Australia & NZ Archives - Page 84 of 95

February 23, 2012

Aussie Dollar and Canada’s Loonie encounter resistance

The Aussie Dollar is testing short-term support at $1.06, the lower peak at $1.08 warning of selling pressure. Breach of the secondary rising trendline (and support at $1.06) would warn of a correction to the long-term trendline around $1.02. Recovery above $1.08, however, would signal a fresh primary advance with a long-term target of $1.20*.

Australian Dollar/US Dollar

* Target calculation: 1.08 + ( 1.08 – 0.96 ) = 1.20

Canada’s Loonie continues to consolidate below $1.01 on the weekly chart, while 63-day Twiggs Momentum crossed to above zero, indicating a primary up-trend. Breakout above $1.01 would confirm, offering an initial target of $1.06*.

Canadian Dollar/US Dollar

* Target calculation: 1.01 + ( 1.01 – 0.96 ) = 1.06

Both the Aussie and the Loonie are strongly influenced by commodity prices. If the CRB Commodities Index breaks resistance, expect both currencies to follow — though Canada will benefit more from higher oil prices.

February 21, 2012

Australia: ASX 200

The ASX 200 index respected its rising trendline on the weekly chart, indicating continuation of the advance to test 4400. Breakout above 4400 would indicate the start of a primary up-trend, while recovery of 63-day Twiggs Momentum above zero would strengthen the signal.

ASX 200 Index Weekly

* Target calculation: 4400 + ( 4400 – 4000 ) = 4800

Bullish divergence on the daily chart shows medium-term buying pressure signaled by 21-day Twiggs Money Flow. Breakout above 4300 would indicate a test of 4400.

ASX 200 Index

February 15, 2012

ASX 200 breaks support

The ASX 200 broke through support at 4220 on the hourly chart, signaling a correction to test primary support at 4040. Retracement to test the new resistance level is weak and follow-through below intra-day support at 4180 would confirm the signal.

Index

February 13, 2012

Australia: ASX 200

The ASX 200 index has been hesitant since the breach of its descending trendline. A bottom may be forming, but 13-week Twiggs Money Flow reversal below zero warns us not to expect much upside any time soon. Respect of the rising (green) trendline would indicate another test of 4400, while penetration would mean another test of primary support at 4000*.

ASX 200 Index Weekly

A 2-hour chart shows the index headed for another test of resistance at 4310 on Monday. But momentum is falling and respect of 4310 would suggest a correction to 4000.

ASX 200 Index 2 Hour Candlesticks

February 9, 2012

Australia: Credit growth

Latest stats from the RBA show that the sharp contraction in business credit has slowed, but growth of personal credit (mainly mortgage finance) is at its lowest rate since the early 1990s and is trending downwards. Credit growth does not have to fall below zero for it to have a negative impact on the economy. A fall in the rate of credit expansion will slow the rate of economic growth.

Australian Credit Growth

February 9, 2012

Westpac: RBA Statement on Monetary Policy

It appears that the objective of this Statement is to emphasise that without a significant deterioration in global financial conditions policy should remain unchanged. When you assess the various pieces of the Bank’s description of the domestic economy – weak employment; rising unemployment rate; subdued retail spending; soft housing market; below trend growth outside mining; scaling back of public investment; building construction subdued; inflation to remain around the mid-point of the target range; policy at neutral, not stimulatory – we see a fairly clear case for policy to move into the stimulatory zone immediately. Of course our forecasts as contrasted with the Bank’s forecasts clearly suggest that the qualitative descriptions provided in this statement are understating the need for a policy response.

It has been and remains our view that a further 50bps in policy easing can be justified immediately although our forecast is that this adjustment is likely to occur over a three to four month period. We find the use of the requirement that demand conditions need to weaken materially before a rate cut can be delivered overly conservative and expect that the Bank’s policy will change more rapidly than we assess is their current intention.

Consequently at this stage we maintain our view that the next rate cut in this cycle can be expected in March to be followed by a move in May but recognise that we are currently dealing with a central bank that while acknowledging all the reasons policy needs to be stimulatory appears to have no immediate intention to move.

Bill Evans
Chief Economist

February 7, 2012

Westpac Economic Update: RBA leaves rates unchanged

The Board of the Reserve Bank surprised us with a decision to hold the cash rate unchanged at 4.25%. Whilst this indicates that for the time being the Bank is assessing the risks somewhat differently to ourselves we are not inclined to change our core view that a further 50bps in easing can be expected over the course of the first half of this year.

Bill Evans
Chief Economist

February 6, 2012

ASX 200 weakly bullish

The ASX 200 breched its descending trendline, indicating that the primary down-trend is over. Breakout above 4400 would signal the start of a new up-trend. Twiggs Money Flow (13 week) continues to oscillate around the zero line, however, suggesting weakness.

Index

* Target calculation: 4400 + ( 4400 – 4000 ) = 4800

February 2, 2012

Forex: EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, JPY, ZAR

The euro remains in a strong primary down-trend. The current rally is testing resistance at $1.32, but 63 -day Twiggs Momentum continues to trend downwards. Breach of support at $1.26 would signal a down-swing to $1.20*.

Index

* Target calculation: 1.26 – ( 1.32 – 1.26 ) = 1.20

Pound Sterling has breached its declining trendline against the greenback, warning that a bottom is forming. Breakout above $1.62 would complete a double bottom reversal, testing the 2011 high at $1.68.

Index

* Target calculation: 1.62 + ( 1.62 – 1.53 ) = 1.71

Canada’s Loonie also signals that a bottom is forming. Breakout above $1.01 would indicate the start of a primary up-trend, with an initial target of $1.06*.

Index

* Target calculation: 1.01 + ( 1.01 – 0.96 ) = 1.06

The Aussie is testing resistance at $1.08. Breakout would similarly signal a primary up-trend with an initial target of $1.18*.

Index

* Target calculation: 1.08 + ( 1.08 – 0.98 ) = 1.18

The greenback is testing primary support at 76 against the Japanese yen. Breakout would offer a target of 72*. Recovery above the declining trendline, however, would suggest that a bottom is forming — confirming the large bullish divergence on 63-day Twiggs Momentum — while breakout above 80 would signal a primary up-trend.

Index

* Target calculation: 76 – ( 80 – 76 ) = 72

The South African Rand is strengthening against the US Dollar, while encountering resistance at R8.50 against its Australian counterpart. Downward breakout from the ascending triangle would warn of a correction to test the long-term trendline at R7.50, while breakout above R8.50 would indicate another primary advance, with a target of R9.50*.

Index

* Target calculation: 8.50 + ( 8.50 – 7.50 ) = 9.50

January 30, 2012

Australia: ASX 200

The ASX 200 is headed for a test of resistance at 4400. Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicates buying pressure. Breakout above 4400 would complete a higher trough, signaling the start of a primary up-trend, but selling pressure in US and Chinese markets may prevent this.

ASX 200 Index

* Target calculation: 4400 + ( 4400 – 4000 ) = 4800