Poundsterling
EUR GBP- FUNDAMENTAL DRIVERSEUR
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
In recent weeks, the persistently high inflation has seen the ECB take a more hawkish turn with the bank hiking rates by 50bsp at their July meeting. Additional pressure on inflation from gas supply shortages and Rhine River levels in Germany means the ECB will be forced to continue hiking rates. But the bank quelled any hawkish excitement at their July meeting by explaining they are frontloading hikes and not signalling a higher terminal rate with their bigger than expected July hike. The bank also failed to ease spread fragmentation concerns with their new Transmission Protection Instrument (TPI) as the eligibility criteria means countries like Italy and Spain that will need the support the most might have a tough time qualifying. Combined with political concerns and additional inflation pressures, further spread widening looks likely for now. Right now, even though policy and spreads are important, the main story and driver for the EUR is the economic outlook. Recent growth data continues to surprise to the downside at a rapid pace and further stoking recession fears for the Eurozone. Even though the bias remains lower, a lot of negatives have been priced in from a tactical point of view so worth keeping that in mind.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
De-escalation or cease fire in Ukraine would open up a lot of EUR upside. Also keep Italian politics in mind where successful attempts to avoid a snap election could ease spread widening & support the EUR. Stagflation risks remains high and recent data has invigorated recession fears, but with lots of bad news priced any materially better-than-expected growth data could spark some relief. Spread fragmentation remains a concern, especially with Italian politics and the ECB’s failed attempt to reassure markets. Any TPI comments that convinces markets it can solve fragmentation issues should be supportive for the EUR. Energy supply is also in focus, which means watching gas flows from Russia. If Russia increases gas flows to more regular levels it should ease some supply concerns and see EUR upside. Rhine river concerns are one to watch, any good news on water levels and resumption of normal transport could be a bullish catalyst for the EUR.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Any escalation in the Ukraine war that risks including NATO would be big negative risks. Also keep Italian politics in mind, where any failed attempts to avoid a snap election should add further pressure on the EUR. Recent data has invigorated recession fears. Even though lots of bad news is priced, any materially worse-than-expected growth data could spark further downside some relief. Spread fragmentation remains in focus, and if the ECB fails to act when we see big jolts higher in the BTP/ Bund spread, or if any TPI comment further concern markets about its effectiveness, it could trigger bearish reactions in the EUR. Energy supply is also in focus, which means watching gas flows from Russia. If Russia decreases gas flows even further, it should increase supply concerns and see EUR downside. Rhine river concerns are one to watch, any bad news on water levels and continued breakdown in transportation could be a bearish catalyst for the EUR.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook remains bearish with recent leading indicators pointing to a much faster economic slowdown than markets had previously expected. The current bearish drivers (geopolitics, stagflation, spread fragmentation, energy supply concerns) far outweigh the positives from a hawkish ECB. Recession risks have opened up a narrative change for the EUR which have seen markets adjust forecasts to reflect higher recession probabilities that continues to weigh on the EUR. With lots of bad news priced in there is risks in chasing the EUR lower, but the fundamental outlook remains bleak.
GBP
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
The overall bleak economic outlook for the UK, with exceptionally high Inflation and rapidly falling growth have been the biggest negative driver for Sterling. At their August meeting, the BoE confirmed this bleak outlook by forecasting the UK economy to fall into recession by 4Q22 and expects the recession to last for five quarters. Even though the bank followed through with a 50bsp hike, it wasn’t enough to offset the recession forecasts. With inflation expected to reach close to 13%, the bank is stuck between a rock and a hard place as they are forced to keep hiking rates to try and fight inflation but by doing so, they risk further damaging economic growth as a result. The post-BoE price action in Sterling did not reflect a market that was pricing in a 5-quarter recession in the UK, and the price action we saw in the past week made a lot of sense with Sterling catching up to the downside to reflect the growth situation. Headline CPI printing above 10% didn’t help the currency either, further exacerbating stagflation risks.