Bank of Japan sitting on the fence on easy policy exitCentral banks packed quite a punch last week. Unlike the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank that raised policy rates by 25Bps, as was widely anticipated, the Bank of Japan (BOJ) on July 28 unexpectedly decided to tweak the Yield Curve Control (YCC) band.
The BOJ begins its withdrawal from YCC
It will now allow some deviation above the long-term rate cap of 0.5% and has raised the rate for its 10yr Japanese Government Bond (JGB) fixed-rate purchase operations to 1%. They are effectively doubling their YCC band as it has outlived its purpose over the last seven years. This is despite Governor Kazuo Ueda stressing the BOJs patience a week prior to the meeting leading to 82% of the economists surveyed by Bloomberg expecting no change. There is a strong likelihood the decision was made because the market was least expecting it, similar to the last YCC policy tweak made in December 2022. As it helps avoid the inevitable speculation about the impact of the change on the JGB curve thereby forcing the BOJ to step up its interventions.
It’s hard to determine whether the new YCC with greater flexibility and nimble responses in its purchase schedule will achieve the BOJs goal of sustainable and stable achievement of the 2% inflation target. Longer dated JGB yields are likely to stay under upward pressure until clearer signs emerge that Japanese inflation and wage pressure are easing again.
Core inflation at highest level since 1982
The deflationary headwinds confronting Japan have been around for decades. Signs of change have been seen in firms’ wage- and price-setting behaviour, and inflation expectations have shown some upward movements again (as seen in the chart above).
Spring in Japan is the season for shunto, the annual wage negotiations between company management and unions. This year some firms have already announced significant wage hikes in response to a tightening labour market and rising inflation. May wages rose by 2.9%1. However, a large part of the increase was tied to bonuses. Real wages fell by less but continued to decline by 0.9%2. Japanese headline inflation stayed at 3.2% year on year in July for three consecutive months3. However, core inflation excluding fresh food and energy, reaccelerated to 4.2%, marking the highest level since April 1982.
Looking ahead, headline inflation will likely slow owing to falling global commodity prices and base effects but core inflation will likely remain higher owing to structural change in the labour market.
BOJ struck a dovish tone with below target inflation forecasts
The BOJ’s inflation forecasts for the fiscal years ahead are expected to slow further. The BoJ lowered its (median) forecast for FY2024 to +1.9%4 and left its FY2025 projection unchanged at +1.6%3, in effect justifying ongoing easing from the Bank of Japan. BoJ Governor Ueda mentioned at the press conference that there is still some distance to foresee 2% price stability target in a stable and sustainable manner given our inflation outlook for FY2024 and FY2025. This echoes a dovish narrative on the new YCC regime and a continued communication that the BOJ intends to in effect ease policy by still increasing the monetary base via fixed operations.
More volatility beckons for risk assets
The initial response to the BOJs surprise decision was a sharp rise in Japanese bond yields. Japan’s benchmark bond yields surged, extending gains above the central bank’s previous 0.5% cap. The yen whipsawed, falling more than 1% before reversing course and rallying to trade about the same amount higher.
On Monday 31st July, the BOJ sprung another surprise announcement (2 days post the BOJ meeting) of an unscheduled bond-purchase operation to stem the rise in yields5. The BOJ intends to purchase ¥300Bn of five-to-10-year notes at market yields. This serves as an important reminder that the flexibility is intertwined with opaqueness, as the BOJ can intervene at any time (between 0.5% to 1%) which will continue to stoke volatility across risk assets. The BOJ has positioned the YCC as enhancing sustainability of its current accommodative policy. With Japan’s monetary environment likely to be kept relatively loose, the yen is likely to trade in a volatile range for the remainder of 2023.
Sources
1 Bloomberg as of 31 May 2023
2 Bloomberg 31 May 2023
3 Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication as of 20 July 2023
4 Bank of Japan as of 28 July 2023
5 Bloomberg as of 31 July 2023
This material is prepared by WisdomTree and its affiliates and is not intended to be relied upon as a forecast, research or investment advice, and is not a recommendation, offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities or to adopt any investment strategy. The opinions expressed are as of the date of production and may change as subsequent conditions vary. The information and opinions contained in this material are derived from proprietary and non-proprietary sources. As such, no warranty of accuracy or reliability is given and no responsibility arising in any other way for errors and omissions (including responsibility to any person by reason of negligence) is accepted by WisdomTree, nor any affiliate, nor any of their officers, employees or agents. Reliance upon information in this material is at the sole discretion of the reader. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.
Inflation
EURJPY in Focus: ECB Hikes and the BoJ’s Yield Curve ControlChristine Lagarde's remarks about an open-minded ECB, coupled with a robust labor market and persistently high inflation in the eurozone, continue to provide the ECB with reasons to lean towards hiking. While headline inflation may be trending downwards, core inflation remains steadfast in the eurozone. Following the meeting on July 27, the ECB raised interest rates by 25 basis points, elevating the key interest rate to 4.25%—its highest level since 2008.
