Category: China & HK

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Support for the Yuan lifts Gold

China’s PBOC stepped in with belated support for the Yuan, holding the line at 14.5 US cents.

CNY/USD

The Dollar retreated, with the Dollar Index testing support at 95. Respect of support would confirm another advance, with a long-term target of 103 — if central banks like the Fed and PBOC don’t intervene.

Dollar Index

Gold rallied as the Dollar weakened, testing resistance at $1200/ounce. Respect of the descending trendline would warn of another decline with a long-term target of the 2015 low at $1050/ounce.

Spot Gold in USD

The Australian Dollar also rallied, reducing the benefit to local gold miners.

Australian Dollar/USD

The All Ordinaries Gold Index (XGD) continues its downward path, with a long-term target of 4000/4100.

All Ordinaries Gold Index

China is conserving its capital account as best it can, after losing $1 trillion in foreign reserves supporting the Yuan in 2015 – 2016.

China: Foreign Reserves excluding Gold

But failure to support its currency is sure to antagonize the Trump administration and elicit further trade tariffs.

….Trade is drying up and China is stuck with debt it can’t repay or rollover easily. This marks the end of China’s Cinderella growth story, and the beginning of a period of economic slowdown and potential social unrest.

~ Jim Rickards at Daily Reckoning

If that’s the case, expect the Dollar to strengthen and further gold weakness.

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China threatened by loss of US trade

The threat of a US-China trade war has rattled investors, with the Shanghai Composite Index breaking primary support at 2700 to signal another decline. Trend Index peaks below zero warn of strong selling pressure. Long-term target is the 2012 to 2014 lows at 2000.

Shanghai Composite Index

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index is also under the pump, breaking support at 28,000 to warn of another decline.

Hang Seng Index

Copper prices, a good barometer of the Chinese economy, are also falling. Breach of $6,000 offers a target of $5,500/tonne.

Copper S1

The Yuan has fallen almost 10 percent, testing support at 14.5 US cents. Failure of the PBOC to support the Yuan (by selling some of their $3 trillion of foreign reserves) may cushion the economic impact in the short-term but only invites further escalation from the Trump administration.

Chinese Yuan/USD

There is no easy way out. Trump clearly has the upper hand in trade negotiations.

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ASX 200 breakout

Strong earnings reports and continued interest in major banks lifted the ASX 200. Rising Trend Index troughs signal buying pressure. Breakout above 6300 offers a short-term target of 6500.

ASX 200

The ASX 300 Banks index followed through above 8100, indicating another rally with a medium-term target of 8500 (long-term 8750).

ASX 300 Banks Index

But the ASX 300 Metals & Mining index broke support at 3750, warning of a test of primary support at 3400. Fears of a US-China trade war are likely to undermine commodity prices.

ASX 300 Metals & Mining

I am also wary of banks because of higher funding costs, falling credit growth and rising default risk .

So the primary trend on the ASX 200 is up but I remain cautious, holding over 30% cash in the Australian Growth portfolio.

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Dollar strength hurts Aussie gold stocks

China’s Yuan continues its steep descent against the US Dollar.

CNY/USD

The weakening Yuan strengthened demand for Dollars, with the Dollar Index breaking through strong resistance at 95. Expect retracement to test the new support level. Respect would confirm the long-term target at the 2016/2017 highs of 103.

Dollar Index

The strong Dollar weakened demand for Gold, with the spot price heading for $1200/ounce after breaching short-term support at $1220.

Spot Gold in USD

A long-term gold chart shows likely support levels at $1150 and $1050/ounce.

Spot Gold in USD - Quarterly

The Australian Dollar continues to range between 73.50 and 75.00 US cents, leaving local gold miners exposed to the falling Dollar price.

Australian Dollar/USD

The All Ordinaries Gold Index (XGD) is testing support at 4900. Breach is likely and penetration of the rising trendline warns of a strong decline, with a LT target of 4100.

All Ordinaries Gold Index

A sharp fall in the Aussie Dollar would soften the blow. But hope isn’t a strategy.

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Bears in the East, Bulls in the West

Market fears of a trade war appear to be easing but investors in China and South Korea remain cautious.

The Shanghai Composite Index is retracing to test resistance at the former primary support level at 3000.

Shanghai Composite Index

Dow Jones – UBS Commodity Index shows a similar retracement in commodity prices.

DJ-UBS Commodity Index

While crude oil prices have found support at the LT rising trendline.

Nymex Light Crude

South Korea’s Seoul Composite Index is in a primary down-trend but retracement to test the former primary support level at 2350 is likely.

Seoul Composite Index

Japan is more isolated and the Nikkei 225 is testing resistance at 23,000. A rising Trend Index suggests that breakout is likely, which would test the January high at 24,000.

Nikkei 225 Index

India is stronger, with the Nifty breaking resistance at its January high of 11,100 to signal a primary advance with a target of 12,000. But first, expect retracement to test the new support level.

Nifty Index

Europe

Dow Jones Euro Stoxx 600 was boosted by news that the EU-US trade dispute is settled. A Trend Index trough above zero signals strong buying pressure. and another test of 400 is likely.

DJ Euro Stoxx 600 Index

A bullish saucer pattern on the Footsie suggest further gains. The Trend Index trough above zero indicates buying pressure. Breakout of the index above 7800 would signal another advance, with a target of 8200.

