Forex Archives - Page 27 of 60 - the patient investor

October 30, 2014

Dollar rising as Treasury yields recover

The yield on ten-year Treasury Notes recovered above the former support level at 2.30%, suggesting another test of 2.50% and the descending trendline. Reversal below 2.30%, however, would warn of another test of primary support at 2.00%. 13-Week Twiggs Momentum below zero continues to signal a primary down-trend.

10-Year Treasury Yields

* Target calculation: 2.30 – ( 2.60 – 2.30 ) = 2.00

The Dollar Index respected its new support level at 84.50 and recovery above 86.5 would confirm a primary advance to 89*. Rising 13-week Twiggs Momentum suggests a healthy (primary) up-trend. Failure of support at 84.50 is unlikely, but would warn of correction to the primary trendline.

Dollar Index

* Target calculation: 84 + ( 84 – 79 ) = 89.00

October 23, 2014

Russia’s Ruble in a world of pain

Russia’s ruble is in a world of pain, having lost one-third of its value against the Dollar over the last 40 months. The down-trend is accelerating, emphasized by two large 13-week Twiggs Momentum peaks below the zero line.

RUBUSD

Vladimir Putin has backed himself into a corner and has no way out but to escalate. His current strategy in Eastern Europe of one-step-back-two-steps-forward is becoming predictable and the European Union is likely to run out of patience, responding with further sanctions. Increasingly threatening behavior in the Baltic is also unlikely to intimidate, merely strengthening alliances and resolve.

George Soros on the Ukraine crisis:

https://twitter.com/andersostlund/status/525183504066560000

Former Swedish PM Carl Bildt seems to agree:

"Ukraine’s Vote, Russia’s Fate" by @carlbildt http://t.co/HfENdCm0Uh

— Project Syndicate (@ProSyn) October 22, 2014

Ambrose Evans-Pritchard weighs in on Russia’s economic woes:

Ambrose Evans-Pritchard: Russia is weaker now than decaying Soviet Union before collapse | via @Telegraph http://t.co/qmnrX5ffHT

— Colin Twiggs (@Colin_Twiggs) October 23, 2014

October 23, 2014

Treasury yields fall and the Dollar finds support

The yield on ten-year Treasury Notes is in a primary down-trend (since breaking support at 2.50%). Expect retracement to test resistance at 2.30%. Respect is likely and would indicate another test of primary support at 2.00%*. A 13-week Twiggs Momentum peak below zero signals bear strength. Recovery above 2.30 is unlikely, but would test the descending trendline and resistance at 2.50%.

10-Year Treasury Yields

* Target calculation: 2.30 – ( 2.60 – 2.30 ) = 2.00

Inflation expectations are falling, with the 5-year inflation breakeven rate (5-year treasury yields minus the 5-year TIPS rate) now close to 1.4%.

5-Year Inflation Breakeven Rate

The Dollar Index respected its new support level at 84.50. Recovery above 86.5 would confirm a primary advance and a target of 89*. Rising 13-week Twiggs Momentum suggests a healthy (primary) up-trend. Failure of support at 84.50 is unlikely, but would warn of a correction to the primary trendline.

Dollar Index

* Target calculation: 84 + ( 84 – 79 ) = 89.00

October 15, 2014

Aussie & Euro rally, but for how long?

The Aussie Dollar continues to pressure primary support at $0.8650. 13-Week Twiggs Momentum below zero indicates a primary down-trend. Respect of resistance at $0.89 would strengthen the signal. Breach of primary support would confirm, offering a target of the 2010 low at $0.80.

Aussie Dollar

* Target calculation: 87 – ( 94 – 87 ) = 80

The Euro retraced to test its new resistance at $1.28. Declining 13-week Twiggs Momentum (below zero) confirms a strong down-trend. Respect of resistance would warn of another decline, while breach of medium-term support at $1.25 would target the 2010/2011 lows of $1.20.

Euro/USD

* Target calculation: 1.28 – ( 1.40 – 1.28 ) = 1.16

October 15, 2014

Treasury yields plunge

The yield on ten-year Treasury Notes broke primary support at 2.00%, plunging to a low of 1.86% in the morning before recovering to 2.10% at the close. Expect strong support at 2.00*. 13-Week Twiggs Momentum (below zero) has been warning of a primary down-trend for some time. Recovery above 2.30 is unlikely at present.

10-Year Treasury Yields

* Target calculation: 2.30 – ( 2.60 – 2.30 ) = 2.00

Falling inflation expectations are behind the drop, with the 5-year inflation breakeven rate — 5-year treasury yields minus the 5-year TIPS rate — making a new 2-year low.

5-Year Inflation Breakeven Rate

A falling dollar suggests that domestic purchases are driving the surge in Treasury prices, rather than international buyers. The Dollar Index is testing its new support level at 84.50. Respect would confirm a primary advance with a target of 89*. Rising 13-week Twiggs Momentum continues to indicate a healthy (primary) up-trend. Failure of support at 84.50 is unlikely, but breach of the secondary trendline would warn of a correction to the primary (trendline).

Dollar Index

* Target calculation: 84 + ( 84 – 79 ) = 89.00

Low interest rates strengthen demand for gold as they reduce the carrying cost.

