South Korea: BoK raised rates by 50 bps – UOB

 Economist at UOB Group Ho Woei Chen, CFA, comments on the latest interest rate decision by the Bank of Korea (BoK).

Key Takeaways

“Bank of Korea (BoK) ratcheted up its benchmark base rate by an outsized 50bps to 3.00% in Oct. This was the second time that the central bank had hiked by a 50bps pace following a similar move in Jul. The strengthened policy move was in response to the high inflation as well as sharp depreciation in the won which was seen adding more inflationary pressure through higher imported prices.”

“Despite opting for a larger 50bps hike, BoK’s tone was evidently more downbeat as Governor Rhee Chang-yong flagged weaker growth outlook for the global and South Korean economies.”

German government expects economy to contract by 0.4% in 2023 – Reuters

 The German government still expects the economy to tip into recession next year despite the gas price brake that was presented on Monday, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing government sources.

The economy is now expected to contract by 0.4% in 2023 and inflation is seen at 8% and 7% in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Market reaction

This headline doesn't seem to be having a noticeable impact on risk mood. As of writing, Germany's DAX 30 Index was down 0.83% on a daily basis at 12,171.81 points.

Malaysia: Trade balance figures came on the strong side – UOB

 UOB Group’s Senior Economist Julia Goh and Economist Loke Siew Ting review the latest trade balance figures in Malaysia.

Key Quotes

“Malaysia’s external trade surprisingly posted stronger gains last month, in part due to year-ago low base effects. Export growth hit a 16-month high of 48.2% y/y in Aug (Jul: +38.0%, UOB est: +30.5%, Bloomberg est: +34.3%) as a result of a triple-digit gain in re-exports (+112.5%) versus a double digit gain in domestic exports (+34.8%). Imports posted the largest ever annual growth on record, at 67.6% (Jul: +41.8%, UOB est: +48.0%, Bloomberg est: +48.0%). This brought trade surplus higher to MYR16.9bn from MYR15.6bn in the preceding month.”

“Increased shipments of commodity-based and electrical & electronic (E&E) products amid stronger demand from almost all trading partners were key drivers of robust export growth in Aug. Exports of petroleum products, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and optical & scientific equipment registered the highest monthly value in the month. Exports to the ASEAN region, South Korea and Hong Kong improved by more than 50% while shipments to the US jumped the most in 15 months by 38.2%.”

“Given that Aug’s export reading defied our earlier expectations of a soft patch in the greater part of 2H22 and the 30.3% year-to-date export growth moved further apart from our full-year growth target of 18.0%, we now upgrade our export growth projection to 26.0% for 2022 with statistical base and commodity price effects remaining wildcards for the outlook. We expect the recent retreat in major commodity prices and lingering global uncertainties particularly a global recession risk to weigh on Malaysia’s export outlook going into 2023, leading to a modest export growth of 1.5% next year.”

Malaysia: BNM hikes rates again – UOB

 

Senior Economist Julia Goh and Economist Loke Siew Ting at UOB Group review the latest interest rate decision by the BNM.

Key Takeaways

“As widely expected, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) raised the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) today (8 Sep) by 25bps to 2.50%. This marks the third back-to-back rate hike since BNM started the hiking cycle in May this year as the economy recovered at a stronger pace. To date, BNM has hiked 75bps, which partly reversed the 125bps of rate cuts since the start of the pandemic in Jan 2020.”

“In the latest monetary policy statement (MPS), BNM continues to expect the domestic economy to expand, supported by private sector spending amid the transition to endemicity, positive labour market conditions, resumption of tourism activities and investments. However, BNM cautioned that external demand is expected to moderate amid softer global growth. BNM expects inflation to peak in 3Q22 before moderating thereafter amid abating base effects and easing global commodity prices.”

“BNM highlighted that there is no ‘pre-set course’ and the monetary policy committee (MPC) will continue to assess developments and their impact on domestic inflation and growth. BNM also reiterated that any adjustments will be done in a ‘measured and gradual’ manner. We think BNM may have signalled a temporary pause for rate hikes pending forward-looking growth and inflation dynamics. As such, we maintain our OPR target at 2.50% by year-end, and 3.00% by mid-2023. The next and final monetary policy meeting for the year is on 2-3 Nov.”