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Stagflation fears remain high for the UK, and the BoE is now projecting 5 quarters of recession starting 4Q22. With a recession now the base assumption, any incoming data that surprises meaningfully higher could trigger some relief. With focus on stagflation, any downside surprises in CPI or factors that decrease inflation pressures are expected to support the GBP and not pressure it. The economy needs help, which means any help from the fiscal side will be a positive. Any major fiscal support measures from the incoming PM to help consumers (subsidies or tax cuts) could trigger bullish reactions for the Pound. With UK threats of triggering Article 16 and EU threats to terminate the Brexit deal if they do Brexit is in focus. For now, markets have rightly ignored this as posturing, but any major de-escalation can see some upside for Sterling.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Stagflation fears remain high for the UK, and the BoE is now projecting 5 quarters of recession starting 4Q22. Even with recession now the base assumption, any material downside surprises in growth data can trigger further downside. With focus on stagflation, any upside surprises in CPI or factors that increase more inflation pressures are expected to weigh on the GBP and not support it. The economy needs help, which means any help from the fiscal side should be a positive, but any fiscal measures from the incoming PM that could exacerbate inflation pressures could trigger bearish reactions for the Pound. With UK threats of triggering Article 16 and EU threats to terminate the Brexit deal if they do Brexit is in focus. For now, markets have rightly ignored this as posturing, but any actual escalation can see sharp GBP downside.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the GBP remains bleak, especially after the BoE’s recent forecasts of a 5-quarter recession in the UK. Furthermore, given the risks to growth, there is growing speculation that the BoE might not be too far away from pausing their current hiking cycle. Anything that exacerbates stagflation fears is expected to weigh on the Pound and anything that alleviates some of that pressure could see some reprieve since the currency is trading at fresh new cycle lows. Even though the bias remains bleak, there is a lot of bad news priced for Sterling, so choose your trades carefully.
GBP CHF - FUNDAMENTAL DRIVERSGBP
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
The overall bleak economic outlook for the UK, with exceptionally high Inflation and rapidly falling growth have been the biggest negative driver for Sterling. At their August meeting, the BoE confirmed this bleak outlook by forecasting the UK economy to fall into recession by 4Q22 and expects the recession to last for five quarters. Even though the bank followed through with a 50bsp hike, it wasn’t enough to offset the recession forecasts. With inflation expected to reach close to 13%, the bank is stuck between a rock and a hard place as they are forced to keep hiking rates to try and fight inflation but by doing so, they risk further damaging economic growth as a result. The post-BoE price action in Sterling did not reflect a market that was pricing in a 5-quarter recession in the UK, and the price action we saw in the past week made a lot of sense with Sterling catching up to the downside to reflect the growth situation. Headline CPI printing above 10% didn’t help the currency either, further exacerbating stagflation risks.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Stagflation fears remain high for the UK, and the BoE is now projecting 5 quarters of recession starting 4Q22. With a recession now the base assumption, any incoming data that surprises meaningfully higher could trigger some relief. With focus on stagflation, any downside surprises in CPI or factors that decrease inflation pressures are expected to support the GBP and not pressure it. The economy needs help, which means any help from the fiscal side will be a positive. Any major fiscal support measures from the incoming PM to help consumers (subsidies or tax cuts) could trigger bullish reactions for the Pound. With UK threats of triggering Article 16 and EU threats to terminate the Brexit deal if they do Brexit is in focus. For now, markets have rightly ignored this as posturing, but any major de-escalation can see some upside for Sterling.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Stagflation fears remain high for the UK, and the BoE is now projecting 5 quarters of recession starting 4Q22. Even with recession now the base assumption, any material downside surprises in growth data can trigger further downside. With focus on stagflation, any upside surprises in CPI or factors that increase more inflation pressures are expected to weigh on the GBP and not support it. The economy needs help, which means any help from the fiscal side should be a positive, but any fiscal measures from the incoming PM that could exacerbate inflation pressures could trigger bearish reactions for the Pound. With UK threats of triggering Article 16 and EU threats to terminate the Brexit deal if they do Brexit is in focus. For now, markets have rightly ignored this as posturing, but any actual escalation can see sharp GBP downside.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the GBP remains bleak, especially after the BoE’s recent forecasts of a 5-quarter recession in the UK. Furthermore, given the risks to growth, there is growing speculation that the BoE might not be too far away from pausing their current hiking cycle. Anything that exacerbates stagflation fears is expected to weigh on the Pound and anything that alleviates some of that pressure could see some reprieve since the currency is trading at fresh new cycle lows. Even though the bias remains bleak, there is a lot of bad news priced for Sterling, so choose your trades carefully.
