**Malawi Should Prepare for Further Kwacha Depreciation Against the USD: Economic Analysis and Elliott Wave Insights 📉🇲🇼💵**
**Technical Analysis:** The USD/MWK pair completed wave 1 on April 22, 2013, reaching 418.64. Following a corrective wave 2 that concluded on June 1, 2013, at 302, the market surged into an extended wave 3, peaking at 1675 in November 2023. Wave 4 correction ended on March 4, 2024, with the current price at 1716, positioning the pair for the final wave 5. According to Elliott Wave theory, this pattern indicates further depreciation for the Malawian Kwacha (MWK) as wave 5 completes its cycle.
**Fundamental Context:**
Malawi faces substantial economic challenges:
- **Fiscal Deficit:** Over recent years, Malawi has consistently recorded significant fiscal deficits:
- **2021/2022:** The deficit amounted to K1,171.7 billion, equivalent to 92% of total revenue, reflecting extensive reliance on borrowing to cover expenditures.
- **2022/2023:** The deficit reduced to K678.2 billion but remained high at 35% of total revenue.
- **2023/2024:** The deficit increased to K987.5 billion, representing 54% of total revenue, underscoring ongoing fiscal strain.
- **High Inflation Rate:** Currently at 32.7%, inflation in Malawi has exacerbated economic instability rather than fostering growth, impacting the value of the Kwacha negatively.
- **Unemployment:** With a rate of 5.6%, Malawi faces labor market challenges amid broader economic pressures.
**Additional Perspective:**
The current black market valuation of the Kwacha at 2500 MWK per USD suggests a potential overvaluation relative to economic fundamentals. Given prevailing economic pressures such as high inflation and persistent fiscal deficits, the depreciation of the Kwacha seems inevitable. This view is reinforced by technical analysis indicating the completion of wave 5, signaling a crucial phase likely to result in further depreciation.
Considering these economic challenges and technical insights, traders are advised to evaluate potential selling opportunities in the USD/MWK pair. The anticipated completion of wave 5 marks a pivotal moment where the true value of the Kwacha may be revealed through its depreciation against the US Dollar.
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