📕 Comment on Gold on April 20, 2022:

📕 Comment on Gold on April 20, 2022:

 - In yesterday's trading session, precious metal Gold had one day of decline from 1981 to 1943 ($38), closing the day session with a strong bearish candle around 1949. Gold has returned.  back to the upper boundary of the previous sideways range.  With Gold approaching this support zone, I think it's likely that Gold will have a rebound in the early trading session today.

 - On the H4 chart, Gold may recover to around the threshold of 1950-1951 and is expected to rise around the threshold of 1962-1965.  Here, there is a high possibility that Gold will face selling pressure and drop again.

EUR/USD: A test of the March 7 low near 1.0805 is still in the cards – BBH

 The euro bounced after the French election but remains heavy near 1.09. Economists at BBH note that the EUR/USD pair may test the March 7 low near 1.0805.

Run-off will be held between Macron and Le Pen

“Macron got 28% of the vote vs. 24% for Le Pen in the first round. One early poll shows Macron winning 54-46% in the second round, while another one is a lot closer at 51-49%. We warn of the so-called Bradley effect, which suggests that the polls will likely understate Le Pen’s support. If polls tighten up ahead of the runoff, we expect markets to become more jittery.”

“A break above 1.1050 is needed to signal a deeper correction towards the March 31 high near 1.1185.” 

“A test of the March 7 low near 1.0805 is still in the cards.”

EUR/USD pares back from multi-week highs in 1.1160s, still well supported after hot EZ inflation readings

 

• EUR/USD has pulled back from earlier multi-week highs in the 1.1160s but remains well supported in the 1.1140 area.
• USD continues to suffer from broad weakness versus the majority of its G10 counterparts despite less optimistic Russo-Ukraine updates.
• Meanwhile, hot Eurozone inflation data has encouraged euro buying as US data comes into focus.

Though the pair has waned from its earlier multi-week highs in the 1.1160s after selling pressure ahead of the 50-Day Moving Average near 1.1180 emerged, EUR/USD continues to trade with healthy on-the-day gains of about 0.4% in the 1.1130s. The US dollar continues to suffer from broad weakness versus the majority of its G10 counterparts, even as recent tailwinds in the global equity space subside amid less optimistic headlines regarding Russo-Ukraine peace talks, lifting EUR/USD. Another factor likely encouraging euro buying against the buck is recent hot inflation readings coming out of the Eurozone which, as ECB President Christine Lagarde this morning remarked, support the ECB’s recent shift towards ending QE in Q3 and signaling rate hikes in Q4.

Ahead of the release of preliminary national German Consumer Price Inflation metrics for March at 1300BST, regional state CPI data releases earlier in the session saw sizeable MoM and YoY gains. Meanwhile, the preliminary estimate of Spanish headline HICP inflation in March hit a staggering 9.8%, well above the 8.1% expected. Upcoming German inflation figures are expected to be hot and thus may not provoke a market reaction, and EUR/USD focus will quickly shift to US data scheduled for release shortly after. US private payroll company ADP releases its estimate of US employment change in March at 1315BST and, though ADP’s metric has been a poor predictor of the official NFP in recent months, traders will nonetheless take note.

Shortly after at 1330BST, the final estimate of US GDP growth in Q4 2021 will be released and there will be remarks from Fed’s Thomas Barkin, Raphael Bostic and Esther George, all of whom support the Fed’s recent hawkish shift. Fed hawkishness/strong economic data is arguably well priced into USD at this point, and further profit-taking on US dollar longs coupled with inflationary Eurozone data may well mean EUR/USD remains supported above 1.1100 and eyes a move towards 1.1200.

Euro edges higher as focus on Ukraine, yen rebounds vs dollar

The euro was edging higher on Friday, but concerns about a potential slowdown of the economy kept it in a tight range, while the dollar weakened as investors priced in the expected monetary tightening from the Federal Reserve.

"The combination of lingering Russia-related risks, high energy prices and Fed-ECB policy divergence still points to a weaker, rather than stronger, EUR/USD,” ING analysts said.

"EUR-USD remains quite stuck at around 1.10, with better-than-expected PMI surveys across the eurozone for March not sufficient to induce buying interest,” Unicredit (MI:CRDI) analysts said in a research note.

German business morale deteriorated in March due to worsening supply chain issues resulting from high petrol prices and driver shortages, a survey showed on Friday.

