Asia: Governor Kuroda bets on QE

Aggressive asset purchases by the Bank of Japan shows Governor Kuroda’s willingness to back his QE policy to the hilt. The Yen has weakened significantly against the Dollar over the last two years and this trend is likely to continue.

USDJPY

The Nikkei 225 surged through 16300, signaling a fresh advance. The long-term target is 18000*. Reversal below 16000 is unlikely, but would warn of another correction. Recovery of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow above zero indicates medium-term buying pressure.

Nikkei 225

* Target calculation: 16000 + ( 16000 – 14000 ) = 18000

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index is testing resistance at 24000. Reversal below 23000 would warn of a primary down-trend. Breach of 21200 would confirm. Reversal of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow below zero would strengthen the bear signal. Follow-through above 25000 is unlikely, but would signal another primary advance.

Hang Seng Index

China’s Shanghai Composite Index respected support at 2250, strengthening the bull signal. Follow-through above 2450 would confirm a primary up-trend. 13-Week Twiggs Money Flow remains in an up-trend, signaling medium-term buying pressure. Reversal below 2250 is unlikely, but would warn of trend weakness.

Shanghai Composite Index

* Target calculation: 2250 + ( 2250 – 2000 ) = 2500

India’s Sensex continues in a primary up-trend, testing resistance at 28000. Troughs above zero on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicate buying pressure. Short retracements rather than stronger corrections also suggest buying pressure. Breakout above 28000 would indicate an advance to 29000. The index is becoming over-extended, but may remain so for some time. Reversal below 27000 and the secondary trendline is less likely, but would indicate a correction to the primary trendline around 25000.

Sensex

* Target calculation: 27000 + ( 27000 – 26000 ) = 28000

Aussie Dollar & Yen break support

Dollar strength is affecting not only gold and commodities, but even the strongest of the currency crosses.

The Aussie Dollar broke support at $0.92 against the greenback, warning of a correction. Expect support at $0.89. Reversal of 13-week Twiggs Momentum below zero, however, suggests a primary down-trend — confirmed if primary support at $0.87 is penetrated. Recovery above $0.925 is unlikely, but would indicate a false break.

Aussie Dollar

The greenback similarly broke through resistance at ¥105.50 against the Japanese Yen. Rising 13-week Twiggs Momentum above zero signals a primary up-trend. Reversal below ¥105 is unlikely, but would warn of another test of ¥104.

USD/JPY

* Target calculation: 105.5 + ( 105.5 – 101 ) = 110

The Euro is already in a primary down-trend against the Dollar. Declining 13-week Twiggs Momentum, below zero, confirms a strong down-trend. Expect support at $1.2750/$1.2800, but a rally is unlikely to break the descending trendline and resistance at $1.31.

Euro/USD

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

Nikkei finds Yen support

The US Dollar found solid support at ¥101 against the Yen. Recovery above ¥103 would suggest an advance to ¥111*. Breakout above ¥106 would confirm. Recovery above the December 2013 high on 13-week Twiggs Momentum would strengthen the signal. Breach of support at ¥101 is unlikely, but would warn of a correction to primary support at ¥96.

Nikkei 225

* Target calculation: 106 + ( 106 – 101 ) = 111

The Nikkei 225 found support at 14000. Recovery above 15000 would indicate another attempt at 16000. Completion of a 13-week Twiggs Money Flow trough above zero would strengthen the signal.

Nikkei 225

* Target calculation: 16000 + ( 16000 – 14000 ) = 18000

Japan: Nikkei falls as Dollar weakens

The US Dollar is testing support at ¥102 to ¥103 against the Yen. Breach of the rising trendline would strengthen the warning from a bearish divergence on 13-week Twiggs Momentum. Reversal of Momentum below zero would suggest a primary down-trend. Recovery above ¥104 is less likely, but would offer a target of ¥110*.

Nikkei 225

* Target calculation: 106 + ( 106 – 102 ) = 110

A rising Dollar/Yen exchange rate would assist Japanese stocks. The Nikkei 225 is testing support at 15000 after penetrating its rising trendline. Bearish divergence on 13-week Twiggs Money Flow warns of selling pressure. Reversal below 15000 would indicate a strong correction, while a Twiggs Money Flow cross below zero would warn of a primary down-trend.

Nikkei 225

Yen breaks 5-year trend

The US Dollar broke its 5-year down-trend against the Japanese Yen. Penetration of the descending trendline from 2007 indicates that a bottom is forming. Breakout above resistance at ¥80 would signal the start of a primary up-trend, with an initial target of ¥86, confirming the long-term bullish divergence on 63-day Twiggs Momentum.

US Dollar/Japanese Yen

Yen set for a major reversal

This is a 20-year (monthly) chart of the US dollar against the Japanese yen. The dollar has declined in a primary down-trend since early 2008. Long-term support at 80 failed to halt the fall and the greenback is now ranging between ¥75 and ¥80. The down-trend is in its fourth year and large bullish divergence on 63-day Twiggs Momentum warns of a reaction. Penetration of the declining trendline would strengthen the signal and breakout above 80 would confirm, offering a long-term target of 100.