Interestingly, the U.S. seems to be leading the way in this regard. Inflation and core inflation peaked earlier in the US, and the Federal Reserve has been raising rates more rapidly than the ECB. Given that the EU's inflation rates remain higher than those in the US and that the unemployment rate in the EU is still low, further hikes by the ECB appear plausible—especially considering that the U.S. continues to hike, albeit at a more advanced stage.
Last week, the Bank of Japan (BoJ) garnered attention by widening its yield curve control band, signaling a move towards policy normalization. Yet, markets remain skeptical. The subsequent whipsaw move placed the USDJPY pair at levels higher than those before the announcement.
The yield differential between the EUR and JPY interest rates exhibits a positive relationship, with the EURJPY appreciating as the yield gap widens. With the previous yield differential increase resulting in a 21% rise in the EURJPY, the currency pair's current 14% ascent seems to have room to grow further, particularly given the larger yield difference compared to past instances. However, it's worth noting the 1999 – 2000 period, where the yield differential increased, but market reactions lagged significantly.
From a technical perspective, we observe the EURJPY breaking out of a 30-year symmetrical triangle, often interpreted as a bullish continuation signal.
Upon closer examination, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) indicates that the market is not yet oversold, and the moving average cross still favours upward trajectory.
In conclusion, the ECB's potential inclination towards continued hikes, combined with market skepticism over the BOJ's recent moves, could lead to a stronger EUR and a softer JPY. A suitable strategy to capitalize on this view might be to take a long position in CME EURO/JAPANESE YEN Futures, quoted as Japanese Yen per Euro Increment. Entering at the current level of 156 with a stop at 152.5, and a take profit at 168, would provide a reasonable risk-reward ratio. It's worth noting that each 0.01 Japanese yen per Euro increment move equals 1250 yen.
The charts above were generated using CME’s Real-Time data available on TradingView. Inspirante Trading Solutions is subscribed to both TradingView Premium and CME Real-time Market Data which allows us to identify trading set-ups in real-time and express our market opinions. If you have futures in your trading portfolio, you can check out on CME Group data plans available that suit your trading needs www.tradingview.com
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The contents in this Idea are intended for information purpose only and do not constitute investment recommendation or advice. Nor are they used to promote any specific products or services. They serve as an integral part of a case study to demonstrate fundamental concepts in risk management under given market scenarios. A full version of the disclaimer is available in our profile description.
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Australian dollar takes a tumble as RBA pausesThe Australian dollar continues to swing wildly this week. In Tuesday's European session, AUD/USD is trading at 0.6630, down 1.30%. On Monday, AUD/USD jumped 1% higher.
There were no surprises from the Reserve Bank of Australia, which paused for a second straight month and maintained the cast rate at 4.10%. The money markets had priced in a pause but the Australian dollar still took a nosedive after the decision, as the money markets have lowered the probability of a rate hike in September to below 20%.
Recent key data showed that the Australian economy has cooled off, with inflation easing in the second quarter and retail sales for June falling by 0.8%. These numbers provided support for the RBA to take a pause at today's meeting. Still, the argument can be made that with inflation at 6%, double the upper band of the RBA's target range, there is room for further rate hikes.
The RBA did not change its inflation outlook, predicting that inflation would not return to the 2%-3% target range before late 2025. Services inflation, which includes rising rent prices, remains sticky and this is a key concern for the central bank.
Governor Lowe's rate statement said that future rate decisions "will depend upon the data and the evolving assessment of risks." This is a reminder that inflation and employment reports will play a key role in determining the RBA's rate path. There is speculation that the RBA is done with tightening, but with inflation still at high levels, Lowe's message to the markets was that further hikes remain on the table.
In the US, today's key event is ISM Manufacturing PMI. The manufacturing sector remains in the doldrums and has been in decline since October, with readings below the 50.0 level. In June, the Manufacturing PMI slipped to 46.0, the lowest level since May 2020. Another decline is expected for July, with a consensus estimate of 46.8 points.
AUD/USD has pushed below support at 0.6697. Below, there is resistance at 0.6573
There is resistance at 0.6771 and 0.6875
The Overnight Reverse Repo Facility Looks to be Bottoming OutMoney that has been parked at the Fed's Reverse Repo Facility due to the attractively high interest rates the Fed has set for money parked there has been on a steady decline since late 2022, and recently, this year we confirmed a breakdown of a Bearish Dragon, which led to a BAMM move down to complete a Harmonic M-shape.
This then represented an influx of liquidity exiting the facility and effectively hitting circulation, which led to that money chasing assets and commodities. This chasing of assets and commdoities effecctively backed the 2023 Stock Market Rally.
