spread fragmentation, even though largely moving into the background, is still a concern, with the ECB failing to ease the market’s spread concerns with their new Transmission Protection Instrument (TPI) as the eligibility criteria means countries like Italy and Spain that will need the support the most might have a tough time qualifying. Even though policy is important, the main driver for the EUR is the economic outlook. Recent growth data has continued to flag recession risks and as energy concerns increase so too does the likelihood of stagflation. Even though the bias remains lower, a lot of negatives have been priced in from a tactical point of view so worth keeping that in mind.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
De-escalation or cease fire in Ukraine would open up a lot of EUR upside. Stagflation risks remains, but with lots of bad news priced any materially better-than-expected data could spark some relief. Spread fragmentation remains a concern, thus, any TPI comments that convinces markets it can solve fragmentation issues should be supportive for the EUR. Energy supply is a problem. If Russia does re-opens gas flows after the planned shutdown it should ease some pressure. Any good news on Rhine water levels and resumption of normal transport could be a bullish catalyst for the EUR.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Any escalation in the Ukraine war that risks including NATO would be big negative risks. Stagflation risks remains, even with lots of bad news priced any materially worse-than-expected data could see more pressure. Spread fragmentation remains in focus, and if the ECB fails to act when we see big jolts higher in the BTP/Bund spread could trigger bearish reactions in the EUR. Energy supply is a problem. If Russia does not re-open gas flows after the planned shutdown it should add downside risks. Any bad news on Rhine water levels and continued breakdown in transportation could be a bearish catalyst for the EUR.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook remains bearish with recent leading indicators pointing to a much faster economic slowdown than markets previously expected. The current bearish drivers (geopolitics, stagflation, spread fragmentation, energy supply concerns) far outweigh the positives from a hawkish ECB. Recession risks have opened up a narrative change for the EUR which have seen markets adjust forecasts to reflect higher recession probabilities which has continued to weigh on the EUR. With lots of bad news priced in there is risks in chasing the EUR lower, but the fundamental outlook remains bleak.
USD
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: BULLISH
BASELINE
With headline CPI at 8.5%, the Fed is under pressure to continue hiking rates and ramping up QT in September to try and tame price pressures. They hiked rates by 75bsp in July, and odds between a 50bsp and 75bsp in September are too close to call. At the Jackson Hole Symposium they took a further hawkish shift by pushing back against the idea of rate cuts in 2023 by stressing that they not only envision hiking rates to close to 4% by early 2023 but also expect to keep rates high throughout 2023. However, the Fed did announce a data-dependent (meeting-by-meeting) stance at the July meeting, explaining that the pace of hikes is likely to slow as rates get more restrictive and as more data becomes available. This means the incoming growth, inflation and jobs data will be a key driver for short-term USD price action where we expect a cyclical reaction to incoming data (good data being good for the USD and US10Y and bad data being bad for the USD and US10Y). The USD’s safe haven status is important to keep in mind. Uncomfortably high inflation and a Fed that is resolute and pushing rate higher and keeping them high does put possible further downside pressure on long bonds and equities, and if we see further cyclical-inspired downside in bonds and equities the USD is expected to gain in that environment on safe haven demand.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
With the Fed signalling a data dependent policy stance, we expect a cyclical reaction from the USD with incoming US data. Thus, extremely good growth, inflation or jobs data is expected to trigger short-term bullish reactions in the USD. As the cyclical outlook continues to weaken, the USD’s safe haven status still matters. Any incoming data that exacerbates fears of recession and triggers strong moves lower in risk assets & bonds can trigger safe haven flows into the USD. Any further outflows in US bonds means more USD safe haven appeal. So, watching key triggers for further upside in bond yields (commodity prices, inflation and inflation expectations, more aggressive hike rhetoric from Fed, very good growth data) could also trigger further USD bullish reactions.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
With the Fed signalling a data dependent policy stance, we expect a cyclical reaction from the USD with incoming US data. Thus, extremely bad growth, inflation or jobs data is expected to trigger short-term bearish reactions in the USD. The USD is trading close to cycle highs while aggregate CFTC positioning is close to levels that previously acted as local tops. Positioning does make the USD vulnerable to short-term corrections, especially with bad US data points. With a lot priced in for the Fed and the USD, it won’t take much to disappoint on the dovish side. Any FOMC comments that suggests more concern about growth than inflation could trigger bearish reactions in the USD, but with inflation so high any major dovish pivots seem still far away.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the USD remains bullish as long as the Fed stays hawkish and cyclical concerns put pressure on risk assets. The data dependence stance from the Fed means we do want to be mindful that lots has been priced for the USD, and as growth deteriorates (as is currently our expectation), it’s expected to impact the USD negatively in the short-term, even though current inflation suggests any dovish pivot is still far away. As the safe haven of choice, any further recession focused downside in risk assets and bonds (due to sticky inflation and an aggressive Fed) could continue to prove supportive for the USD. In the short-term, with positioning in mind, and a dual-growth narrative (one being good for the USD and the other being bad for the USD) we prefer short-term catalysts that offer short-term sentiment-based trades as opposed to med-term positions.