The single currency rose 0.1% to $1.1016

Derek Halpenny, head of global research markets at MUFG, said in a note to clients that some renewed optimism over the prospect of the end of the conflict in Ukraine “helped improve financial market conditions and weaken the U.S. dollar.”

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukrainians "need to achieve peace" and halt Russian bombardment.

The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback against six peers, edged 0.1% lower to 98.631

BofA analysts underlined markets priced in next moves from the Fed even before it started and a lot more rapidly than during the previous tightening cycle between 2015 and 2018.

Money markets are betting on 190 bps of Fed rate hikes by year-end, including an 80% chance of a 50 bps in May. [IRPR]

Japan’s yen staged a rebound versus the greenback, up 0.6%, after hitting a fresh low since December 2015 overnight on the difference in rate hike expectations between the Bank of Japan and other major central banks.

Analysts flagged that the Bank of Japan (BOJ) provided a bullish signal as it refrained from stepping into the market Friday morning, even as the 10-year government bond yield rose above the level at which the central bank had offered to buy an unlimited amount in February.

However, Governor Haruhiko Kuroda clarified that a weak yen benefits the economy.

“We don't expect a significant further depreciation of the yen versus the dollar. We think that at 115, it is fairly valued considering the Japanese central bank's dovish stance,” Roman Ziruk, market analyst at Ebury, said.

The Norwegian crown was down 0.2% lower against the euro after rising the previous day as the central bank raised its benchmark interest rate and said it now plans to hike at a faster pace than previously intended.

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Euro sinks to multi-year lows versus dollar, Swiss franc and sterling

The euro fell to a seven-year low versus the Swiss franc and hit its lowest point in almost two years versus the dollar on Friday as the war in Ukraine lowered expectations of European economic growth.

The European single currency fell 2.1% this week, and was set for its worst week since April 2020.

It was down 0.5% to $1.1010 at 0850 GMT, near its weakest level since May 2020, following news Russian forces seized the largest nuclear power plant in Europe after a building at the complex was set ablaze during fighting with Ukrainian defenders, Ukrainian authorities said on Friday.

Authorities later said the fire in a building identified as a training centre had been extinguished. U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said there were no indication of elevated radiation levels at the plant.

Versus sterling, the euro also hit its weakest level of 82.61 pence since July 2016. It touched its lowest level since January 2015 of 1.0114 against the safe-haven Swiss Franc.

Analyst said the effects of surging energy and gas prices will likely undermine European consumption and economic growth prospects.

"The ECB is going to have no alternative but to look through this surge in inflation but the Fed is not going to delay so we will see more monetary divergence again," said Mike Kelly, head of global multi-asset at PineBridge Investments.

"The dollar should be getting a new spring in its step structurally if things do get worse," Kelly added.

The U.S. dollar index rose 0.36% to 98.073, after touching its highest level since June 2020 against a basket of peers.

While money markets do not expect interest rate hikes at the ECB's next meeting, the U.S. Federal Reserve is all but certain to raise interest rates at its March 15-16 meeting for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell repeated his comments that he would back an initial quarter percentage point increase in the benchmark rate.

In Ukraine, Russian forces were pressing on with surrounding and attacking cities.

Elsewhere, the Australian dollar continued its advance, helped by the commodities boom, and rose 0.6% to a four-month high of $0.7370 versus the U.S. dollar.

High energy prices in turn have prevented the Japanese yen from benefiting as much from the safe haven flows, as Japan is a net importer of energy.

The yen briefly climbed on the dollar when news of the fire emerged, but later gave up those gains and was little changed at 115.37 per dollar.

Series on the Russia-Ukraine Crisis:

Russia and Ukraine on Thursday agreed on the need for humanitarian corridors to help civilians escape Moscow's eight-day invasion, the first clear progress in the talks, as the United States  in addition to Western sanctions on more oligarchs.

 Thousands of people are believed to have died or been injured in the biggest attack on a European country since the outbreak of World War Two, creating 1 million refugees, affecting the Russian economy and worrying  concerns about broader conflict in the West for decades.

 Russian forces continue to besiege and attack Ukrainian cities, including Mariupol, the main eastern port that is under heavy shelling, without electricity or water.  Officials said they were unable to evacuate the injured.