October 9, 2014

Dollar and interest outlook fall

The Dollar Index is retracing to test its new support level at 84.50. Respect would confirm a primary advance with a target of 89*. Rising 13-week Twiggs Momentum continues to indicate a healthy primary up-trend. Failure of support (84.50) is unlikely, but breach of the secondary trendline would warn of a correction to the primary line.

Dollar Index

* Target calculation: 84 + ( 84 – 79 ) = 89.00

The yield on ten-year Treasury Notes is again testing primary support at 2.30. Breach would signal a decline to 2.00*. A 13-week Twiggs Momentum peak below zero suggests a continued primary down-trend. Recovery above 2.65 is unlikely, but would indicate an advance to 3.00.

10-Year Treasury Yields

* Target calculation: 2.30 – ( 2.60 – 2.30 ) = 2.00

Low interest rates would weaken the Dollar and strengthen demand for gold.

October 7, 2014

Dollar retraces

The Dollar Index is retracing to test its new support level at 84.50. Respect would confirm a primary advance with a target of 89*. Rising 13-week Twiggs Momentum indicates a healthy primary up-trend. Failure of support is unlikely, but would warn of a correction to the primary trendline.

Dollar Index

* Target calculation: 84 + ( 84 – 79 ) = 89.00

October 7, 2014

Reserve currency status: Privilege or burden?

Is the reserve currency status of the US Dollar a privilege or a burden? Michael Pettis suggests the latter and argues in favor of constraining unlimited purchases of US or other government bonds by international trading partners like China and Japan:

…it is actually quite easy to list the conditions under which reserve currency status encourages growth and the conditions under which it forces a rise either in debt or in unemployment. In advanced countries with deep and flexible financial markets, except in the case in which capital has become severely constrained by the need for money to be backed by gold, or real interest rates have been forced up to extremely high levels in order to break inflation as was the case in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the net inflows associated automatically with reserve currency status will not result in an increase in productive investment. They only result in an increase either in debt or in unemployment.

This is not an argument in favor of returning to gold, by the way. It is completely neutral on the issue. This argument simply restates the Keynesian insight that eliminating the discipline imposed by the gold standard is likely to become destabilizing unless there is another way to impose discipline…..

….the potentially destabilizing effect is no longer so distant. In a recent essay I tried to show that if we have not already reached the point at which the dominant reserve currency status of the US dollar is harmful to the US and potentially destabilizing to the world, logically we will inevitably reach that point, and probably soon….

I have frequently argued that capital account inflows into US Treasuries artificially inflate the dollar, give trading partners a competitive advantage, and cause the loss of millions of manufacturing jobs. Failure to address this issue is one of the major causes of low wage growth and rising inequality in the US.

September 27, 2014

Australian investors

Australian stocks have taken a bit of a beating over the last few weeks, including a few of the momentum stocks in our portfolio. Risk of a bear market remains low, but a falling Aussie Dollar has prompted international investors to scale back exposure to Australian equities.

AUDUSD

This tends to become self-reinforcing as falling stock prices then prompt further sell-offs. And repatriation causes further weakness in the Aussie Dollar. The down-trend is likely to continue if support at $0.8650/$0.8700 is breached.

Investors who split their portfolio between the S&P 500 and the ASX 200 have been cushioned from the fall, with their US portfolio showing strong appreciation in Australian Dollar terms.

September 25, 2014

Gold threatens four-year low

Gold & Silver

Silver broke long-term support at $18.50 per ounce, offering a target of $15.50/ounce*. First, expect retracement to respect the new resistance level. Gold is likely to follow Silver to a new four-year low.

Spot Silver

* Target calculation: 18.5 – ( 21.5 – 18.5 ) = 15.5

Gold respected the new resistance level at $1240/ounce and is now testing $1200. Follow-through below $1180 would offer a long-term target of $1000*, while respect would suggest another rally to $1240. Declining 13-week Twiggs Momentum, below zero, further strengthens the bear signal.

Spot Gold

* Target calculation: 1200 – ( 1400 – 1200 ) = 1000

Gold Bugs Index (representing un-hedged gold stocks) is also testing long-term support. Breach of support at 200 would strengthen the bear signal for Gold.

Gold Bugs Index

Interest Rates and the Dollar

Rising Treasury yields and a stronger Dollar both add downward pressure to Gold. Higher interest rates increase the carrying cost of gold, while the Dollar competes with Gold both as a safe haven and as an appreciating asset (against other currencies).

The Dollar Index broke through resistance at the 2013 high of 84.75. Rising 13-week Twiggs Momentum, above zero, signals a primary up-trend. Expect retracement to test the new support level. Respect is likely and would offer a long-term target of 89*. Reversal below 84.50 is unlikely, but would warn of a correction.

Dollar Index

* Target calculation: 84 + ( 84 – 79 ) = 89.00

The yield on ten-year Treasury Notes respected resistance at 2.65 percent and is retracing to test support at 2.50. Follow-through above 2.70 would signal an advance to 3.00, but 13-week Twiggs Momentum below zero continues to suggest a primary down-trend. Failure of support at 2.50 would indicate another test of primary support at 2.30.

10-Year Treasury Yields

* Target calculation: 2.30 – ( 2.60 – 2.30 ) = 2.00