USDJPY

Japanese yen

The Bank of Japan is taking measures to suppress the yen against the greenback. The long-term chart shows why their efforts are destined to fail: the dollar has maintained a strong down-trend against the yen for a number of years. Failure of support at ¥76 would indicate that the BOJ’s latest efforts have failed and will offer a target of 72*.

USDJPY

* Target calculation: 76 – ( 80 – 76 ) = 72

Forex: Euro and the Aussie dollar strengthen

The euro is testing resistance at the former support level of $1.40, in the hope that the bailout out-lined today will rescue the euro-zone from its debt crisis. We will probably read fairly disparate views over the next few weeks before the varying viewpoints synthesize into a clear market direction. Reversal below $1.365 would warn of a decline to $.20*, while narrow consolidation below the resistance level would suggest a breakout and advance to the 2011 highs.

EURUSD

* Target calculation: 1.30 – ( 1.40 – 1.30 ) = 1.20

The Pound similarly rallied to $1.60. Respect would re-test primary support at $1.53, while breakout would target $1.67.

GBPUSD

* Target calculation: 1.53 – ( 1.60 – 1.53 ) = 1.46

The dollar broke support at ¥76, continuing its long-term (mega) down-trend against the Yen.  Target for the breakout is ¥72*.

USDJPY

* Target calculation: 76 – ( 80 – 76 ) = 72

The Aussie benefited from the weaker greenback, recovering above $1.04 to signal an attempt at $1.08*. Penetration of the descending trendline indicates that the down-trend is weakening.

AUDUSD

* Target calculation: 1.04 + ( 1.04 – 1.00 ) = 1.08

The Aussie and Loonie both closely follow commodity prices. Respect of the upper trend channel on the CRB Index would warn of another down-swing.
CRB Commodities Index
Canda’s Loonie is testing resistance at $1.00 against the greenback. Reversal below $0.975 would warn of another down-swing, while breakout above parity would target $1.02*.

CADUSD

* Target calculation: 1.00 + ( 1.00 – 0.98 ) = 1.02

The Aussie dollar completed a double bottom against its Kiwi counterpart (probably due to lost man-hours after celebrating their Rugby World Cup win). Expect a test of $1.32* followed by retracement to confirm support at $1.28.

AUDNZD

* Target calculation: 1.28 + ( 1.28 – 1.24 ) = 1.32

The South Africans went home early (from the RWC) and a descending triangle on the USDZAR warns of  downward breakout to test support at $7.20.

USDZAR

* Target calculation: 7.80 – ( 8.40 – 7.80 ) = 7.20

Euro rallies on hope of bank rescue

The euro is headed for a test of $1.40 against the greenback, on the hope that European banks will be re-capitalized after taking a haircut on the PIIGS bonds. There still appears to be some confusion — I suspect deliberate — as to who will pay, with German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble suggesting that banks first attempt to raise money from investors. Given the current state of financial markets, private investment will be scarce and European taxpayers are likely to end up with sizable stakes in a number of banks. Expect resistance at $1.40 to be followed by another test of support at $1.30*.

EURUSD

* Target calculation: 1.40 – ( 1.50 – 1.40 ) = 1.30

The pound is similarly headed for resistance at $1.60. Respect would signal another test of $1.53.

GBPUSD

* Target calculation: 1.53 – ( 1.60 – 1.53 ) = 1.46

Canada’s Loonie and the Aussie dollar both benefited from a surge in commodity prices. Expect the CADUSD to find resistance at parity, followed by another test of support at $0.94.

CADUSD

* Target calculation: 1.00 – ( 1.06 – 1.00 ) = 0.94

The Aussie will find resistance between $1.02 and the descending trendline. Respect is likely and would indicate another test of $0.94.

AUDUSD

* Target calculation: 1.02 – ( 1.10 – 1.02 ) = 0.94

The Aussie has formed a broad double bottom against its Kiwi counterpart. AUDNZD breakout above $1.28 would signal a primary advance to $1.32*.

AUDNZD

* Target calculation: 1.28 + ( 1.28 – 1.24 ) = 1.32

Support is holding firm on the dollar-yen cross — with assistance no doubt from the BOJ. Expect a narrow range between 76 and 78.

USDJPY

The South African rand is testing support at R7.70 against the greenback, after penetrating its rising trendline. Probably because of all the visitors returning early from the Rugby World Cup. 🙂 Apparently they have invited the referee to run a series of clinics in South Africa on his novel interpretation of the forward-pass rule. I suggest that he decline — it could get violent. Failure of support would offer a target of R7.00*

USDZAR

* Target calculation: 7.70 – ( 8.40 – 7.70 ) = 7.00

Japanese Yen

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The dollar is testing support at ¥76, continuing its long-term bear-trend against the yen. Failure of support would signal a decline to ¥72*.

USDJPY

* Target calculation: 76 – ( 80 – 76 ) = 72