 After talks at an undisclosed location, Russia said "significant progress" had been made, but not the outcome Kyiv had hoped for.

 The two sides agreed to conduct a third round of negotiations.

Prediction on Gold on 03/03/2022:

- In yesterday's session, precious metal Gold fell from 1947 to 1914 ($33), closing the day session with a bearish candle around 1927. The drop was not too strong and recovered in  end of trading day.  In my personal opinion, the increasing force of Gold is still dominant, so in today's session, the option will be to buy.

 - On the H4 time frame, the nearest support area for this precious metal is around 1914-1919.  Here we can establish a long position with a safe target around 1935-1940.  Then there is a signal I will update later.

Comment on Gold on February 28, 2022:

 Last week, we saw very strong fluctuations, Gold price bounced up quickly to 1974 and then fell sharply to 1877, closing the session with a bearish candle around 1889. At the beginning of the session.  this morning's trading World gold opened the first session of the week with about GAP increasing to nearly 1930 at the opening session and then decreasing after that.  With the Russian military campaign in Ukraine along with the tension of the US and its allies, it is very difficult at this time for Gold to fall deeply, so in my opinion, the possibility of Gold will continue to gain momentum.  get a raise.

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On the H4 time frame, Gold is showing signs of completing the GAP and if Gold returns to around 1900, this is the price range we can consider buying in with this precious metal with a target of 193x.  Another note is that currently, the amplitude of Gold at this time will be quite large, so everyone balances the volume and capital for safer transactions.

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 European Commission President Says Financial Sanctions Target 70% of Russian Banks!

 Von Der Leyen said the steps agreed by EU leaders include financial sanctions, targeting 70% of Russian banks and key state-owned companies, including in the defense sector.

 - Sanctions against Russia will increase Russia's borrowing costs and increase inflation

📕 Comment on Gold on February 23, 2022:

 

- In yesterday's session, precious metal Gold, after bouncing up to 1913, fell to 1891, then fluctuated in two directions in 1894-1905, closing the day session with a bearish candle around 1898. Although it closed with a bearish candle, the decline in Gold was not strong and the criticized between the US and Russia related to the Ukraine crisis boosted safe-haven demand for the precious metal. So in my personal opinion Gold will still be supported uptrend in today's session. - Currently around 1893-1898 is the closest support area for this precious metal, where investors can establish a buy position with a safe target around 1912 and expect it to be around 1912. 192x in today's trading session.

📕 Comment on Gold on February 21, 2022:

- In the last trading week, precious metal Gold had a good week of growth from 1844 to 1902, closing the week session with a bullish candle around 1898, this is the highest price range that Gold reached. within the past 7 months. With Gold showing such good upward force, in my opinion in the coming time this precious metal will continue to conquer the next peaks.

 - Early this morning Gold bounced slightly to the 1908 price zone, this is the resistance zone of precious metal Gold and the possibility of a slight downward correction, so we can establish a sell position with this metal with The safe target is around 1885. Here we will wait for the price reaction to see whether to buy or not, then I will have an update.

Comment on Gold on February 18, 2022:

 - In yesterday's trading session, precious metal Gold rebounded strongly from 1867 to 1901, closing the day session with a strong bullish candle that broke the previous resistance area of 1878.  With this overwhelming bullish force, in my opinion, precious metal Gold will continue to gain momentum in today's session.

 - Moving to the H4 time frame Gold is currently having a slight downward correction and I expect Gold to fall around 1880-1885, this is the closest support price to the precious metal Gold that we can establish.  establish a buy position with a safe target around 1902 and expect 1910-1915.

EURO DOWNS AND SOLD AS WATER

 tterjee

LONDON (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar treaded water on Thursday and the Japanese yen held on to its earlier gains after a Russian news report of mortar fire in eastern Ukraine jangled market nerves and boosted the appeal of safe haven bets.

Russia-backed rebels accused Ukrainian forces of shelling their territory in violation of agreements aimed at ending conflict in the contested Donbass area, the RIA news agency said, a report later denied by Ukraine.

While the greenback retreated from its Asian highs after the news broke, investors remained wary that Russia will invade the Ukraine again despite rising optimism at the start of this week that a diplomatic solution would be found to prevent conflict.

Against a basket of its rivals, the dollar steadied at 95.747 after rising above 96 in early Asian trading.

