Forex Archives - Page 51 of 59 - the patient investor

April 4, 2012

Gold falls as the dollar rallies

The Dollar Index rallied to test resistance at 80.00. Breakout would indicate respect of the rising trendline and another primary advance. Recovery above 82 would confirm the target of 86*. Respect of the zero line by 63-day Twiggs Momentum would also strengthen the signal.

US Dollar Index

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

Spot gold responded by testing support at $1600/ounce. Breach of the rising trendline would indicate that the long-term up-trend is weakening. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero already warns of a primary down-trend. Recovery above $1700 is unlikely but would indicate respect of the rising trendline and continuation of the long-term up-trend.

Spot Gold

* Target calculation: 1550 – ( 1800 – 1550 ) = 1300

The Gold Bugs Index, representing un-hedged gold stocks, is in a clear primary down-trend since breaking support at 500. Peaks below zero on 63-day Twiggs Momentum also signal a strong down-trend. Spot gold is likely to follow unless the Fed changes course and announces further quantitative easing.

Gold Bugs Index

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.

March 29, 2012

Forex: Euro, Pound & Yen

The Euro is headed for another test of resistance at $1.35. Breakout would signal an initial advance to $1.40. Recovery of 63-day Twiggs Momentum above zero would signal a primary up-trend.

EUR/USD

* Target calculation: 1.35 + ( 1.35 – 1.30 ) = 1.40

Pound Sterling displays a similar pattern, testing resistance at $1.60. Recovery of 63-day Twiggs Momentum above zero signals a primary up-trend. Initial target for the breakout would be $1.64.

GBP/USD

* Target calculation: 1.60 + ( 1.60 – 1.56 ) = 1.64

The Greenback is retracing against the Japanese Yen, testing medium-term support at ¥82. A short retracement is likely and respect of support at ¥82 would signal another strong advance.

USD/JPY

* Target calculation: 84 + ( 84 – 82 ) = 86

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.

March 29, 2012

Forex: CAD, AUD, ZAR

Canada’s Loonie continues a narrow consolidation below $1.01, suggesting an upward breakout in response to higher oil prices. Recovery of 63-day Twiggs Momentum above zero indicates a primary advance. Target for the advance would be the 2011 high of $1.06. Breach of the rising trendline is unlikely, but would warn of reversal.

CAD/USD

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

The Aussie Dollar reflects broader weakness in commodities. Breach of the rising trendline would warn of a decline to test primary support at $0.96, while respect would indicate another test of $1.08 — and suggest an upward breakout.

AUD/USD

Against the South African Rand, the Aussie Dollar continues to test support at R8.00. Narrow consolidation suggests a downward breakout and test of the long-term trendline at R7.50. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero would warn of a primary down-trend.

AUD/ZAR

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

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.

March 29, 2012

Gold and the Dollar both weaken

The Dollar Index is retracing to test primary support at 78.00 on the weekly chart. Respect of the rising trendline would signal continuation of the primary up-trend, while failure of support would warn of a down-trend to test support at 73.00. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero would strengthen the bear warning.

US Dollar Index Weekly Chart

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

Despite the weakening dollar, spot gold is headed for the long-term rising trendline on the weekly chart. Failure of support at $1600/ounce would warn that the primary trend is weakening, while failure of $1500 would signal that the trend has reversed. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum into negative territory — for the second time recently after several years above zero — already warns of a primary down-trend.

Spot Gold Weekly Chart

* Target calculation: 1500 – ( 1800 – 1500 ) = 1200

The 4-hour chart shows gold respecting resistance at $1700 before retreating below medium-term support at $1670. Failure of short-term support at $1655 (the 0.618 Fibonacci retracement level) would test $1630 and signal continuation of the down-trend. Recovery above $1700 is unlikely but would signal respect of the long-term rising trendline (on the weekly chart above) and resumption of the primary up-trend.

Spot Gold 4-Hour Chart

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.

March 25, 2012

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.

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.

March 22, 2012

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

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.

March 22, 2012

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

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.

March 22, 2012

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

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.

March 15, 2012

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

March 15, 2012

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