FTSE 100 Index

North America

The Nasdaq 100 retreated when Facebook (FB) and Twitter (TWTR) reported disappointing growth for the quarter. Bearish divergence on the Trend Index warns of selling pressure but this appears secondary and support at 7000 is likely to hold. Respect would confirm another advance.

Nasdaq 100

Friday’s retreat is also evident on the S&P 500 daily chart. Expect retracement to test new support at 2800. A strong GDP result should strengthen support.

S&P 500

Canada’s TSX 60 retraced to test the new support level at 970. Respect would signal a test of 1000 but breach is as likely, testing support at 940.

TSX 60 Index

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Gold breaks support

The Dollar price of gold has broken support at $1240/ounce, signaling a primary down-trend.

Spot Gold in USD

The Dollar Index continues to test resistance, consolidating in a narrow band below 95, a bullish sign. Chinese selling of the Dollar, to support the Yuan, has not materialized in sufficient magnitude to reverse Dollar strength. Breakout above 95 would spur selling of gold.

Dollar Index

The Australian Dollar has not weakened sufficiently to protect local gold miners. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (XGD) is heading for a test of support at 4900/4950. Given the circumstances, support is unlikely to hold. Expect a test of 4600.

All Ordinaries Gold Index

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Trade tariff impact on China & Australia

The yuan is falling as threat of a tariff war rises.

Yuan

The Shanghai Composite Index is testing its 2016 low at 2700. Breach would warn of a decline to the 2014 low at 2000.

Shanghai Composite Index

Commodity prices are plunging in anticipation of falling demand from China.

DJ-UBS Commodity Index

Chinese monthly iron ore imports are down at 83.24 mt, compared to earlier peaks of 100 mt earlier in 2017. Iron ore spot price is testing primary support $63/tonne. A Trend Index peak below zero warns of selling pressure. Breach of support is likely and would warn of a decline to $58/tonne.

Iron Ore

A falling Aussie Dollar may cushion local resources stocks from some of the impact.

Australian Dollar

But ASX 300 Metals & Mining index continues to test medium-term support at 3800. Breach of support is likely and would warn of a correction to test the rising trendline.

ASX 300 Metals & Mining

Resources stocks remain in a primary up-trend but I am bearish on the medium-term outlook.

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Gold, Dollar and the Yuan

China’s Yuan fell sharply over the last 3 weeks, with the threat of US trade tariffs.

Dollar/Yuan

Risk of capital flight will force the PBOC to sell foreign reserves to support the Yuan. It took $1 trillion to stem the last fall, so expect a sizable sell-off in Chinese holdings of US Dollar assets, mainly Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities. The outflow is likely to weaken the Dollar, which is likely to strengthen Gold.

The Dollar Index encountered stubborn resistance at 95. Respect would warn of another correction.

Dollar Index

Gold found support at $1250/ounce. Respect of the primary support level would suggest another rally.

Spot Gold

The Aussie Dollar is likely to strengthen if the US Dollar falls.

AUDUSD

A stronger US Dollar is expected to be mildly bullish for Australian gold stocks, with a stronger Aussie Dollar offsetting some of the gains.

The All Ordinaries Gold Index broke through resistance at 5250, signaling a primary advance with a target of 6000. Follow-through above 5300, after the recent retracement, would strengthen the signal.

All Ordinaries Gold Index

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ASX 200: China threat

A rapidly falling Chinese Yuan highlights the threat of trade tariffs to the Chinese economy.

CNY/USD

Expect another sell-off of foreign reserves by China, as in 2015 to 2016, in attempt to stabilize the Yuan and head-off a major capital exodus. The sell-off would weaken the Dollar and Chinese exports.

China Foreign Reserves

Significant monetary easing by the PBOC is also likely, to stimulate domestic demand. Driving the Debt-to-GDP ratio into the stratosphere.

The Aussie Dollar would act as a shock-absorber, following the path of the Yuan.

AUD/USD

Cushioning the blow to Australian exporters.

So far, Resources stocks are unfazed. The ASX 300 Metals & Mining index is consolidating below 4000.

ASX 200

The ASX 300 Banks index ran into stiff resistance at 8000. Expect another test of primary support at 7300 but this is not related to trade tariffs.

ASX 300 Banks Index

The ASX 200 appears unperturbed by the international turmoil, retracing calmly to test its new support level at 6150. Respect would signal another primary advance, with a target of the October 2007 high at 6750.

ASX 200

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S&P 500 retraces while Shanghai shudders

The S&P 500 retreated from resistance at 2800. Retracement is modest and I expect support above the rising trendline (2700). Volatility (Twiggs 21-Day) is below 1.0%, indicating that market risk has returned to normal levels.

S&P 500 and Twiggs Volatility

The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 is in a stronger position, making a new high at 7300, but is now likely to retrace to test the new support level at 7000. I am wary of Twiggs Money Flow as a lower peak would signal bearish divergence. A lot will depend on how buyers react at the new support level.

Nasdaq 100

China’s Shanghai Composite Index, on the other hand, broke support at 3000, signaling a primary decline. Initial target is the February 2016 low at 2700.

Shanghai Composite Index

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index weakened in sympathy. Breach of support at 29000 would signal a primary down-trend.

Hang Seng Index

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