The target I had set for this move was down to the 0.886 of a Bullish Bat and now months later we can see that we came very close to it, but it would seem that rather than getting a full 0.886 retrace we are instead getting a confirmation-styled RSI reaction as price Bounces from the 1.618 Extension, which just so happens to align with an AB=CD formation it's made on the way down.
I see this as an indication that the liquidity will soon stop flowing out from the facility and that liquidity will now begin to flow back to the facility, effectively taking money out of circulation, which would likely result in a decline in asset prices and a decline in the trading of Short Term Debt on the open market, which could then lead to Short Term Yields rising overall along with the US Dollar as institutions once again begin to lock up their dollars in this facility and chase yield rather than assets.
Recently, I have been seeing a lot of weakness in the banking sector. That weakness may act as a catalyst for these institutions to once again park their money with the Fed, just as it did before. As always, my target for an ABCD is back to the Level of C, so we should see this rising back up about 30% before we can start looking for signs of this topping out again.
AUD/USD rebounds on stronger inflation releaseThe Australian dollar has started the week with strong gains. In the European session, AUD/USD is trading at 0.6708, up 0.91%. The Aussie has rebounded after falling 1.25% last week.
The Reserve Bank of Australia meets on Tuesday and is expected to maintain the cash rate at 4.10%. The past two rate meetings have been close calls and that could be the case at Tuesday's meeting. The money markets, however, are squarely leaning towards a pause, with only a 14% chance of a hike, according to the ASX RBA Rate Tracker.
Investors are basing expectations for a second straight pause on lower inflation and weaker retail sales. Both headline and core CPI eased in the second quarter, as inflation appears to be heading in the right direction. Retail sales surprised on the downside with a -0.8% reading in June, erasing the 0.8% gain in May and missing the consensus estimate of 0.0%.
The RBA could surprise the markets with a hike, as inflation has fallen to 6% but is double the RBA's upper band of its 1%-3% range. As well, the labour market remains tight and the central bank is concerned that could lead to higher wages which means an increase in inflation.
Tuesday's meeting will be the second to last for Governor Lowe, who may want to deliver another hike or two before his watch ends, in a bid to push inflation closer to the RBA's target. The RBA will release updated economic forecasts at the meeting, and investors will be especially interested in the inflation projections.
The Melbourne Institute Inflation Gauge jumped 0.8% in July, rebounding from 0.1% in June and beating the consensus estimate of 0.5%. The upswing was somewhat surprising given last week's inflation report which showed a significant slowdown in inflation. The Australian dollar has moved sharply higher following the release.
AUD/USD is testing resistance at 0.6697. Above, there is resistance at 0.6771
0.6573 and 0.6499 is providing support
EUR/USD rebounds after sharp lossesThe euro has bounced back on Friday after sliding 0.99% a day earlier. In the European session, EUR/USD is trading at 1.1018, up 0.38%. On the economic calendar, the US PCE Price index, the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, fell to 3.0% in June, down from 3.8% in May.
The European Central Bank raised interest rates by 0.25% on Thursday, bringing the main rate to 3.75%. The ECB statement warned that inflation, although on the decline, "is expected to remain too high for too long". The ECB did not provide any forward guidance, as the statement said the Governing Council would base its decisions on the data. ECB President Lagarde didn't add much to this stance, saying that ECB members were "open-minded" about rate decisions at upcoming meetings and wouldn't commit to whether the ECB would raise or pause in September.
The rate increase can be described as a 'hawkish hike', as the statement kept the door open for further hikes. Nevertheless, the euro lost ground following the decision, which could reflect expectations that the ECB is close to its peak rate, despite the hawkish rhetoric.
The eurozone economy is struggling, and this week's Services PMIs pointed to weakness in Germany and France, the biggest economies in the bloc. The eurozone could slip into recession this year, which means that the ECB will have to think carefully before its raises rates. On the other side of the coin, inflation, which is the ECB's number one priority, is at 5.5%, well above the target of 2%. The eurozone releases the July inflation report on Monday and the reading could be a key factor in the ECB's rate decision at the September meeting.
The euro lost further ground on Thursday after better-than-expected US data. In the second quarter, GDP rose 2.4% q/q, above the Q1 reading of 2.0% and the consensus estimate of 1.8%. US Durable Goods Orders and unemployment claims were better than expected, a further indication that the Fed may be able to guide the economy to a soft landing even with interest rates at their highest levels in 22 years.
EUR/USD is testing resistance at 1.1002. The next resistance line is 1.1063
There is support at 1.0895 and close by at 1.0861
AUD Bucks Trend after Fed Hikes Rates to 22-Year High The Federal Reserve has decided to increase interest rates by 25 basis points, reaching a range of 5.25% to 5.50%, marking the highest level seen in 22 years. Market participants widely anticipated this move as the Fed resumed its tightening campaign.
