SPY Price action is a bit different this time aroundUmmm, the fast and short answer is that I am overall bearish on the SPY and anticipate we ultimately get rejected from this ATH (all time high) trendline ...however, it is starting to get complicated, lol.
Disclaimer: Be aware the following comments are just my observations and I am not a professional trader. I am school teacher by day and stock junky by night, lol. I just enjoy looking at the charts, doing light TA and occasionally making a little money, lol.
Anyways, here we go:
We have finally reached the major downward sloping trend line or what I call the all time high trendline (ATH). There is the possibility that we can get a slight push above the ATH (all time high) trendline (currently $408-$407.5) - with the more likely contested area being between $409 - $415. I’m still a bit confused as to why anyone would think SPY would ever "breakout" above of this downtrend now. Our government is aggressively trying to reverse inflation - a breakout would be fighting against their efforts. I know I've said this a few times before - but a breakout would be flirting with a bull market - and I guess if that were to happen, I'd imagine that the FED would not only continue interest rate hikes, but they would also become even more aggressive. With that being said, I guess it would be judicious for me to also explore the bullish side of all of this, lol.
Price action has been unusual and unlike the past two occasions we’ve approached the ATH trendline, this time has been with tremendous momentum. Also, it’s worth noting we’ve been in the general trend line area for over 3 days. The first time we touch the trendline (March 29th) we spent about 24 hours before diving back down. The second time (August 16th) we were rejected immediately. However, this time around we tagged the trend line around 3-4 times and even broke above it one of those days. Here is a pic of the charts for comparison:
This could mean nothing at all – but I do think it is important to note that this time around it has been different. Perhaps it is signaling that the bear market is near it’s end but we might have one more leg down coming.
…Oh and I just want to address one more thing, lol. The “Christmas Rally” - for all those who might be confused about when Christmas rallies typically occur, here you go: “A Santa Claus rally describes a sustained increase in the stock market that occurs in the week leading up to Dec. 25.”
Santa Claus Rally Definition (investopedia.com)
A very real possibility is that SPY begins that leg down now (as in next week, lol), creates the ultimate bottom (possibly the $330 area) and then Santa comes along sometime after the 18th and saves Christmas – and the market, lol.
Federalreserve
USD/CAD eyes Bank of Canada meetThe Canadian dollar is slightly lower on Tuesday. In the European session, USD/CAD is trading at 1.3620, up 0.24%.
The Bank of Canada has been aggressive in its tightening, including a whopping full-point hike in July, which brought the cash rate to 2.50%. The BoC has been gradually easing since then, raising rates by 75 bp and then 50 bp, bringing the cash rate to 3.75%. Will the trend continue on Wednesday? According to the markets, probably yes. There is a 72% chance of a 25 bp move, with a 28% likelihood of a second straight 50 bp move.
At the October meeting, there was a 50/50 split over whether the BoC would raise rates by 50 or 75 bp, and the Bank opted for the more conservative move. With the Canadian economy showing signs of slowing down amidst an uncertain global outlook, a modest 25-bp hike would make sense. Still, it must be remembered that inflation remains very high at 6.9% and the BoC has shown that it is willing to keep the rate pedal on the floor if necessary. If the BoC goes for the 50 bp increase, it would be viewed as a hawkish surprise which would likely boost the Canadian dollar.
What can we expect from the BoC in 2023? The terminal rate is projected at around 4.5%, which would mean several more rate hikes early in the New Year. Of course, rate policy will be heavily dictated by key data such as employment, consumer spending and inflation. In addition, the BoC will want to keep pace (or close to it) with the Federal Reserve, which is widely expected to raise rates by 50 bp next week.
USD/CAD is testing resistance at 1.3619. Above, there is resistance at 1.3762
There is support at 1.3502 and 1.3359
As we approach the last Fed/ECB meetings of the year.Last week, while the Federal Reserve changed its rhetoric from ‘hiking to fight inflation at all cost’ to ‘slow the pace of rate hike’, seismic waves rolled over the markets.
As we approach the last central bank meetings of the year, the ECB meets on (15th Dec), Fed on the (14th Dec). A temperature check on the expected path of rates for the 2 major central banks would give us a good sense to position ourselves.
The Fed
After Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s speech last Wednesday at the Brookings Institution in Washington, one line in particular (“The time for moderating the pace of rate increases may come as soon as the December meeting.”) shifted the market’s perspective. With the USD weakening further and terminal rates repricing slower and lower than expected, markets seem to have priced in a 50-basis point hike by the Fed in its December meeting. A slowdown from the back-to-back 75 basis point hikes we have come accustomed to.
As noted in the chart above the EURUSD pair has generally moved alongside the dollar direction, should the dollar continue its tumble downwards, the EURUSD is likely to trade higher.
The ECB
After raising rates by 75 basis points in the last meeting to 1.5%, the ECB still faces mounting inflation. Market expectations still swing between a 50 to 75 bps hike for the upcoming ECB meeting as the Eurozone still struggles with high inflation. The ECB may also have more headroom to maneuver as current rates remain below the expected terminal rate and the 200 basis points hike still pales in comparison to the Fed’s 375 basis points move.
However, we do have to caveat that intricacies matter here, for example, the inflationary effects in the US are largely driven by the demand side, while in the Eurozone are driven by supply-side effects. Regardless, the next few days will remain key for any policymaker comments to guide the markets as the meeting date nears.
