Forex Trading

US Dollar’s Future in the Hands of Speculators

Fundamental Outlook for US Dollar: Bullish

- Even the IMF pegs the US dollar as the top funding currency for a market hungry for yield
- A sharp jump in the trade deficit and drop in consumer confidence contradict an outlook for recovery
- The US dollar has held its low; but can the greenback finally reverse course or will it once again collapse?

The dollar was able to manage its most aggressive rally against its chief counterpart (the euro) in months this past week; but the move would not last. Without a scheduled or unscheduled event to dramatically alter the dollar’s status in the well-worn carry trade, risk appetite would ensure the currency would remain shackled to its eight-month old bearish trend channel. Looking out over the week to come, the most pressing question for any trader is determining if and when the greenback will finally catalyze its next trend. Some may argue that direction is the primary concern; but without momentum and follow through, the result is fundamental chop that leaves the market open to volatility while slowly building up the pressure behind the eventual breakout. So, is there potential for a clear, dollar trend in the week ahead?

While there are a few notable economic indicators scheduled for release over the coming days, the experienced fundamental trader knows there is a low probability that any one (or very likely all of data working in conjunction) could actually leverage such a meaningful change of trend. These indicators’ principal value is in establishing the forecasted pace of economic recovery and, to a lesser extent, offering minor adjustments to the Fed’s time frame for a return to a hawkish policy regime. However, those following the dollar know that the asset’s primary role is as the safe haven and funding currency for the broader market. Therefore, the analysis on this single currency’s future turns into an assessment of overall risk appetite through the global financial markets. Taking a more expansive look at sentiment, there seem to be few scheduled events or indicators that can spark fear or greed all on its own. In fact, the quality of the data is all-in-all relatively reserved. Somewhat counter-intuitively, these may be the ideal conditions to reestablish a true bias. Often times, when there is a major market-moving event due; price action leading up to its release is muted as traders do not want to leverage risk by increasing exposure. What’s more, if the news doesn’t fall far from forecasts or it otherwise doesn’t play into the larger market themes; a modest increase in volatility is all it can rouse. More often than not, it is those times when the docket is otherwise unencumbered that we see sentiment build momentum and define new trends.

Through the coming weeks and months there is little doubt that risk appetite will define the dollar’s future. However, eventually this negative correlation will eventually fade. To break from the all-consuming fundamental current, the greenback will need to shed its role of the market’s safe haven and funding currency (depending on whether optimism or pessimism is the primary temperament at any time). Altering this brand will be difficult; but a shift in interest rates (target and market) and/or the fiscal health of the US can do it. Currently, the benchmark market rate, the three-month Libor, is at a discount to its Japanese counterpart (history’s favored carry trade component) at 0.2725 percent. A major shift in capital flows into the US or an accelerated timeline for Fed rate hikes can change this. To increase the tepid probabilities of a near-term rate hike (there is a mere 5.7 percent chance for January 27th and only 44 percent probability for June 23rd according to Fed Fund futures), we will take note of the week’s economic offerings. Retail sales will serve as a barometer for consumer spending (accounting for approximately three-quarters of GDP) and the October CPI numbers will reveal whether there is any merit to hawkish concerns through fears of looming inflation. – JK

For the past 24 hours, the Dollar-yen did not break any of the levels specified in yesterday's report, it did not penetrate 90.23, it did not drop below 89.53. The most important thing to happen from a technical point of view was the fact that the falling trendline and the rising broken trendline came closer to each other. The most important resistance is provided by the falling trendline from October 27th top, which is currently at 90.00.

The bears will be in control as long as price is below this line that provides today's most important resistance. And if this happens, we expect the price to fall and test Fibonacci 61.8% support for the short-term at 89.56, and may be a break as well, that will lead to the important bottom 88.82. If the opposite of what we expect happens, and we break the resistance 90.00, the price will be on its way to 90.90 first, and may be 91.31 later.

Support:

• 89.56: Fibonacci 61.8% for the short-term.

• 88.82: Oct 14th low, and an important low for determining the medium-term trend.

• 88.33: previous support.

Resistance:

• 90.00: the falling trendline from Oct 27th high.

• 90.90: a well known previous support/resistance.

• 91.31: Nov 4th high.

The Euro fluctuated in a tight range, breaking both the support & resistance specified in yesterday's report, without reaching the target in either cases, and without any large moves to follow the breaks. Short-term support is still at 1.4975 where there is the moving average SMA100, and the previous support. If broken, the Euro will probably fall today in a correction for the last move up from 1.4625, targeting 1.4886 & 1.4836 and may be the most important support for medium-term currently at 1.4786. In this case, the later will become a crucial support, for setting the direction for the next few days, because breaking it would indicate that the drop from 1.5047 is not just a correction.

For the past 24 hours, the Dollar-yen did not break any of the levels specified in yesterday's report, it did not penetrate 90.23, it did not drop below 89.53. The most important thing to happen from a technical point of view was the fact that the falling trendline and the rising broken trendline came closer to each other. The most important resistance is provided by the falling trendline from October 27th top, which is currently at 90.00.

For the past 24 hours, the Dollar-yen did not break any of the levels specified in yesterday's report, it did not penetrate 90.23, it did not drop below 89.53. The most important thing to happen from a technical point of view was the fact that the falling trendline and the rising broken trendline came closer to each other. The most important resistance is provided by the falling trendline from October 27th top, which is currently at 90.00.

The dollar mostly lost ground Friday, with strategists attributing the modest weakness to market participants taking profits on the greenback's recent bounce.

Technical considerations appeared to be the biggest factor in Friday's currency dealings, even with data reported from opposite sides of the Atlantic showing the European economy returning to growth as well as a wider-than-predicted U.S. trade deficit for September, analysts said.

The dollar index (DXY), a measure of the U.S. unit against a trade-weighted basket of rival currencies, fell to 75.551 compared to 75.648 in late New York trading on Thursday.

The greenback briefly extended losses after data showed that the U.S. trade imbalance widened more than forecast, to USD36.5 billion in September, and that import prices rose 0.7% last month.

Meanwhile, the euro retreated against the Japanese yen and the British pound as euro-zone data showed the 16-nation region that shares the single currency returned to growth in the third quarter, but at a slower pace than expected.

The euro fetched USD1.4843, giving up an earlier gain to stand virtually unchanged from USD1.4841 late Thursday. The single currency fell by 0.8% and 0.4% against the yen and the pound, respectively.

The dollar bought 89.74 yen, down from 90.35 yen on Thursday.

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