In their statement, the Fed expressed a positive outlook on economic growth, acknowledging that economic activity has been expanding at a moderate pace, which is a subtle improvement from the previous characterization of "modest" growth. The focus on consumer prices remained, with the Fed emphasizing that inflation continues to be elevated, and policymakers will closely monitor the risks it poses, mirroring their assessment from the previous month.
Following the announcement of the Fed's decision, the U.S. dollar retreated across the board. This movement in the dollar contributed to a boost in gold prices and an immediate focus is now on the $1,973 minor resistance and $1,978 further above.
An exception to the general trend is the Australian dollar, which bucked the trend after data revealed that domestic inflation slowed more than expected in the second quarter. This decrease in inflation reduced pressure on the Reserve Bank of Australia to implement further policy tightening measures. The data showed that Australia's consumer price index rose by 6%, a deceleration from the 7% recorded in the first quarter and below the market's expectations of 6.2%. Consequently, the Australian dollar weakened to approximately $0.676.
EUR/USD quiet ahead of Fed decisionThe euro is showing limited movement for a second consecutive day. In Wednesday's European session, EUR/USD is trading at 1.1063, up 0.07%.
The Federal Reserve meets later today, and it's close to a certainty that the Fed will raise rates by 0.25%, which would bring the Fed Funds rate to a range of 5.25% to 5.50%. The FOMC will not be releasing any economic forecasts, which means investors will have to comb the rate statement and Jerome Powell's follow-up press conference for clues about future rate policy.
The money markets remain confident that today's rate hike will be the last in the current tightening cycle, which is a more dovish stance than what we've been hearing from Powell & Co. The Fed has reiterated that although inflation is heading in the right direction, it remains too high and more work needs to be done to bring inflation back to the 2% target.
Powell does not want the markets to become complacent about inflation, and for this reason, he is unlikely to close the door on future rate hikes, even if he hints at a pause after today's expected increase. We can expect Powell to stick to the well-worn mantra of basing future rate decisions on economic data, in particular inflation and the strength of the labour market.
The ECB will announce its rate decision on Thursday, and like the Fed later today, it's a virtual certainty that the ECB will raise rates by 0.25%. What happens after that? The minutes of the June meeting, released earlier this month, signalled that a September hike is a strong possibility. Members noted that "monetary policy had still more ground to cover" and "the Governing Council could consider increasing interest rates beyond July, if necessary."
ECB policy makers will make their rate determinations based on economic data, but that doesn't mean the decision will be clear-cut. The eurozone economy is struggling, which would support a pause. At the same time, inflation dropped to 5.5% in June, which is almost triple the ECB's target of 2%. Inflation remains the ECB's number one priority, which could mean another rate hike in September unless there is a sharp drop in inflation or a serious deterioration in economic growth.
EUR/USD is testing resistance at 1.1063. The next resistance line is 1.1170
There is support at 1.1002 and 1.0895
Aussie slips as inflation falls, Fed expected to hikeThe Australian dollar is in negative territory on Wednesday. In the European session, AUD/USD is trading at 0.6758, down 0.49%. The Aussie fell as much as 0.90% earlier in the day but has recovered some of these losses.
Australian inflation declined more than expected in the second quarter, sending the Australian dollar lower as pressure has eased on the Reserve Bank of Australia to raise interest rates.
Headline inflation rose 6% y/y in the second quarter, down from 7% in the first quarter and below the consensus estimate of 6.2%. June monthly inflation dipped to 5.4% y/y as expected, below the May reading of 5.5%. The RBA Trimmed Mean CPI, a key gauge of core inflation, fell to 5.9% y/y in Q2, down from 6.6% in Q1 and just below the consensus of 6.0%.
The positive inflation data was spoiled somewhat by services inflation, which accelerated to 6.3% in the second quarter, its highest level since 2001. A key factor driving up services inflation was higher rents, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The RBA meets on August 1st and investors have lowered the odds of a rate hike following the positive inflation report. The probability of a rate hike has fallen to 31%, down from 41% prior to the inflation report, according to the ASX RBA rate hike tracker. The RBA will release updated economic forecasts at the meeting, and investors will be especially interested in the inflation projections.
What happens after August? An extended pause is the RBA's preferred move, but that will likely require inflation to continue heading lower toward the 2% target. Otherwise, the RBA will still have work to do on the inflation front and would likely have to continue tightening rates.
The Federal Reserve is widely expected to raise rates at Wednesday's meeting, and investors have priced a hike at close to 100%. This would bring the benchmark rate to a range of 5.25% - 5.50%. Investors expect a pause in September but the Fed has signalled another rate hike after Wednesday's meeting. The Fed's rate policy will depend to a large extent on inflation levels and the strength of the labour market.
AUD/USD is testing support at 0.6767. Below, there is support at 0.6687
There is resistance at 0.6811 and 0.6891
US inflation data is at multi year resistance..Us inflation is at multi year resistance.it shows inflation has already peaked. once it will start coming down markets will rally to the upside. Will markets makes new ath sooner or later ? Well who knows?? Ask yourself that question.
