Coverage of all major currencies and the US Dollar Index.
The falling euro strengthens the US Dollar Index which broke through resistance at 76.00. Breakout completes the base which has been forming over the past 5 months. Retracement is likely; and respect of the new support level at 76.00 would confirm a primary up-trend, while failure would warn of a bull trap.
* Target calculation: 76 + ( 76 – 73 ) = 79
The Aussie Dollar is testing support at $1.045 against the greenback; failure would warn of another down-swing to parity*. Breakout above $1.075, however, would re-visit $1.10.
* Target calculation: 1.05 – ( 1.10 – 1.05 ) = 1.00
AUDUSD is strongly influenced by commodity prices and closely tracks the CRB Commodities Index. $CRB is rising and breakout above 350 would indicate a primary advance to 385* — suggesting increased support for the Aussie Dollar.
* Target calculation: 350 + ( 350 – 315 ) = 385
The Dollar Index rallied strongly but expect stubborn resistance between 76.00 and 76.50. Consolidation between 73.00 and 76.50 has continued for more than four months, but we are in a bear trend and downward breakout remains likely. Failure of support at 73.00 would offer a target of 70.00*. Any hint of quantitative easing in the next FOMC announcement, on September 21st, would accelerate the sell-off.
* Target calculation: 73 – ( 76 – 73 ) = 70
Australia is a large net borrower from the rest of the world. A large deficit in a capital account along with a deficit in the balance of trade while the currency is rising are all strong evidence that Australia has a problem with currency speculation.
Currency speculation, sometimes called “hot money” , needs to be controlled because it can cause some serious imbalances in the local economy both on the way in, and on the way out. There are a number of well-known symptoms for hot money in-flows, these include:
• Asset bubbles
• Currency appreciation
• Inflation
via Fighting Australia’s “hot money” problem – macrobusiness.com.au.
The Aussie Dollar followed commodities higher, breaking through $1.06 to signal a test of resistance at $1.10. 63-Day Momentum holding above zero suggests continuation of the up-trend. In the long term, breakout above $1.10 would offer a target of $1.20* — though this is only likely if we see more quantitative easing from the Fed.
* Target calculation: 1.10 + ( 1.10 – 1.00 ) = 1.20
The Aussie Dollar is testing the upper trend channel against its Kiwi counterpart; breakout would warn that the down-trend is weakening. Reversal below $1.245 would warn of a test of the lower trend channel.
* Target calculation: 1.24 – ( 1.28 – 1.24 ) = 1.20
The Dollar Index continues to test the band of support at 73.00 to 73.50. The recent failed up-swing (it did not reach 76.00) suggests selling pressure. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum oscillating below zero indicates a strong down-trend. Breakout below 73.00 would offer a medium-term target of 70.00*.
* Target calculation: 73 – ( 76 – 73 ) = 70
The Aussie Dollar continues to consolidate between $1.03 and $1.06 against the greenback. Failure of support at $1.03 would test parity, while breakout above $1.06 would target resistance at $1.10. In the long term, declining commodity prices are likely to drag the Aussie lower — unless the Fed starts printing money again.
* Target calculation: 1.03 – ( 1.06 – 1.03 ) = 1.00
The Aussie Dollar is testing the upper border of the declining trend channel against its Kiwi counterpart. Reversal below short-term support at $1.255 would indicate respect of the upper channel and a down-swing to around $1.20*. Breakout above $1.28 is unlikely but would warn that the down-trend is weakening.
* Target calculation: 1.24 – ( 1.28 – 1.24 ) = 1.20
The Dollar Index is testing primary support at 73.00. Penetration of the declining long-term trendline is only tentative at this stage and failure of support would warn of a down-swing to 70.00*. Announcement of QE3 by the Fed on Friday would cause a sharp fall, while absence of further easing would strengthen support.
* Target calculation: 73 – ( 76 – 73 ) = 70
The Australian Dollar is edging towards the upper trend channel against its Kiwi counterpart, but the primary trend remains downward. Respect of the upper channel (and resistance at $1.28) would signal a test of the lower border at the 2010 low of $1.21.
* Target calculation: 1.23 – ( 1.28 – 1.23 ) = 1.18
The Aussie Dollar recovered above the former primary support level at $1.04, testing resistance at $1.06. Breakout would indicate an advance to $1.10. But there are several question-marks over the latest advance. First, the rally has accompanied a similar recovery on the ASX 200 (to test resistance at 4500). If resistance holds, as expected, the AUD is likely to retreat.
* Target calculation: 1.04 – ( 1.10 – 1.04 ) = 0.98
Second, the CRB Commodities Index confirmed a primary down-trend with a sharp fall below 335. The primary trend is unlikely to reverse at this stage and another down-swing would drag the Aussie Dollar lower.
* Target calculation: 330 – ( 350 – 330 ) = 310
