UK & Europe Archives - Page 48 of 88

December 6, 2012

Sterling threatens euro down-trend

Pound Sterling broke its long-term rising trendline against the euro and is testing support at €1.225 on the weekly chart. Retreat of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero warns of a primary down-trend. Breach of support would confirm. Respect of support is most unlikely, but would test €1.260 in the medium-term.

Pound Sterling

* Target calculation: 1.23 – ( 1.28 – 1.23 ) = 1.18

Colin Twiggs

Colin Twiggs is a former investment banker with almost 40 years of experience in financial markets. He co-founded Incredible Charts and writes the popular Trading Diary and Patient Investor newsletters.

Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.

Focusing on interest rates and financial market liquidity as primary drivers of the economic cycle, he warned of the 2008/2009 and 2020 bear markets well ahead of actual events.
He founded PVT Capital (AFSL No. 546090) in May 2023, which offers investment strategy and advice to wholesale clients.

December 3, 2012

Europe: DAX at 7500

Germany’s DAX is testing resistance at 7500 but bearish divergence on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow warns of medium-term selling pressure. Breakout would signal an advance to 8000*, while respect of 7500 would indicate another test of primary support at 7000. Reversal below 7000 is unlikely but would warn that a top is forming.

DAX Index

* Target calculation: 7500+ ( 7500 – 7000 ) = 8000

Dow Jones Europe Index is similarly testing resistance at 265. Again, bearish divergence on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow warns of medium-term selling pressure. Breakout above 265 would offer a target of 285*. Reversal below 245 is unlikely but would indicate a decline to 210.

Dow Jones Europe Index

* Target calculation: 265 + ( 265 – 245 ) = 285

The FTSE 100 is in a similar position: headed for a test of 6000. Breakout would signal an advance to 6400*. But bearish divergence on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow warns of medium-term selling pressure. Reversal below 5600 would test support at 5250.

FTSE 100 Index

* Target calculation: 6000 + ( 6000 – 5600 ) = 6400

Colin Twiggs

Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.

December 3, 2012

Noam Chomsky: “Europe’s policies make sense only on one assumption: that the goal is to try and undermine and unravel the welfare state.” | EUROPP

Noam Chomsky in an interview with EUROPP editors Stuart A Brown and Chris Gilson:

Europe’s policies [austerity during a recession] make sense only on one assumption: that the goal is to try and undermine and unravel the welfare state. And that’s almost been said. Mario Draghi, the President of the European Central Bank, had an interview with the Wall Street Journal where he said that the social contract in Europe is dead. He wasn’t advocating it, he was describing it, but that’s essentially what the policies lead to…….

Chomsky has the cart before the horse. Collapse of welfare states in Europe led to austerity — not the other way round. Joe Hockey had a slightly different take on events in Europe in his April address to the Institute of Economic Affairs:

The Age of Entitlement is over. We should not take this as cause for despair. It is our market based economies which have forced this change on unwilling participants. What we have seen is that the market is mandating policy changes that common sense and years of lectures from small government advocates have failed to achieve.

Reduction of trade barriers and shrinking of the technological advantage enjoyed by developed nations will lead to the inevitable demise of the social contract. Free competition demands efficiency. Countries cannot remain competitive while carrying burdens imposed by a welfare state.

via Five minutes with Noam Chomsky – “Europe’s policies make sense only on one assumption: that the goal is to try and undermine and unravel the welfare state.” | EUROPP.

Colin Twiggs

Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.

November 28, 2012

Euro recovers

The Euro is testing its long-term descending trendline in response to the weakening dollar. Breakout above $1.315/$1.32 would confirm the primary up-trend signaled earlier by 63-day Twiggs Momentum recovery above zero.

Euro/USD

* Target calculation: 1.315 + ( 1.315 – 1.265 ) = 1.365

Colin Twiggs

Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.

November 28, 2012

The eurozone’s double-dip recession is entirely self-made. | EUROPP

Good comparison of relative unit labor costs for EZ countries in this article by Paul De Grauwe. Germany is lowest at 85-90. Greece and Portugal highest at 110-115, with Italy, Spain and Belgium next at 105-110. Ireland has made the most spectacular recovery, falling to 95 from a high 115-120 in 2007.

The position of Germany stands out. During 1999-2007, Germany engineered a significant internal devaluation that contributed to its economic recovery and the build-up of external surpluses.

via The eurozone’s double-dip recession is entirely self-made. | EUROPP.

Colin Twiggs

Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.

November 26, 2012

France to ArcelorMittal: if you don’t like losing money, get out of France – Quartz

By Simone Foxman

It’s clear that [Arnaud Montebourg, France’s Minister of Industrial Renewal] is confusing the culprit with the victim. The continued failure of European politicians to resolve the region’s debt and banking problems for good has finally caught up with companies across the euro area. Those firms that waited for a more competitive, more integrated, and more stable monetary union have been forced to cut their losses and change their strategies to survive, as politicians bicker at the bargaining table……

via France to ArcelorMittal: if you don’t like losing money, get out of France – Quartz.

Colin Twiggs

Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.

November 26, 2012

Mark Carney Named New BOE Governor | WSJ.com

Mark Carney, who currently runs Canada’s central bank, will be the next governor of the Bank of England, the British government announced Monday, in a surprise pick that underscores U.K. officials’ thirst for fresh blood at the powerful institution……

via Mark Carney Named New BOE Governor – WSJ.com.

Colin Twiggs

Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.

November 26, 2012

Europe: DAX heads for 7500

Germany’s Dax rallied off support at 7000 and is headed for a test of resistance at 7500. Breakout would signal an advance to 8000*. Oscillation of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow above zero indicates buying pressure. Reversal below 7000 is unlikely but would warn that a top is forming.

DAX Index

* Target calculation: 7500+ ( 7500 – 7000 ) = 8000

Dow Jones Europe Index is headed for another test of resistance at 265. Breakout would signal an advance to 285*. Reversal below 245 would warn of a correction to test primary support at 210. A 13-week Twiggs Money Flow trough above zero would indicate buying pressure.

Dow Jones Europe Index

* Target calculation: 265 + ( 265 – 245 ) = 285

The FTSE 100 rallied off support at 5600 and is headed for another test of 6000. Breakout would signal an advance to 6400*. Reversal below 5600 is unlikely but would warn of a test of primary support at 5250. Narrowing 63-day Twiggs Momentum, however, warns of a ranging market.

FTSE 100 Index

* Target calculation: 6000 + ( 6000 – 5600 ) = 6400

Colin Twiggs

Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.

November 22, 2012

Sterling threatens euro support

Pound Sterling is headed for another test of support at €1.225/€1.230 on the weekly chart against the euro. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero warns of a primary down-trend. Breach of support and the rising trendline would confirm the signal. Respect of support is unlikely, but would test €1.260 in the medium-term.

Pound Sterling

Colin Twiggs

Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.

November 22, 2012

Health Costs: How the U.S. Compares With Other Countries | PBS NewsHour

US health care costs are high relative to other OECD countries but average US life expectancy (78.7 years) in 2010 is below the OECD average of 79.8 years. These two OECD charts sum up the problem:

OECD health spending by country

Cost of medical procedures

Germany (DEU) is lowest for most procedures — in many cases less than half — and the quality of the treatment is excellent.

via Health Costs: How the U.S. Compares With Other Countries | PBS NewsHour.

Colin Twiggs

Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.