Will fed stop rising rates for now?
Very unlikely.
Will fed could consider lowering the basis points ?
Most likely.
Will fed do it in upcoming meeting (23rd sep'22) this month?
Unlikely.
So… how’s that deflation narrative looking?We’ve become so accustomed to headlines of ‘peak inflation’ and falling input prices that some have been throwing the wonderful ‘deflation’ word around. And we think most would enjoy a bit of deflation, as that would result in lower interest rates. However, with commodity prices (particularly oil) being a key driver of inflation, a lot of the softness can be tied back to the underperformance of commodities over the past 12 months. Supply chain disruptions have also been in the rear-view mirror and no longer a concern (or are they?)
Over 30,000 UPS workers are vowing to strike if a new pay deal is not negotiated by 1 August, which should throw a nice spanner in the works of the US (and global) parcel delivery system. Russia has pulled out of a key grain deal and is bombing Ukraine ports to derail trade in the Black Sea. And India has banned rice exports (apart from Basmati) to fight domestic inflation, adding to fears of another round of food inflation.
It is therefore worth noting that the Thomson Reuters CRB commodities index is seemingly breaking out of a 12-month retracement on the monthly chart. Furthermore, the retracement lasted 11 months before June’s small bullish candle, so the broad commodities index may have bottomed in May at -19.8% y/y. And assuming this is the breakout of a falling wedge, it projects a target around the 329.60 high. But if it were deemed a bull flag, the target sits around 365.
And what do we think will happen to consumer prices further down the track? Of course, they will begin to rise again. And the worrying fact is that inflation tends to come and go in waves, so if commodities continue to rally then it looks like the next wave of rising y/y inflation is pending.
Deciphering Divergent Signals The Complex Economic LandscapeThe global economy continues to face profound uncertainties in the wake of COVID-19's massive disruptions. For policymakers and business leaders, making sense of divergent signals on jobs, inflation, and growth remains imperative yet challenging.
In the United States, inflation pressures appear to be moderately easing after surging to 40-year highs in 2022. The annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) declined to 3% in June from the prior peak of 9.1%. Plunging gasoline and used car prices provided some consumer relief, while housing and food costs remained worryingly elevated. Core CPI, excluding food and energy, dipped to 4.8% but persists well above the Fed’s 2% target.
Supply chain improvements, waning pandemic demand spikes, and the strong dollar making imports cheaper all helped cool inflation. However, risks abound that high prices become entrenched with tight labor markets still buoying wages. Major central banks responded with substantial interest rate hikes to reduce demand, but the full economic drag likely remains unseen. Further supply shocks from geopolitics or weather could also reignite commodity inflation. While the direction seems promising, the Fed vows ongoing vigilance and further tightening until inflation durably falls to acceptable levels. The path back to price stability will be bumpy.
Yet even amidst surging inflation, the US labor market showed resilience through 2022. Employers added over 4 million jobs, driving unemployment down to 3.5%, matching pre-pandemic lows. This simultaneous inflation and job growth confounds historical norms where Fed tightening swiftly slows hiring.
Pandemic-era stimulus and savings initially cushioned households from rate hikes, sustaining consumer demand. Early retirements, long COVID disabilities, caregiving needs, and possibly a cultural rethinking of work also constricted labor supply. With fewer jobseekers available, businesses retained and attracted talent by lifting pay, leading to nominal wage growth even outpacing inflation for some months.
However, the labor market's anomalous buoyancy shows growing fragility. Job openings plunged over 20% since March, tech and housing layoffs multiplied, and wage growth decelerated – all signals of softening demand as higher rates bite. Most economists expect outright job losses in coming months as the Fed induces a deliberate recession to conquer inflation.
Outside the US, other economies show similar labor market resilience assisted by generous pandemic supports. But with emergency stimulus now depleted, Europe especially looks vulnerable. Energy and food inflation strain household budgets as rising rates threaten economies already flirting with recession. Surveys show consumer confidence nosediving across European markets. With less policy space, job losses may mount faster overseas if slowdowns worsen.
Meanwhile, Mexico’s economy and currency proved surprisingly robust. Peso strength reflects Mexico’s expanding manufacturing exports, especially autos, amid US attempts to nearshore production and diversify from China reliance. Remittances from Mexican immigrants also reached new highs, supporting domestic demand. However, complex immigration issues continue challenging US-Mexico ties.
The pandemic undoubtedly accelerated pre-existing workforce transformations. Millions older employees permanently retired. Younger cohorts increasingly spurn traditional career ladders, cobbling together gig work and passion projects. Remote technology facilitated this cultural shift toward customized careers and lifestyle priorities.