CHF
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BULLISH
BASELINE
The CHF has been supported in recent months as STIR markets have steadily priced in higher interest rates for Switzerland, as well the SNB’s reluctance to intervene in the currency markets to try and weaken the CHF. At their June meeting, the SNB took a very aggressive policy step by hiking rates with 50bsp and removing their previous classification that the CHF is ‘highly valued’. Unlike other central banks, the SNB has chosen to try and tackle inflation before it runs rampant by hiking rates aggressively. Their hike in June was the first hike since 2007, and if the bank follows through with a hike in September it will mean Switzerland will have positive interest rates for the first time in almost a decade. There is scope for further CHF upside in the months ahead with 4 supporting drivers. SNB’s hawkish tilt, the bank’s acceptance of a stronger CHF with less intervention, negative underlying risk sentiment driven by the global cyclical slowdown, rising inflation. The SNB did note that they are willing to be active in the foreign exchange market to ensure appropriate monetary conditions which means too much CHF strength could get the wrong attention from the bank.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Any incoming data (especially CPI on Wednesday) or SNB comments that causes markets to price in even more aggressive policy from the bank could trigger bullish reactions in the CHF. As a risk sensitive currency, and catalyst that causes big bouts of risk off sentiment could trigger bullish reactions in the CHF. The more aggressive markets think the ECB will be with incoming hikes, the more aggressive they will be for the SNB. Thus, data that trigger hawkish ECB expectations could also be supportive for the CHF.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
The SNB has not been as active in trying to devalue the CHF through sight deposits as they have been in recent years. With the bank now on a hiking cycle, any drastic appreciation could spark some intervention and would be a bearish catalyst. As a risk sensitive currency, and catalyst that causes big bouts of risk on sentiment could trigger bearish reactions in the CHF. Further lower repricing of ECB hikes could trigger downside in the CHF as well, and the biggest dovish risk for the currency is a big surprise miss on any incoming CPI data.
BIGGER PICTURE
The SNB surprised with a 50bsp hike and signalled, that unlike other central banks, they will not get behind the curve. Apart from a hawkish central bank, we also have the economy on a steady footing, as well as less risk of intervention as SNB’s Jordan said they no longer see the CHF as highly valued (there is of course risk that they could intervene if the CHF appreciates too much too fast). This means the bias for the CHF is bullish and we’re looking for dips as CHF for buying opportunities.
EUR GBP - FUNDAMENTAL DRIVERSEUR
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
In recent weeks, the persistently high inflation has seen the ECB take a more hawkish turn with the bank hiking rates by 50bsp at their July meeting. Additional pressure on inflation from gas supply shortages and Rhine River levels in Germany means the ECB will be forced to continue hiking rates. But the bank quelled any hawkish excitement at their July meeting by explaining they are frontloading hikes and not signalling a higher terminal rate with their bigger than expected July hike. The bank also failed to ease spread fragmentation concerns with their new Transmission Protection Instrument (TPI) as the eligibility criteria means countries like Italy and Spain that will need the support the most might have a tough time qualifying. Combined with political concerns and additional inflation pressures, further spread widening looks likely for now. Right now, even though policy and spreads are important, the main story and driver for the EUR is the economic outlook. Recent growth data continues to surprise to the downside at a rapid pace and further stoking recession fears for the Eurozone. Even though the bias remains lower, a lot of negatives have been priced in from a tactical point of view so worth keeping that in mind.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
De-escalation or cease fire in Ukraine would open up a lot of EUR upside. Also keep Italian politics in mind where successful attempts to avoid a snap election could ease spread widening & support the EUR. Stagflation risks remains high and recent data has invigorated recession fears, but with lots of bad news priced any materially better-than-expected growth data could spark some relief. Spread fragmentation remains a concern, especially with Italian politics and the ECB’s failed attempt to reassure markets. Any TPI comments that convinces markets it can solve fragmentation issues should be supportive for the EUR. Energy supply is also in focus, which means watching gas flows from Russia. If Russia increases gas flows to more regular levels it should ease some supply concerns and see EUR upside. Rhine river concerns are one to watch, any good news on water levels and resumption of normal transport could be a bullish catalyst for the EUR.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Any escalation in the Ukraine war that risks including NATO would be big negative risks. Also keep Italian politics in mind, where any failed attempts to avoid a snap election should add further pressure on the EUR. Recent data has invigorated recession fears. Even though lots of bad news is priced, any materially worse-than-expected growth data could spark further downside some relief. Spread fragmentation remains in focus, and if the ECB fails to act when we see big jolts higher in the BTP/Bund spread, or if any TPI comment further concern markets about its effectiveness, it could trigger bearish reactions in the EUR. Energy supply is also in focus, which means watching gas flows from Russia. If Russia decreases gas flows even further, it should increase supply concerns and see EUR downside. Rhine river concerns are one to watch, any bad news on water levels and continued breakdown in transportation could be a bearish catalyst for the EUR.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook remains bearish with recent leading indicators pointing to a much faster economic slowdown than markets had previously expected. The current bearish drivers (geopolitics, stagflation, spread fragmentation, energy supply concerns) far outweigh the positives from a hawkish ECB. Recession risks have opened up a narrative change for the EUR which have seen markets adjust forecasts to reflect higher recession probabilities that continues to weigh on the EUR. With lots of bad news priced in there is risks in chasing the EUR lower, but the fundamental outlook remains bleak.
