The Customer Is Too Often Wrong at FXCM – WSJ.com

In each of the last four quarters, more than 70% of FXCM’s U.S. accounts were unprofitable for those trading them. As a broker, FXCM earns money each time customers trade, so there is no upside in seeing them end up in the red. Why so many losing hands? The answer may lie in the large amount of leverage that FXCM customers can employ. Limits vary by country, but FXCM offers leverage of up to 50 to 1. That means a customer with only $20,000 could take $1 million in exposure. In such a trade, a modest market move could quickly wipe out all of an account’s equity.

via Heard on the Street: The Customer Is Too Often Wrong at FXCM – WSJ.com.

Forex: Euro, Pound & Yen

The Euro is undecided about its recent show of strength and is likely to re-test medium-term support at $1.30. Failure of $1.30 would complete a head and shoulders pattern, visible on the Daily chart (shoulders at $1.33), testing primary support at $1.26. But recovery above $1.33 remains as likely and would signal another test of $1.35.

Euro/USD

Pound Sterling is testing resistance at $1.60 and recovery of 63-day Twiggs Momentum above zero would indicate a primary up-trend. Confirmation would only come, however, from breakout above $1.62.

Pound Sterling/USD

The Greenback is retracing to find support after a strong advance against the Yen over the last 6 weeks. Respect of support at ¥80 would confirm a healthy primary up-trend.

USD/Japanese Yen

* Target calculation: 80 + ( 80 – 75 ) = 85

Forex: Aussie, Loonie, Rand

Canada’s Loonie, buoyed by rising oil prices, is testing resistance at $1.01/$1.015. Narrow consolidation suggests an upward breakout and advance to the 2011 high of $1.06*. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum above zero also indicates a primary advance.

Canadian Dollar/USD

* Target calculation: 1.01 + ( 1.00 – 0.95 ) = 1.06

The Australian Dollar, dragged lower by weaker commodity prices, is testing medium-term support at $1.04 on the Weekly chart. Respect of the rising trendline is more likely and would indicate a breakout above the ascending triangle at $1.08.  Long-term target for an advance would be $1.20 but that seems unachievable in the near-term. Breach of the rising trendline is less likely, but would warn of a correction back to $0.96; and reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero would indicate a primary down-trend.

Australian Dollar

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

The Aussie Dollar breached support against the South African Rand at R8.00 on the Daily chart. Follow-through below R7.90 would confirm a correction to $7.60*. Breach of the long-term rising trendline, however, would warn of a primary down-trend.

AUD/South African Rand

* Target calculation: 8.05 – ( 8.45 – 8.05 ) = 7.60

Gold correction continues

Spot gold found short-term support at $1640/ounce but is likely to continue its correction to test primary support at $1500. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero, for the second time, threatens an iceberg top which would signal a primary down-trend. Breach of primary support at $1500 remains unlikely, but would signal a decline to $1200*.

Spot Gold

* Target calculation: 1700 – ( 1800 – 1700 ) = 1600; 1500 – ( 1800 – 1500 ) = 1200

The US Dollar continues in a primary up-trend, the Weekly chart showing the Dollar Index headed for another test of support at 78.00. Failure would warn that the trend is weakening, while respect would signal another attempt at 82.00

US Dollar Index

* Target calculation: 82 + ( 82 – 78 ) = 86

Forex: Euro, Pound Sterling and Yen

The euro is weakening against the greenback, testing medium-term support at $1.30. Failure would indicate a test of primary support at $1.26 and continuation of the down-trend. Respect is unlikely, but would suggest a test of the declining trendline.

Euro/USD

* Target calculation: 1.26 – ( 1.35 – 1.26 ) = 1.17

Pound Sterling rallied against the Aussie Dollar, testing the new resistance level at $1.50. The down-trend is likely to continue and breach of the rising trendline would warn of another decline, with an immediate target of $1.42*.

Pound Sterling/USD

* Target calculation: 1.46 – ( 1.50 – 1.46 ) = 1.42

The US Dollar is approaching its target of ¥85 Japanese Yen. Expect retracement to confirm the new support level at ¥80, followed by an advance to ¥90*.