Many posit these preferences will now permanently reshape labor markets. Employers clinging to old norms of in-office inflexibility may struggle to hire and retain talent, especially younger workers. Tighter immigration restrictions also constrain domestic labor supply. At the same time, automation and artificial intelligence will transform productivity and skills demands.
In this context, labor shortages could linger regardless of economic cycles. If realized, productivity enhancements from technology could support growth with fewer workers. But displacement risks require better policies around skills retraining, portable benefits, and income supports. Individuals must continually gain new capabilities to stay relevant. The days of lifelong stable employer relationships appear gone.
For policymakers, balancing inflation control and labor health presents acute challenges. Achieving a soft landing that curtails price spikes without triggering mass unemployment hardly looks guaranteed. The Fed’s rapid tightening applies tremendous pressure to an economy still experiencing profound demographic, technological, and cultural realignments.
With less room for stimulus, other central banks face even more daunting dilemmas. Premature efforts to rein in inflation could induce deep recessions and lasting scars. But failure to act also risks runaway prices that erode living standards and stability. There are no easy solutions with both scenarios carrying grave consequences.
For business leaders, adjusting to emerging realities in workforce priorities and automation capabilities remains imperative. Companies that embrace flexible work options, prioritize pay equity, and intelligently integrate technologies will gain a competitive edge in accessing skills and talent. But transitions will inevitably be turbulent.
On the whole, the global economy's trajectory looks cloudy. While the inflation fever appears to be modestly breaking, risks of resurgence remain as long as labor markets show tightness. But just as rising prices moderate, the delayed impacts from massive rate hikes threaten to extinguish job growth and demand. For workers, maintaining adaptability and skills development is mandatory to navigate gathering storms. Any Coming downturn may well play out differently than past recessions due to demographic shifts, cultural evolution, and automation. But with debt levels still stretched thin across sectors, the turbulence could yet prove intense. The path forward promises to be volatile and uneven amidst the lingering pandemic aftershocks. Navigating uncertainty remains imperative but challenging.
Inflation vs Innovation Can the Markets Handle the HeatGlobal markets face contradictory forces in 2023. Inflation still simmers as central banks tighten money supply worldwide. Geopolitical friction continues while economic growth likely slows ahead. Yet technological transformation charges ahead, with artificial intelligence poised for explosive improvements. Investors and policymakers must stay nimble in this uncertain environment.
After plunging painfully in 2022, stocks have rebounded with vigor so far this year. This despite raging inflation and the Federal Reserve's hawkish stance on interest rates. Hefty liquidity efforts in China likely buoyed prices. Investors may also have grown too pessimistic amid still-sturdy corporate profits. But sentiment could sour again if supply chain snarls resurface.
In bond markets, yields continue reflecting dreary growth expectations after last year's surge. The inverted yield curve especially screams pessimism on the near-term economy. Meanwhile, the Fed's bond portfolio shrinkage has yet to rattle markets. This implies the Fed's quantitative easing and tightening have limited impact on actual money supply, defying popular perception.
On inflation, early 2023 figures show it easing from 40-year heights but still well above the Fed's 2% bullseye. The Fed remains leery of declaring victory prematurely. Taming inflation sans triggering severe recession is an epic challenge. Geopolitical wild cards like the Russia-Ukraine war that evade the Fed's grasp will shape the outcome.
Amidst these crosscurrents, technological forces advance relentlessly. The frantic digitization around COVID-19 now gives way to even more seismic innovations. The meteoric success of AI like ChatGPT provides a mere glimpse of the transformations coming for healthcare, transportation, customer service and virtually every industry.
The promise appears gargantuan, with AI generating solutions and ideas no human could alone conceive. But the warp-speed pace also carries perils if ethics and safeguards fail to keep up. Mass job destruction and wealth hoarding by Big Tech could ensue absent mitigating policies. But wisely harnessed AI also holds potential to uplift living standards globally.
For investors, AI has already jet-propelled leaders like Google, Microsoft, Nvidia and Amazon powering this tech revolution. But smaller firms wielding these tools may also see jackpot gains, as costs plunge and new opportunities emerge across sectors. That's why non-US and smaller stocks may provide superior opportunities versus overvalued big US tech.
In conclusion, the global economic and financial landscape simmers with familiar threats and novel technological promise. Inflation may moderate but seems unlikely to vanish given lingering supply dysfunction and distortions from massive stimulus. Stocks navigate shifting sentiment amid rising rates and demand doubts. And machine learning progresses rapidly into a future we can now scarcely envision.
Nimbly navigating such turbulence requires flexibility, tech savviness and philosophical courage. Responsibly steering AI's development is a herculean challenge, to maximize benefits and minimize pitfalls. Individuals need to stay skilled while advocating protections against job disruption. Policymakers face wrenching tradeoffs between growth, inflation and financial stability - all compounded by geopolitics.
Yet within uncertainty lies opportunity for those poised to seize it. The future remains ours to shape, if we summon the wisdom and will to guide technology toward enriching human life rather than eroding it. The road ahead will be arduous but need not be hopeless, if compassion and conscience inform our creations.