Policy timing and direction uncertainty put the EURUSD pair on our watchlist. The last time the 2 central banking policy timelines diverged, we called it out on one of our previous ideas. You can check out here .
Additionally, we spot an ascending triangle pattern on the chart which generally signifies a bullish continuation. With the previous ascending triangle breaking out in a textbook manner, we will watch if the current setup trades the same. Prices have also broken a previous support-turn-resistance level, which could prove as further conviction of the upward move.
With a clear technical setup and the potential for the ECB to surprise hikes to the upside, we lean bullish on the EURUSD pair. We set our stop at the 1.0440 level, and take profit level at 1.0900, with each 0.00005 increment per EUR in the EURUSD futures contract equal to 6.25$.
The charts above were generated using CME’s Real-Time data available on TradingView. Inspirante Trading Solutions is subscribed to both TradingView Premium and CME Real-time Market Data which allows us to identify trading set-ups in real-time and express our market opinions. If you have futures in your trading portfolio, you can check out on CME Group data plans available that suit your trading needs www.tradingview.com
Disclaimer:
The contents in this Idea are intended for information purpose only and do not constitute investment recommendation or advice. Nor are they used to promote any specific products or services. They serve as an integral part of a case study to demonstrate fundamental concepts in risk management under given market scenarios. A full version of the disclaimer is available in our profile description.
Sources:
www.cmegroup.com
www.ecb.europa.eu
www.federalreserve.gov
Exciting Times for $ Denominated Pairs!In this video we look into DXY structure and how this is so exciting for a few USD pairs.
Generally across the board on the HTF we are seeing lots of corrective patterns completing their moves. These are nearly always followed by large impulsive movements in the market which are fantastic to capitalise on.
USDJPY and GBPUSD see some clear impulsive phases beginning and we forecast how those entries may present themselves.
Whilst we have to remain impartial, the Macro perspective on the $ looks like we could see some weakness and the £ seems like we could see some strength. This look particularly good for GBPUSD. If the markets are pricing the future rate hikes in this coming week then we could see some big movements. If not, we might be looking at some corrective behaviour until 14th December.
This will be a very interesting week, for sure.
Please comment below and engage with the post - would love to hear your thoughts.
Euro pauses after sharp gains, NFP loomsEUR/USD is unchanged on Friday, trading at 1.0524.
The week wraps up with one of most important releases on the calendar, US nonfarm payrolls. The robust labour market is showing signs of cooling down, as rising interest rates have slowed economic activity. Nonfarm payrolls have been falling and the trend is expected to continue, with a consensus of 200,000 for November, down from 261,000 a month earlier. With the Fed holding its policy meeting on December 14th, the NFP report will be closely watched by policy makers, who have relied on a strong job market to press ahead with an aggressive rate cycle.
The US dollar has been in retreat since Jerome Powell's speech on Wednesday. The speech was balanced, with Powell reiterating that inflation remained too high and rates would continue to rise higher. Still, the markets focussed on the fact that Powell strongly hinted the Fed would ease rates at the December meeting with a 50-bp hike, and the optimism sent equities higher and the dollar lower.
The euro has made the most of the dollar's weakness, and EUR/USD posted its best month since 2012, with gains in November of 5.3%. Still, the euro has been on a prolonged decline and started 2022 close to 1.14. The outlook for the euro is weak, as the European Commission expects the eurozone economy to decline in Q4 2022 and Q1 2023. The driver of the expected decline is the huge jump in energy prices caused by the war in Ukraine. The eurozone has been hit hard by double-digit inflation, and the ECB will have to continue raising rates, despite weak economic conditions, until it is convinced that inflation has peaked.
EUR/USD faces resistance at 1.0583, followed by a monthly line at 1.0683
There is support at 1.0490 and 1.03537
Soft German retail sales can't stop EUR/USDThe euro has climbed to its highest level since June 29th, as the US dollar continues to struggle. In the North American session, EUR/USD is trading at 1.0496, up 0.85%.
German consumers are being squeezed by the double-whammy of rising interest rates and double-digit inflation, and the October retail sales report shows that consumer spending was sharply lower. Retail sales dropped 2.8% YoY, versus 1.2% in September and a consensus of -0.6%. On an annualized basis, retail sales plunged 5.0%, much worse than the September read of -0.9% and the consensus of -2.8%.
The soft retail sales report couldn't dampen the shine on the euro, which has climbed sharply as the US dollar can't find its footing. The dollar found itself in full retreat after Fed Chair Jerome Powell's speech on Wednesday. Powell's comments were balanced and didn't stray from the steady stream of Fedspeak we've been hearing for weeks, but investors still treated the speech as dovish, sending equity markets higher and the US dollar lower. The markets were delighted that Powell essentially confirmed that the Fed would ease policy as soon as the December meeting. After four straight rate increases of 75 basis points, the Fed is poised to deliver a milder 50-bp hike, with perhaps smaller hikes in the new year.
Powell said that smaller rate increases were less important than the question of high to hike and for how long. Powell added that the direction of inflation remains "highly uncertain", and that more evidence was needed to demonstrate that inflation had peaked. As well, he said that rates will likely rise "somewhat higher" than the September forecast. That certainly sounds like a hawkish stance, but the markets chose to focus on Powell's broad hint that the Fed would likely begin lowering rates as soon as next week. The Fed may not consider that a dovish pivot, but the fact remains that Powell's comments have renewed optimism, sending stocks higher and the US dollar lower.