But in a sign that markets were not panicking yet, the rouble remained below a November 2020 high of 80 hit last month, while bond yields were only modestly higher.

"This strongly suggests that market participants remain optimistic overall that conflict will be avoided," MUFG strategists said in a client note.

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The geopolitical news dwarfed the Fed's minutes of its January meeting, where policymakers agreed that it was time to tighten monetary policy but also that decisions would depend on a meeting-by-meeting analysis of data, according to minutes of the most recent policy meeting.

Short-dated U.S. Treasury yields fell and the yield curve steepened after the minutes as traders reassessed the probability of a 50 bps hike at the Fed's March meeting. Money markets were pricing in a 72% likelihood of a 50 bps hike next month compared to 80% at the start of the week.

The euro rebounded from earlier lows after falling as much as 0.4% after the Ukraine news. But Ukraine's denial and the location of the reported attack within already contested territory calmed things and the euro last sat at $1.1382.

The yen and the Swiss franc clung on to earlier gains, up 0.2% and 0.1% respectively versus the greenback.

📕 Prediction on Gold on February 17, 2022:

- In yesterday's trading session, precious metal Gold went right in its analysis when it bounced up from 1850 to 1872, closing yesterday's session with a bullish candle around 1869. With Gold in today's trading session. Yesterday, it regained its upward momentum after having 1 previous decline, in my opinion, it is likely that in today's session, Gold will still be supported by this increase.

 - Switching to the H4 time frame, we can see that the increase of the last 3 candles is relatively good and if in the beginning of today's session, Gold has a slight correction around 1862, this is an opportunity. so that ace can establish a buy position with a safe target in the "old top" zone 1872-1878.

Dollar is Lower; Tight Range Ahead of Inflaton

 The U.S. dollar edged lower Wednesday, but remained in a tight range the day before the release of key inflation data which could confirm the start of the Federal Reserve’s policy tightening process. 

At 2:55 AM ET (0755 GMT), the Dollar Index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six other currencies, traded 0.1% lower at 95.580, after bouncing off a 2-1/2-week low of 95.136 reached Friday. 

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The speed and timing of when central banks across the world start to lift interest rates is the main factor driving the foreign exchange markets these days, and in particular the Federal Reserve given the importance of the U.S. economy to global growth.

The dollar received a boost at the end of last week with the release of a much stronger than expected jobs report, and Thursday’s consumer price index should cement expectations that the U.S. central bank will raise interest rates next month.

The headline CPI is seen rising 0.5% on the month and 7.3% on the year in January, climbing to a four-decade high. Most in the market expected the Fed to lift interest rates by 25 basis points in March, a stronger print could offer support to those tipping a larger 50 basis point rise.

“We think that Friday’s payrolls numbers have helped build a floor under the dollar as markets should continue to cement their hawkish views on Fed tightening into the March meeting,” said analysts at ING, in a note.

Elsewhere, EUR/USD edged lower to 1.1412, retreating from the highs seen last week after the European Central Bank policy meeting, as President Christine Lagarde tried Monday to rein in these expectations for aggressive action with growth in the Eurozone still fragile.

“We still think that the market pricing of more than 50bp of higher overnight rates, i.e. around two 25bp rate hikes, until the end of the year looks excessive,” said analysts at Nordea, in a note.

Additionally, GBP/USD edged lower to 1.3538, USD/JPY fell 0.1% to 115.45, after the pair briefly touched a one-month high, while the risk-sensitive AUD/USD climbed 0.1% to 0.7148.

USD/PLN rose 0.1% to 3.9652 and EUR/PLN was flat at 4.5240, the day after Poland’s central bank lifted its benchmark rate by 50 basis points to 2.75%, increasing interest rates for a fifth consecutive month to an almost nine-year high in an attempt to curb record inflation levels.

Later Wednesday, the Riksbank holds its latest policy-setting meeting, with the markets increasingly looking at still-dovish central banks given the recent shift in many of their peers.

“The Swedish economy has overall developed better than projected by the Riksbank,” said Nordea, and “the development is strong enough for the Riksbank to trim its balance sheet.”

“However, we do not expect inflation to remain high long enough for the Riksbank to consider a rate hike.”

EUR/SEK traded 0.1% lower at 10.4226 and USD/SEK also down 0.1% at 9.1358.