Harmonically, US Interest Rates are Headed Toward 35%The US Interest Rate chart has been trading within a Descending Broadening Wedge and has recently broken out of the wedge. The target for a pattern like this is typically back to the inception of the pattern, which in this case would be 20%; but we also have an additional variable here, and that's the Potential Logscale Harmonic Formation we've made here. If we are to treat the action of this chart as we'd treat any other chart, then we'd expect that once B gets broken, we'd get an accelerated move all the way up to the Harmonic Completion of a Bearish Shark, which would land us at the 1.13/1.618 Harmonic Confluence Zone up at around 34-35%
There have been previous instances where Harmonics have had a predictive quality over data like this, such as the accelerated liquidity exit out of the reverse repo facility, the bond yield charts on multiple occasions, and the US Inflation Rate Charts. Which can all be seen in the related ideas tab if you are skeptical of my use of Harmonic Patterns in this context.
Japanese yen sinks as inflation risesThe US dollar continues to rally as the Japanese yen is down for a fourth straight day. In Friday's European session, USD/JPY is trading at 141.93, up 1.33%.
The yen has taken investors on a roller-coaster ride. The Japanese currency surged 2.37% last week against the greenback but has reversed directions and dropped 2.15% this week.
Japan’s core inflation (excluding fresh food) ticked higher to 3.3% y/y in June, up from 3.2% in May and matching the consensus estimate. Core core inflation (excluding fresh food & energy) dipped lower to 4.2% y/y, down from 4.3% in May and matching the consensus.
The readings indicated that the inflation picture barely changed in June, but that's not really good news for the Bank of Japan. The core CPI has now stayed above the BoJ's 2% target for the 15th straight month. BoJ Governor Ueda has continued the Bank's ultra-loose policy despite high inflation, insisting that inflationary pressures are temporary. This stance, however, is becoming increasingly untenable as inflation has been persistently high and is not showing any signs of falling.
Friday's inflation numbers come just a week before the BoJ's meeting, and there is speculation that the central bank could phase out its yield curve control (YCC) policy that has been distorting bond pricing. A change to YCC would almost certainly send the yen sharply higher, which was the case late last year when the BoJ stunned the markets and widened the target band for 10-year government bonds.
Earlier this week, Governor Ueda poured cold water on any change in policy, but this could be an effort to scare off speculators looking for a tweak to YCC. It seems more likely than not that the BoJ will maintain policy settings at next week's meeting, but a shift is certainly on the table, especially with the yen floundering near the 142 line.
USD/JPY has pushed past resistance at 1.4067 and 141.28. There is weak resistance at 142.12, followed by 142.62
There is support at 139.68 and 138.52
ETHUSD Is Bullish While Above 1625, Support Is At 1800Hey all.
In this video I will look on the ETHUSd which asha nice upwside potenial after current pause that can find a support and new buyers new 1800. One of the main reasons why Ethereum could stay in the uptrend is US Dollar which came down recently after inflation cooled down to 3% as reported last week, which can easily cause a bigger recovery for the cryptocurrencies in general as speculators can be looking for more dollar weakness and limited upside on US yields, as they believe that FED is very close to end the hiking cylce.
Hope you will enjoy the video, and dont forget to click the like button.
Grega
GBP/USD edges lower ahead of UK inflationThe British pound has edged lower on Tuesday. In the North American session, GBP/USD is trading at 1.3038, down 0.27%.
The UK is lagging behind other major economies in the fight to curb inflation. Will Wednesday's inflation report bring some good news? In May, CPI remained stuck at 8.7% y/y but is expected to ease to 8.2% in June. The core rate is expected to remain steady at 7.1%. On a monthly basis, headline CPI is expected to fall from 0.7% to 0.4% and the core rate is projected to slow to 0.4%, down from 0.8%.
The inflation report could be a game-changer with regard to the Bank of England's meeting on August 3rd. The BoE delivered an oversize 50-basis point hike in June and will have to decide between a modest 25-bp hike or another 50-bp increase at the August meeting. Last week's employment report pointed to wage growth picking up, which moved the dial in favour of a 50-bp increase.
US retail sales for June provided a mixed spending picture. Headline retail sales rose just 0.2% m/m, below the 0.5% consensus estimate and the upwardly revised May reading of 0.5%. Core retail sales were much stronger at 0.6%, above the 0.3% consensus and the upwardly revised May release of 0.3%. The data points to resilience in consumer spending although momentum has slowed. The retail sales report did not change expectations with regard to rate policy, with the Fed expected to raise rates in July and take a pause in September.
The Fed has tightened by some 500 basis points in the current rate-hike cycle and this has curbed inflation, which has fallen to 3%. Nevertheless, the Fed remains concerned that the solid US economy and a tight labour market will make it difficult to hit the 2% inflation target, and the Fed hasn't given any hints that it will wrap up its tightening in July, although the money markets appear to think this is the case.