GBP
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
The overall bleak economic outlook for the UK, with exceptionally high Inflation and rapidly falling growth have been the biggest negative driver for Sterling. At their August meeting, the BoE confirmed this bleak outlook by forecasting the UK economy to fall into recession by 4Q22 and expects the recession to last for five quarters. Even though the bank followed through with a 50bsp hike, it wasn’t enough to offset the recession forecasts. With inflation expected to reach close to 13%, the bank is stuck between a rock and a hard place as they are forced to keep hiking rates to try and fight inflation but by doing so, they risk further damaging economic growth as a result. The post-BoE price action in Sterling did not reflect a market that was pricing in a 5-quarter recession in the UK, and the price action we saw in the past week made a lot of sense with Sterling catching up to the downside to reflect the growth situation. Headline CPI printing above 10% didn’t help the currency either, further exacerbating stagflation risks.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Stagflation fears remain high for the UK, and the BoE is now projecting 5 quarters of recession starting 4Q22. With a recession now the base assumption, any incoming data that surprises meaningfully higher could trigger some relief. With focus on stagflation, any downside surprises in CPI or factors that decrease inflation pressures are expected to support the GBP and not pressure it. The economy needs help, which means any help from the fiscal side will be a positive. Any major fiscal support measures from the incoming PM to help consumers (subsidies or tax cuts) could trigger bullish reactions for the Pound. With UK threats of triggering Article 16 and EU threats to terminate the Brexit deal if they do Brexit is in focus. For now, markets have rightly ignored this as posturing, but any major de-escalation can see some upside for Sterling.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Stagflation fears remain high for the UK, and the BoE is now projecting 5 quarters of recession starting 4Q22. Even with recession now the base assumption, any material downside surprises in growth data can trigger further downside. With focus on stagflation, any upside surprises in CPI or factors that increase more inflation pressures are expected to weigh on the GBP and not support it. The economy needs help, which means any help from the fiscal side should be a positive, but any fiscal measures from the incoming PM that could exacerbate inflation pressures could trigger bearish reactions for the Pound. With UK threats of triggering Article 16 and EU threats to terminate the Brexit deal if they do Brexit is in focus. For now, markets have rightly ignored this as posturing, but any actual escalation can see sharp GBP downside.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the GBP remains bleak, especially after the BoE’s recent forecasts of a 5-quarter recession in the UK. Furthermore, given the risks to growth, there is growing speculation that the BoE might not be too far away from pausing their current hiking cycle. Anything that exacerbates stagflation fears is expected to weigh on the Pound and anything that alleviates some of that pressure could see some reprieve since the currency is trading at fresh new cycle lows. Even though the bias remains bleak, there is a lot of bad news priced for Sterling, so choose your trades carefully.