EUR/USD is testing resistance at 1.0490. Above, there is resistance at 1.0583
There is support at 1.03537 and 1.0264
EUR/USD edges higher as CPI fallsIt continues to be a quiet week for the euro. In the European session, EUR/USD is trading at 1.0363.
The ECB's number one priority has been bringing down inflation, which has hit double-digits. ECB policy makers are no doubt pleased that November CPI fell sharply to 10.0%, down from 10.6% a month earlier. This beat the consensus of 10.4%, and the euro has responded with slight gains.
The drop in eurozone inflation was the first since June 2021, and investors will be hoping that this indicates that inflation is finally peaking. On Tuesday, German CPI showed a similar trend, falling to 10.0%, down from 10.4% (10.3% est). Still, eurozone Core CPI remained unchanged at 5.0%, matching the forecast. One inflation report is not sufficient to indicate a trend, and with inflation still in double digits, nobody is declaring victory in the battle against inflation. Still, the drop in German and eurozone inflation increases the likelihood of a 50 basis-point increase at the December 12th meeting, following two straight hikes of 75 basis points.
With market direction very much connected to US interest rate movement, a speech from Fed Chair Jerome Powell later today could be a market-mover. Powell is expected to discuss inflation and the labour market, and his remarks could echo the hawkish stance that Fed members have been signalling to the markets over the past several weeks. The market pricing for the December meeting is 65% for a 50-bp move and 35% for a 75-bp hike, which means that the markets aren't all on the Fed easing rates. Even if the Fed does slow to 50 bp in December, it will still be a record year of tightening, at 425 basis points.
EUR/USD is testing resistance at 1.0359. Above, there is resistance at 1.0490
There is support at 1.0264 and 1.0131
DXY liquidity recovers after ThanksgivingThe DXY fluctuated strongly overnight as markets returned after the Thanksgiving weekend.
Comments from Federal Reserve members provided mixed sentiments
- Member Bullard stated that the “Fed will have to pursue rate hikes into 2023” as markets were "underestimating chances of higher rates"
- Member Barkin indicated that he was supportive of a rate path that was “slower, longer but potentially higher.”
- Member Williams said that the "US economy at greater risk of shock that could cause recession"
The DXY currently trades at 106.25 as it reverses from the overnight high of 106.70, with further downside potential toward the key support level of 105.60 and 104.65 likely.
USD/JPY - China jitters propel yen higherAfter strong gains last week, the Japanese yen has extended its gains on Monday. USD/JPY is trading at 138.23 in the European session, down 0.67%.
China has applied its Covid-zero policy with a heavy hand, but Covid cases continue to rise nonetheless. The mass lockdowns have triggered widespread protests, which some injuries reported. The unrest is likely to exacerbate supply-chain disruptions and dampen domestic demand, which has hurt risk appetite. This has resulted in flows to haven assets, such as the Japanese yen. USD/JPY dropped as much as 1% earlier today, but the dollar has managed to recover some of these losses.
The yen also received a boost after Bank of Japan Governor Kuroda said that the tightening labour market will push wages higher. Kuroda has long insisted that rising inflation has driven by import costs and the weak yen and is transient. Higher wages would indicate that inflation is sustained, which could result in the BoJ making some changes in its ultra-loose policy.
After a short trading week in the US due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the markets will have plenty of US events to digest this week. CB Consumer Confidence will be released on Tuesday, with the November report expected to dip to 100.0, down from 102.5. The key release of the week is nonfarm payrolls on Friday, which could have a major impact on the Fed's decision to raise rates by 50 or 75 basis points at the December 14th meeting. Currently, the likelihood of a 50-bp hike is about 75%, versus 25% for a larger 75-bp increase. Investors are viewing a 50-point move as a dovish pivot, which has been putting pressure on the US dollar. Still, even a 50-bp hike would set a record for yearly rate hikes of 4.25%.
There is resistance at 139.82 and 141.58
There is support at 137.39 and 135.63
NZD/USD higher ahead of retail salesThe New Zealand dollar continues to gain ground this week. In the North American session, NZD/USD is trading at 0.6267, up 0.35%.
New Zealand will release retail sales for Q3 later in the day. The markets are expecting a small gain of 0.5%, which would be a turnaround from a disappointing -2.2% in Q2. Consumers continue to struggle with high inflation and rising interest rates, and after back-to-back declines, a gain in retail sales would be welcome news.
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand delivered a huge 75-bp hike on Wednesday, which raised the cash rate to 4.25%. The move had been priced in by the markets, but the New Zealand dollar jumped 1.5%, thanks to the oversize move and a broadly-lower US dollar. The cash rate is the highest among major central banks, but there's more to come. The RBNZ has projected a terminal rate of 5.5% in 2023, which means more rate hikes in 2023. Inflation has been stickier than the RBNZ anticipated, and the bank's Monetary Policy Statement was decidedly hawkish, noting that “core consumer price inflation is too high" and "near-term inflation expectations have risen.”
The statement said that inflation is expected to accelerate to 7.5% in Q4 and would not fall to the midpoint of the 1%-3% target until 2025. The RBNZ is ready for a long fight with inflation, but it remains to be seen if the bank can guide the economy to a soft landing.
The Fed minutes reiterated that lower rates are on the way, which we've been hearing from a stream of Federal members over the past two weeks. The minutes were vague as far as a timeline, noting that smaller rate increases would happen "soon", as the Fed continues to evaluate the impact of the current policy on the economy. Members also voiced concern that inflation was yet to show any signs of peaking. Still, the markets viewed the minutes as dovish, which is weighing on the US dollar today.