USD/Japanese Yen

* Target calculation: 85 + ( 85 – 80 ) = 90

Forex: Australia, Canada and South Africa

A stronger greenback and weaker commodity prices are likely to depress resource-rich currencies. Canada’s Loonie stood up surprisingly well, mainly because of rising crude oil prices. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum recovered above zero, indicating a primary up-trend. Breakout above $1.01 would strengthen the signal, offering a target of the 2011 high at $1.06.

Canadian Dollar

* Target calculation: 1.01 + ( 1.01 – 0.95 ) = 1.07

The Aussie Dollar weakened along with commodity prices. Failure of support at $1.04 would warn of a correction to primary support at $0.96. Penetration of the rising trendline and reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero would strengthen the signal.

Aussie Dollar

The Aussie Dollar found support at R8.00 South African Rand. Expect a rally to test the upper range border at R8.50, but failure of support would test the long-term trendline at R7.50*. Penetration of the trendline and/or reversal of 63-Day Twiggs Momentum below zero would warn of a primary down-trend.

Aussie Dollar/South African Rand

* Target calculation: 8.00 – ( 8.50 – 8.00 ) = 7.50

Gold falls as the Dollar rises

The US Dollar Index broke resistance at 80 on the Weekly chart, signaling an advance to 82. The Index is already in a primary up-trend, as indicated by 63-day Twiggs Momentum above zero. Breakout above 82 would offer a target of 86*.

US Dollar Index

* Target calculation: 82 + ( 82 – 78 ) = 86

Spot Gold followed through below last week’s low, indicating a correction to test primary support at 1500. Respect of the long-term rising trendline would indicate the primary up-trend is intact, but reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero for a second time warns of a down-trend. Target for a down-trend would be 1200 to 1400*.

Spot Gold

* Target calculation: 1600 – ( 1800 – 1600 ) = 1400

The Hourly chart shows short-term support at 1635 and resistance at 1650. Failure of support would test 1600, while upward breakout from the trend channel would signal retracement to test the new resistance level.
Spot Gold

Forex: Euro and Yen weaken while Rand recovers

The Euro is retreating to test medium-term support at $1.30 on the weekly chart. Failure would mean a fall to primary support at $1.25/$1.26. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum holding below zero reinforces the primary down-trend.

EURUSD

* Target calculation: 1.25 – ( 1.35 – 1.25 ) = 1.15

Pound Sterling is ranging between $1.5650 and $1.6000 against the greenback. Upward breakout would signal a primary up-trend but 63-Day Twiggs Momentum below zero continues to warn of the opposite.

GBPUSD

The dollar respected the new support level at 80 Japanese Yen. Breakout above ¥82 would confirm the primary up-trend, with an initial target of ¥85.

USDJPY

* Target calculation: 80 + ( 80 – 75 ) = 85

The Aussie Dollar continues to test support at R8.00 South African Rand. Failure would offer an initial target of R7.50, at the rising trendline. Momentum is falling sharply and reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero would warn of a primary down-trend.

AUDZAR

Aussie Dollar, Canadian Loonie and commodities

The CRB Commodities Index retreated from resistance at 325. Failure of medium-term support at 310 would signal a test of primary support at 295. Respect of the zero line (from below) by 63-day Twiggs Momentum indicates continuation of the primary down-trend.

CRB Commodities Index

Lower commodity prices weakened the Aussie Dollar, with a fall below $1.06 warning of a correction to the long-term (green) rising trendline. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum remains strong, however, and recovery above $1.08 would confirm a primary up-trend.

Aussie Dollar

Canada’s Loonie was helped by rising crude prices and recovery above $1.01 would confirm the primary advance to $1.06*.

Canadian Loonie

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

Gold falls as Fed gives no signs of new stimulus | Marketscope | Investing | Financial Post

The dollar rebounded after Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke, in congressional testimony, gave no signal that the central bank is considering additional measures to spur the economy. He said the inflation outlook is “subdued.” The greenback gained as much as 0.5 percent against a basket of competing currencies.

via Gold falls as Fed gives no signs of new stimulus | Marketscope | Investing | Financial Post.