GBP/USD has support at 1.2995 and 1.2906
There is resistance at 1.3077 and 1.3116
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Smart money bear trap thesis?Tags: Blackrock Bitcoin ETF, Inflation, PCE, FED, Wage-price spiral, BTC.D, ETH/BTC
Could we be mimicking 1970's market? So last PCI reading came 3% but core CPI is still high and Core PCE (FED's preferred inflation measure) has been sticky in 4.5% area for past several months. Whilst inflation expectations have been tamed by FEDs continued "We remain focused on getting inflation back to 2%." This message must be maintained and a recession is inevitable.
Look at 10Y3M yields and 10Y2Y bond yields. We have real pain yet to come.
So headline inflation is being curved down and celebrated however the next step is the risk of a wage-price spiral which is being priced in and expected to also not become a threat once unemployment rises but the job markets are remaining resilient. Therefore, the FED will hold interest rates at 5.25-5.50 bps until inflation is confidently curbed. We have not yet seen fear in markets from recessionary risks. Everyone is thinking it will be a mild one however the future is hard to foresee and there are underlying financial risks not in the limelight yet.
Now, you have the market context we shall dive into the charts!
The end of the tightening cycle is nighThe decline in the US inflation rate to more than a two-year low, marks a major step towards the end of the Fed’s historic monetary tightening cycle1. We believe key deflationary forces are in play – (1) weaker commodity prices (2) improvement in global supply chains (3) moderation in demand (4) lower inflation expectations. Therefore, the June decline in inflation is just the start of a series of decreases.
Softer than expected inflation report
As highlighted in the chart below, the details for June were also better than expected with key measures of underlying inflation coming in below forecasts. The inflation report suggests that some of the stickier components of inflation such as used cars and airline fares are also moderating.
It’s important to note that most of the rise in the June CPI can be attributed to housing, however because of the way it is calculated it tends to lag current conditions. The S&P Case Shiller Home Price Index which tends to lead CPI shelter by roughly a year, is already flat which highlights US inflation is likely headed lower. Inflation for labour intensive services such as restaurants, recreation and personal care remained higher in June reflecting the pass -through of higher wages and robust services demand2. Potential further softening in the labour market could bring these categories back to target consistent levels. Softening in the labour market was evident in June’s employment report (nonfarm payrolls rose by 209k versus consensus 230k) which was weaker than expected for the first time in 15 months3.
US Producer Prices confirmed a similar deflationary theme. The US Producer Price Index (PPI) inflation for June was softer than expected with headline and core PPI advancing 0.1% over the prior month4. Business surveys are also pointing to weakening pricing power, such as the Institute of Supply Management (ISM) services index which ties in with a lower inflation backdrop.
US inflation can’t prevent the July rate hike
While expectations for the July rate hike of 25Bps remain firmly in place, the market has scaled back expectations for a second hike – with 21bps / 3bps / 3bps of hikes priced for the July / September / November FOMC meetings5. The disinflation trend increases our belief that the Fed is close to, or will be, at the end of the current rate hike cycle.
Earnings take centre stage for the next leg of the rally
The key question now remains whether the market continues to trade off expectations of an easing narrative. Central bank policy has been the biggest drag for equities last year. The timing of the easing narrative comes at the heels of a volatile Q2 2023 earnings season. The S&P 500 Index earnings in the Q2 2023 are expected to decline 6.8% y/y, worse than the decline of 3.9% in the Q1 20233. This would be the largest earnings decline since the pandemic-fuelled 31.6% y/y decline in the Q2 2020. Earnings will be the key deciding factor for an extension in the current rally.
Investors will be keen to hear from management whether they are looking to adopt a leaner cost structure and ways they are looking to remove excess capacity. Investors will be looking for guidance on productivity and efficiency gains rather than the financial engineering we have witnessed over the past decade.
This material is prepared by WisdomTree and its affiliates and is not intended to be relied upon as a forecast, research or investment advice, and is not a recommendation, offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities or to adopt any investment strategy. The opinions expressed are as of the date of production and may change as subsequent conditions vary. The information and opinions contained in this material are derived from proprietary and non-proprietary sources. As such, no warranty of accuracy or reliability is given and no responsibility arising in any other way for errors and omissions (including responsibility to any person by reason of negligence) is accepted by WisdomTree, nor any affiliate, nor any of their officers, employees or agents. Reliance upon information in this material is at the sole discretion of the reader. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.
S&P 500 Daily Chart Analysis For Week of July 14, 2023Technical Analysis and Outlook:
This week, the Spooz reignited its rally muscle to complete our Inner Index Rally 4521 and is currently processing retracement to Mean Sup 4403 - Unconfirmed. However, there is a solid expectation to march to the Outer Index Rally 4590.