NZD/USD is testing resistance at 0.6283. Above, there is resistance at 0.6361
There is support at 0.6217 and 0.6139
Endgame for central banks far from doneThis week the UK economy posted its highest inflation reading in 41 years rising 11.1% year on year (yoy) in October. The recent jump is largely the result of the uprating of the household energy price cap in October. Core inflation moved sideways at 6.5% yoy. We expect this to represent the peak for UK inflation. As the base effects of high energy prices begin to factor in, headline inflation in the UK is likely to fall. At the same time, the ongoing recession is likely to strip away the underlying price pressures. This has been evident in lacklustre consumer demand alongside waning housing market activity.
UK Government claws back its credibility with the Autumn Statement
Meanwhile the UK Government’s fiscal statement released this week1, confirmed significant fiscal austerity with spending cuts and widening of the tax base amounting to around 2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) after five years, although its mainly backloaded. The energy price guarantee will now have its cap for average household dual tariff annual bill lifted from £2500 to £3000 from April 2023 and remain in place for a further 12 moths. This is less generous than the original plan to cap bills at £2500 for two years. The Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) analysis suggests that the measures announced in the Autumn statement reduce the depth and length of the recession this year and next but leave the economy on a similar growth trajectory over the medium term. We expect real GDP to contract by 1.3% next year followed by growth of 2% in 2024. With this is mind, we expect the Bank of England (BOE) to pause its tightening cycle once rates get to 3.5% in December followed by 50Bps of cuts in H2 2023.
Eurozone to endure a short recession
Owing to the external supply shock, Eurozone has faced a similar inflation narrative as the UK. In October Eurozone inflation reached 10.6% yoy. We expect inflation to remain high in the next few months, however starting early next year, the annual rates should decline aided by the base effects from the surge in energy prices in 2022. Owing to which we expect European Central Bank to continue to tighten monetary policy until Q1 2023. On the positive side, while Eurozone will endure a recession in Q4 2022 and Q1 2023, we expect the recession to be less deep than previously expected owing to the less dire gas situation. This was evident in the November ZEW survey, which showed expectations gauge for the economy in the six months ahead improve significantly to -38.7 in November from -59.2 in October. This remains in line with our view that in six months’ time the Eurozone economy should be on its way out of a recession.
Federal Reserve (Fed) speakers singing from the same hymn book
Fed officials backed expectations they will moderate interest-rate increases to 50 basis points next month, while stressing the need to keep hiking into 2023. St. Louis Fed President James Bullard said policy makers should increase interest rates to at least 5% to 5.25% to curb inflation. He also warned of further financial stress ahead. Bullard’s comments came a day after San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly said a pause in rate hikes was “off the table.” Fed Governor Waller (one of the more hawkish Fed officials) emphasized that while rate hikes will likely slow to 50bp in December, the ultimate destination or “cruising altitude” will depend on labour market and inflation data. Waller echoed Atlanta Fed President Bostic’s concerns about labour costs pushing up service sector prices which in our view remains the key upside risk to inflation even as core goods prices have slowed. Fears are mounting that relentless rates increases will hit economic growth, with a critical segment of the Treasury yield curve at the most steeply inverted in four decades, historically such an inversion has tied in with a US recession.
Maintaining a value bias within equities
Amidst the challenging backdrop for global equities, we have observed the value factor outperforming the growth factor by 17.3%2 in 2022. Across global markets, European equities are trading at the deepest discount (32%) from price to earnings (p/e) ratio to their 15-year average owing to fears of the energy crisis being detrimental to the economy. The recent 3Q 2022 earnings season provided evidence that European earnings have remained stubbornly resilient despite the broader macro turmoil. A deeper dive into the sector level suggest that energy, transport, utilities and healthcare have seen some of the biggest increases to their Earnings Per Share (EPS) estimates in 2022. The WisdomTree Europe Equity Income Index outperformed the MSCI Europe Index in 2022. The performance attribution highlighted below illustrates that the higher exposure to value sectors such as materials, financials, healthcare, industrials, and energy contributed to the outperformance.
USD/CAD rises as retail sales slipThe Canadian dollar is in positive territory on Tuesday. In the North American session, USD/CAD is trading at 1.3400, down 0.39%.
The Canadian consumer was not in a spending mood in September, as retail sales declined by 0.5%, following a 0.4% gain a month earlier. The forecast stood at -0.4%. Core retail sales fell by 0.7%, worse than the consensus of -0.4% and the prior reading of 0.5%. Despite the weak data, the Canadian dollar has managed to post gains today, thanks to a broad US dollar pullback.
The drop in retail sales will put a damper on expectations of a 50-basis point hike at the December meeting, as the Bank of Canada will likely deliver a modest 25-bp hike. Inflation, the bank's number one priority, remains very high at 6.9%, as the BoC's aggressive rate-hike cycle is yet to show results. The benchmark rate is currently at 3.75%, and like the Federal Reserve, there's more life remaining in the current rate-tightening cycle. The BoC is closely monitoring employment and retail sales data, as strong numbers will make it easier for the bank to continue hiking as policy makers look for that elusive peak in inflation.
The recent US inflation report triggered a wave of exuberance, sending equity markets higher and the US dollar on a nasty slide. Investors became more confident that Fed was close to a pivot in its aggressive policy and risk sentiment soared. The Fed has pushed back hard, with Fed members delivering hawkish statements and projections, which has chilled risk appetite and stabilized the US dollar. Fed member Mary Daly weighed in on Monday, stating that inflation remained unacceptably high and projecting that the fed funds rate will peak at 4.75%-5.00%.
USD/CAD tested resistance at 1.3455 earlier in the day. Next, there is resistance at 1.3523
There is support at 1.3341 and 1.3218
Breakout potential on the DXYAlthough the DXY traded with choppy price action on Friday, fluctuating along the 106.50 price level, the DXY has climbed steadily to retest the round number resistance area of 107.
Look for the price to break above the 107.20 price level to signal further upside potential, with the next resistance at 108.30.
Further upside on the DXY could be driven by significant weakness in the EURUSD and possible comments to come from the Federal Reserve regarding future interest rate decisions.
Hawkish Fed comment strengthens the dollarEUR/USD 🔽
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Recent comments from St. Louis Fed President James Bullard suggest he supported the idea of another full percentage point rate hike to 7%, which weakened the stock market. Among the major indices, the Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased 7 points (-0.02%) to 33,546, the S&P 500 declined 11 points (-0.30%) to 3,946, and the Nasdaq 100 dropped 22 points (-0.19%) to 11,676.
Meanwhile, prospects for more massive rate hikes strengthened the greenback, EUR/USD fell to 1.036, as the Eurozone CPI was slightly lower than Mitrade's estimates with a 1.06% on-year increase. GBP/USD lost over 50 pips to 1.1862, and the UK Chancellor just announced large-scale tax hikes and spending cuts.
AUD/USD decreased to 0.6681. USD/CAD had minimal losses and closed at 1.3326, USD/JPY rebounded further to 140.18.
A stronger dollar sends spot gold lower, currently at $1,760.22 an ounce. Rising covid cases in China once again caused oil prices to drop, and WTI oil futures closed at $82.08 a barrel.
Pound takes a dive, retail sales nextThe British pound is sharply lower on Thursday as the US dollar has rebounded against the major currencies. In the North American session, GBP/USD is trading at 1.1787, down 1.07%. We continue to see sharp swings from the pound in November.
Jeremy Hunt's Autumn Statement was much more in keeping with the difficult economic times than the ill-fated mini-budget back in September, which set off a financial crisis and emergency intervention from the Bank of England. The Finance Minister's budget outlined major spending cuts and tax hikes and Hunt stated that the government and the BoE were working in "lockstep". The fiscal austerity in the new budget is a step in the right direction, but the pound nevertheless has taken a tumble today.
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast indicated that the UK is currently in a recession, which will see unemployment jump from 3.5% to 4.9%. The BoE's outlook is even worse, with unemployment forecast to hit 6.5% and negative growth expected in the second half of this year, throughout 2023 and into the first half of 2024. GDP declined by 0.2% in the third quarter, and the headwinds look formidable for the UK economy and the British pound.
The investor euphoria which sent the stock markets rallying after the soft inflation report has taken a pause, and the US dollar has rebounded. Fed policy members sought to dispel any thoughts of a Fed pivot, reminding the markets that the Fed was planning to raise rates higher than they had anticipated. The hawkish Fed speak may or may not have convinced investors to settle down, but a strong US retail sales report clearly did the job.
The headline and core releases both posted strong gains of 1.3%, dampening sentiment that the Fed was turning dovish. US consumers continue to spend despite inflation and rising rates, an indication that the Fed can continue to raise rates and probably avoid a deep recession. Interest rates are expected to peak at 5% or slightly higher, which means that the Fed is highly likely to continue tightening into next year.
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There is resistance at 1.1961 and 1.2030
GBP/USD has broken below support at 1.1896 and 1.1786. Below, there is support at 1.1660
Alleged Russian strike on Poland stirs marketEUR/USD 🔼
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Two people have been killed in a missile strike near the eastern Polish border. The possible Russian attack on a NATO member has raised speculation that the Russian invasion of Ukraine will escalate. As a safe haven asset, spot gold rose to $1,778.8 an ounce, while WTI oil futures moved up slightly to $87.01 a barrel.
On the other hand, US PPI readings were lower than expected, sparking hopes that the Federal Reserve will slow down rate hikes upon reducing producer price growth. The dollar was weakened against its peers. EUR/USD increased to 1.0348, and AUD/USD added over 60 pips to 0.6756.
GBP/USD climbed to a high of over two months at 1.1994 and closed at 1.1858, as Mitrade anticipated UK annual inflation data this afternoon would reach 10.7%. Once again, USD/JPY sank below the 140.0 level to 139.29, and USD/CAD declined to 1.3277.
Major US stock indices also enjoyed minor upticks. A gain of 56 points (+0.17%) was made on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, 34 points (+0.87%) on the S&P 500, and 170 points (+1.45%) on the Nasdaq 100.
Japanese yen rises despite GDP declineThe Japanese yen hit its highest level since August 29th, as the currency powers higher. In the North American session, USD/JPY is trading at 139.17, down 0.53%.
The US dollar can't find its footing, and even a soft GDP reading out of Japan hasn't put a dent in the current yen rally. The economy declined in the third quarter for the first time in a year. GDP fell by 1.2% YoY, much weaker than the consensus of a 1.1% gain and the 4.6% gain in Q2.
The usual suspects were the drivers of the decline in GDP - weak global growth and rising inflation. In addition, the weak yen, which recently fell to 32-year lows, has contributed to higher prices. The yen has reversed its fortunes since the unexpectedly soft US inflation report and has soared 6.4% in November.
The investor exuberance which sent the stock markets flying last week appears to have subsided. Investors jumped on the soft inflation report, as risk sentiment soared and the US dollar retreated. Fed members have responded by sending a hawkish message to the markets, as any dovish signals could complicate its battle to bring down inflation. Fed Vice Chair Brainard said on Monday that she was in favor of slowing the pace of rate hikes, but that further hikes were still required in order to bring down inflation.
Brainard's stance was echoed by Fed member Waller who said that while the Fed may ease up on the size of future rate hikes, it should not be seen as a "softening" in its fight against inflation. Waller added that the 7.7% inflation reading in October was "enormous", in sharp contrast to the markets, which chose to focus on the fact that inflation fell sharply from 8.2% in September. The Fed is committed to curbing inflation and is far from convinced that inflation has peaked, even though inflation appears to be trending in a downward direction.
USD/JPY is testing support at 1.39.66. Below, there is support at 138.69
There is resistance at 140.88 and 141.61
Pound soars despite weak job dataThe British pound has reversed directions on Tuesday and posted sharp gains. In the European session, GBP/USD is trading at 1.1902, up 1.22%. The pound has punched above 1.19 for the first time since August 19th.
The UK employment report was soft, with unemployment ticking higher to 3.5%, up from 3.4%. Unemployment rose by 3.3 thousand, down from 3.9 thousand but well off the consensus of -12.6 thousand. The BoE will be most concerned about the increase in wage growth, which will create even more inflation, at a time when inflation is above 10%. Wages excluding bonuses rose to 5.7%, up from 5.5% and ahead of the consensus of 5.6%. There isn't much slack to speak of in the labour market and the BoE will be under pressure to continue hiking aggressively, even though this will hurt the struggling UK economy.
The Fed may be breathing a bit easier today, as the exuberance which sent the stock markets flying last week appears to have subsided. Investors jumped all over the soft inflation report, as risk sentiment soared and the US dollar retreated. Fed members have responded by sticking to a hawkish script, as any dovish signals could complicate its battle to bring down inflation. Fed Vice Chair Brainard said on Monday that she favored slowing the pace of rate hikes, but that further hikes were required in order to bring down inflation.
Brainard's stance was echoed by Fed member Waller who said that while the Fed may ease up on the size of future rate hikes, it should not be seen as a "softening" in its fight against inflation. Waller added that the 7.7% inflation reading in October was "enormous", a possible rebuke of the exuberance shown by investors to the drop in inflation.
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GBP/USD has broken through several resistance lines today. The next resistance lines are 1.2030 and 1.2224
1.1703 and 1.1648 are providing support
USDJPY: What to expect for the upcoming days?Hello there!
So after the Q3, and the decisions that has been taken by the BOJ concerning the interest rate, in addition to the 0.4% rise in the CPI. As well as the decrease in the DXY during the last month -4.79% and in the last 5 days a decrease that resulted -3.13%. Those factors alone can picture the path of the USDJPY.
Going now into the technical part, too many indicators said the way now is bearish, but let's take things more friendly and talk about the structure. Now in lower time-frames, we can see that there was an order block that indicated that the currency will go bull to reach approx. (141.600 - 141.800). But it seemed that it reached something of 140.800, and went bear. So what we could exepect after this small hike?
Well, according to some indications and order blocks, taking into consideration the supp. and res. areas, the currency could reach (133.300). But, following the news and the decisions that could be taken will be the ones who decide if the USDJPY will rally down more, or go for a reversal. But in the mean time, nothing indicates at all a reversal based on decisions from the federal reserve or the BOJ, as well as the technical analysis.
Market Impacts: from Midterms to Second HalfCME: Micro E-Mini Nasdaq 100 ( CME_MINI:MNQ1! )
On August 17th, I published “Market Impacts of US Midterms Elections”. Thanks to your support, it made it to “Editors’ Picks” and was featured in TV Digest newsletter in an email themed “Midterms are Coming” to all subscribers.
With the midterm elections coming to an end, it’s a good time to reassess the situation, exploring potential changes in economic policies which may give rise to trading opportunities.
In the August 17th story, we have discussed 3 potential outcomes of the midterm election:
• Party Government: The President, the House and the Senate are controlled by the same political party
• Divided Government: Only one chamber of Congress aligns with the President
• Opposing Government: The President and the Congress are from different political parties
Before the elections, the Democratic Party controls the White House and both chambers of the Congress. It was clearly a “Party Government” under our definition.
As of this writing, Democrats clinched 50 seats in the Senate. With the tiebreaking vote from Vice President Harris, Democrats retain Senate majority. Meanwhile, Republicans lead 212:204 in the House race but has not reached the magic 218 required to flip controls.
GOP represent half of the voters in this election. They hold on to at least 49 seats in the Senate, gain more seats in the House, and are likely to retake control. They also have governorship in half of the 50 States.
So, why the Midterms are being perceived as a landslide victory for Democrats?
It’s all about expectations. Historically, midterms are bad for the ruling party. Whichever party in the White House usually loses seats in the Congress. In the 2018 midterms, Nancy Pelosi led the Democrats to recapture the House of Representatives. With Biden’s approval rate hovering at 40% low, and inflation rate flying high, GOP was widely expected to have a stunning victory at both chambers of the Congress.
To the Democrats, the absence of “Red Waves” is a vindication of their political agenda. While a “Divided Government” is still possible pending final results, Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer already claimed election victory.
Conclusion: the emboldened Democrats will go full speed with “Build Back Better” in the second half of President Biden’s presidency.
Bigger Spending
In the last two years, the Biden Administration passed legislations with budget over $4 trillion. These include:
• American Rescue Act in March 2021, $1.9 trillion
• Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in November 2021, $1.2 trillion
• U.S. Chip and Science Act in August 2022, $280 billion
• Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022, $757 billion
Also in August 2022, the Administration announced a Student Loan Forgiveness Plan that is expected to cost $400 billion. The plan is currently on hold by court orders.
In the First Half, new budget items averaged $2 trillion a year. I expect more big budget items to come in the Second Half. If Republicans are not there to slow down the legislative ambitions, it’s hard to tell how big the spendings will be.
Bigger Deficit and Bigger Debt
According to USDebtClock.org, the 2022 Federal Tax Revenue is estimated at $4.92 trillion, and the Federal Spending Budget will be $5.98 trillion. The shortfall is Federal Budget Deficit, at $1.06 trillion.
The largest federal budget items are:
• Medicare/Medicaid, $1.490 trillion, (24.9%)
• Social Security, $1.231 trillion, (20.6%)
• Defense/War, $770 billion, (12.9%)
• Interest on Debt, $481 billion, (8.0%)
I notice that debt interest has risen by $39 billion from previous estimate, and its share in the federal budget grows from 7.4% to 8.0%, thanks to the Fed rate hikes.
US National Debt is estimated at $31.3 trillion. Budget deficit needs to be financed by debt. Therefore, national debt would rise to $32.5 trillion next year at a minimum.
While many bonds were issued before 2022 and carried low yields, new Treasury bonds must pay current market rates. Considering Fed Funds already at 4%, I put 3% down as my estimate for weighted-average federal debt service rate in 2023. This would price the annual debt interest at $975 billion, which is 103% higher than this year, and $205 billion more than the Defense budget!
With Democrats in control, I expect Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security to get favorable budget allocation next year. Heightened geopolitical tensions in multiple fronts justify a bigger Defense budget. Assuming all of them goes up by 5% and there is no change in other budget items, my baseline forecast for 2023 federal budget is $6.65 trillion, an 11% annual increase.
Assuming tax revenue goes up by 10%, we will have a budget deficit of 1.23 trillion, a 24% jump from 2022. Big spending legislations could add $1 trillion more on top of this.
Sticky High Inflation
The US economy is caught between restrictive monetary policies and expansive fiscal policies. When trillions of dollars are flooding the economy and the financial system, prices of goods and services tend to go up. Raising interest rates alone is not sufficient to bring the price level down.
This is why inflation is still uncomfortably high after six consecutive rate hikes. Cathy Wood recently flowed an idea claiming inflation could turn negative next year, citing similarity from the Roaming Twenties. I peg to differ.
The Federal Government is pumping $6-7 trillion in a $26 trillion economy. Every year, federal agencies and contractors get bigger budget, government employment grows, and federal employees get higher wages. Regardless of the business cycle, one quarter of the US economy is expanding. Industries benefiting from government spending will strive, even if the country may slip into a recession.
Higher Taxes
Big spending comes with bigger taxes. Government needs more tax revenue to pay for its ambitious agenda.
• Higher tax rate on people earning $400,000 or more. New taxes on investment carry interest, translating into headwinds for hedge fund, private equity, and venture capital.
• The 15% minimum corporate tax will affect multinational corporations which frequently use offshore tax haven.
Potential Winner
Unlike political elections, it is tricky to find a clear winner in the financial market.
Comparing the performance of major US stock market indexes, the Dow has a year-to-date return of -7.18% as of November 11th, while S&P 500 and Russell 2000 yield -15% and -14.14%, respectively. Nasdaq 100 falls 25.10% and is the worst performer.
Big Tech is laden with bad news these days, with missed earnings and widespread layoffs among them. As stock prices are beaten down, valuations become more reasonable. In my opinion, advanced technologies that align with government priorities would benefit in the next two years. Clean energy, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, space technology and electric vehicles are on the receiving end of major government funding. While I was bearish with the Nasdaq at 13,500, I think it could find price support at 10,500.
However, impacts from the Midterms interact with business fundamentals, the ever-changing investor sentiments, and major global events. The next Fed meeting is only two weeks away. Let’s wait for the next rate decision, as it is the overarching factor that guides market direction right now.
We can put CME Micro E-Mini Nasdaq 100 Futures ( CME_MINI:MNQ1! ) on the watch list today. MNQ has a notional value of $2 times the index. At 11,792, each contract is valued at $23,584. Opening a Long or Short position requires initial margin of $1,500.
While the S&P 500 is trending down, certain sectors may outperform the broad market. CME recently launched E-mini S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Futures ( CME:SXT1! ) and E-mini PHLX Semiconductor Sector Futures ( CME:SOX1! ). They each offer more precise trading opportunities tailored to industries benefiting from increased government funding.
Happy Trading.
Disclaimers
*Trade ideas cited above are for illustration only, as an integral part of a case study to demonstrate the fundamental concepts in risk management under the market scenarios being discussed. They shall not be construed as investment recommendations or advice. Nor are they used to promote any specific products, or services.
CME Real-time Market Data help identify trade set-ups and express my market views. If you have futures in your trading portfolio, check out on CME Group data plans in TradingView that suit your trading needs www.tradingview.com
Fed unfazed by softened inflation dataEUR/USD 🔼
GBP/USD 🔼
AUD/USD 🔼
USD/CAD 🔽
USD/JPY 🔽
XAU 🔼
WTI 🔼
Last week’s speech from Federal Reserve officials indicated the US central bank is still leaning towards using aggressive rate hikes to control inflation, though remains open to slowing the pace. Meanwhile, the stock market extended its rally, with the Nasdaq 100 adding over 210 points 11,817 being the best-performing index out of the three, the Dow also enjoyed a weekly gain of 4.15%.
Improved GDP reading in the UK led major currencies to recover against the greenback, GBP/USD climbed more than 120 pips to 1.1835. EUR/USD surged to 1.0352, gaining almost 150 pips, as Germany’s annual inflation reached 10.4% - aligning with marketing projections.
USD/JPY plunged below the key level of 140.00 to 138.79, losing over 230 pips, and USD/CAD declined to 1.3254. AUD/USD closed higher at 0.6702, the meeting minutes from the Reserve Bank of Australia will be announced tomorrow morning.
Spot gold increased to $1,771.42 an ounce, the highest level in over two months. WTI oil futures gained slightly to $88.96 a barrel, currently at $89.22.
Fertilizer Industry As An Alternative S&P 500Greetings.
S&P 500 Technical Analysis
From a technical point of view, S&P 500 continues to move in wave 5 of diagonal A. Due to lower inflation in the US, there is a high probability that the Fed will slow down the rate hike and, as a result, investors will start buying assets with a higher level of risk. However, historically, after the Fed started to lower the interest rate, the price of the S&P 500 corrected by 30-50% before continuing its upward movement.
The fertilizer industry as an alternative to the S&P 500
The fertilizer industry continues to be one of the most attractive in the stock market. In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, which led to massive disruption in global commodity markets, including fertilizers. Before this event, the balance between fertilizer consumption and supply was determined by two factors, namely production incentives and also price competitiveness. I estimate that in the coming quarters, the balance between supply and demand for one of the most important commodities will be determined by the ability of farmers to buy fertilizer that has become very expensive. The increase in the price of fertilizers led to a significant increase in the margins of companies such as Nutrien, The Mosaic Company, and CF Industries Holdings, traded on the New York Stock Exchange, and the subsequent increase in dividend payments.
Source: IFA, IFDC, market news sources
Several reasons led to a sharp rise in the price of potash, phosphorus, and nitrogen fertilizers. The first and main reason is the sanctions against two key producing countries, namely Russia and Belarus. According to an IFA study, Russia accounts for about 25% of the world's supply of nitrogen fertilizers needed to increase crop yields. In addition, the share of Belarus and Russia in the sales of potash fertilizers is about 41%, which puts these countries in the top 3 in terms of production volumes.
Source: IFA
Fertilizer prices continue to be significantly higher than in previous years. For example, the price of potassium chloride amounted to $562.5 per ton in the 3rd quarter of 2022, which is 161.9% more than in the 3rd quarter of 2021.
Source: Author's elaboration based on data from the World Bank Group
In addition, the military conflict in Eastern Europe continues to be in an active phase and, as a result sanctions from Russia and Belarus will not soon be withdrawn. As a result, I believe that fertilizer stocks are still attractive assets for long-term investors and can become an alternative to investing in companies from the S&P 500.
Disclosure: This article may not take into account all the risks and catalysts of the assets described in it. Any part of this analytical article is provided for informational purposes only, does not constitute an individual investment recommendation, investment idea, advice, offer to buy or sell securities, or other financial instruments. The completeness and accuracy of the information in the analytical article are not guaranteed. If any fundamental/technical criteria or events change in the future, I do not assume any obligation to update this article.
S&P 500: Lessons from HistoryYesterday’s CPI report was a reminder that, despite how it feels, the inflation crisis might not last forever. This raises the question of how to think about the Federal Reserve, and makes us look back to previous moments in history.
The most relevant precedent could be 1994 and early 1995, when policymakers doubled their target rate from 3 percent to 6 percent.
The chart below recaps this period nearly three decades ago. Not surprisingly, the S&P 500 started falling as the hikes began. But it also turned higher in mid-December, 2-1/2 months before the last increase. (The great 1995-2000 bull run followed that historic pause.)
Another key fact is that the process lasted almost exactly one year.
Fast forward to the present and some interesting parallels may arise. The current hiking cycle began in March 2022. The most recent dot plot and CME’s FedWatch tool both suggest it will end in March 2023 – also one year in length. (As noted on the initial chart.)
Next, stocks have been advancing for the past month. That’s earlier than the previous moment, when the final rally began just five weeks before the pause. However 1994’s pullback was much more shallow (just 10 percent peak to trough). This year’s bear market, with a 28 percent drop, could mean there is more space for a rebound.
Next is a weekly chart of the S&P 500. Aside from the extreme crash of March 2020, prices have remained within with a parallel channel that began in 2011. Notice how October’s low occurred at the bottom of this rising trend.
Second, the October low represented almost exactly a 50 percent retracement of the surge between March 2020 and January 2022.
Finally, returning to the daily chart you have the 3910 level. This was resistance and support at various times since the summer, but yesterday’s rally tore straight through it. That could also limit the depth of pullbacks, at least in the near term.
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