GBP JPY - FUNDAMENTAL DRIVERSGBP
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
The overall bleak economic outlook for the UK, with exceptionally high Inflation and rapidly falling growth have been the biggest negative driver for Sterling. At their August meeting, the BoE confirmed this bleak outlook by forecasting the UK economy to fall into recession by 4Q22 and expects the recession to last for five quarters. Even though the bank followed through with a 50bsp hike, it wasn’t enough to offset the recession forecasts. With inflation expected to reach close to 13%, the bank is stuck between a rock and a hard place as they are forced to keep hiking rates to try and fight inflation but by doing so, they risk further damaging economic growth as a result. Even though Sterling is still fairly close to recent lows (at the index level), the recent bounce was enough to short into, and we saw sizeable downside following the BoE decision. It seems unlikely that the post-BoE price action reflects a market that has already priced in a 5-quarter recession, so we expect sentiment to remain bearish on Sterling for now.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Stagflation fears are very high for the UK, with probabilities of recession growing by the week. With a recession now the base assumption, any incoming news that surprises meaningfully higher could trigger some relief. The UK is facing a huge cost-of-living squeeze, which means lower-than-expected inflation could counterintuitively be a positive driver (as lower CPI means less stagflation risk). The economy needs help right now, which means any help from the fiscal side will be a positive. Any major fiscal support measures to help consumers (subsidies for energy or tax cuts) could trigger bullish reactions for the Pound. Any overly hawkish fiscal promises from PM candidates which eases recession fears could be a positive trigger for Sterling. Any overly hawkish comments signalling more aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bullish reactions.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Odds that the BoE has limited hikes left has been a negative driver, but so too is risks that inflation forces them to hike even more and further damage GDP. Further stagflation risks from higher gas prices or CPI could trigger bearish reactions. Politicsremain a focus, where any attempts by a new PM in the weeks or months ahead to call for a snap election should cause unnecessary uncertainty and could trigger GBP downside. With UK threats of triggering Article 16 and EU threats to terminate the Brexit deal if they do Brexit is in focus again. For now, markets have rightly ignored this as posturing, but any actual escalation can see sharp GBP downside. Any overly dovish fiscal promises from PM candidates that increase recession fears could be a negative trigger for Sterling Any overly dovish comments signalling less aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bearish GBP reactions.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the GBP remains bleak, especially after the BoE’s recent forecasts of a 5-quarter recession in the UK. Furthermore, given the risks to growth, there is growing speculation that the BoE might not be too far away from pausing. Anything that exacerbates stagflation fears is expected to weigh on the Pound and anything that alleviates some of that pressure should be positive. The post-BoE price action was big, but not big enough for a market that has priced in a deep recession, which means we would expect sentiment to remain soft on Sterling after the most recent BoE meeting, but incoming data this week could trigger short-term sentiment reactions as always.
JPY
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: BEARISH
BASELINE
In recent weeks, yield differentials have been the biggest negative driver for the JPY with the BoJ keeping 10-year JGB yields capped at 0.25% with yield curve control while other central banks are hiking rates aggressively. Thus, the BoJ’s reluctance to shift on policy even with inflation starting to push higher remains a negative driver for the JPY. Even though the JPY is considered a safe haven, inflows has been limited in the current bear market compared to other cycles. The reason is Japan’s current account surplus (a main reason for safe haven appeal) has deteriorated due to the rise in commodity prices. Japan imports the bulk of their commodities , so very high energy prices has added to downside. The BoJ and MoF’s reluctance to intervene to stop the rapid depreciation in the JPY in recent weeks has been noticeable. As long as they just voice their dislike but fail to act, the market will keep testing them. Having said that, US10Y and commodities have been reacting more and more negative to the current negative cyclical growth outlook, and as a result has seen big players trim their massive JPY shorts. If this continues it should continue to support the currency on any negative data surprises from the US, especially given the size of current JPY short positions.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Catalyst that triggers speculation that the BoJ could drop YCC or hike rates or both (big upside surprises in inflation ) could trigger upside in JPY, which means inflation data will be important to keep on the radar. Catalysts that trigger meaningful corrections in US10Y (less hawkish Fed, faster deceleration in US inflation , faster deceleration in US growth) or meaningful bouts of risk off sentiment could trigger bullish reactions from the JPY. Any catalyst that triggers meaningful downside in key commodities like Oil (deteriorating demand outlook, ease in supply shortage) could trigger bullish JPY reactions. Any intervention from the BoJ or MoF to stop JPY depreciation (buying the JPY or giving firm and clear lines in the sand for USDJPY ) could offer decent reprieve for the JPY.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
With yield differentials playing such a huge role for the JPY, any catalysts that push US10Y higher (more aggressive Fed, further acceleration in US inflation , better-than-expected US growth data) could trigger further bearish price action for the JPY. Any catalyst that creates further upside in oil prices (further supply concerns, geopolitical tensions) poses downside risks for Japan’s current account surplus and could trigger further bearish reactions in the JPY. Further reluctance from the BoJ and MoF to address the concerning depreciation in the JPY, and further reluctance from the BoJ to pivot away from very dovish policy is a continued negative driver for the JPY to keep on the radar. If the BoJ pushes back against calls for a policy shift despite upside surprise in CPI could trigger further JPY downside.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook remains bearish for the JPY, especially after the BoJ once again stuck to the same overly dovish script at their July meeting. As long as US10Y remain elevated and the BoJ stays stubbornly dovish and no push back is made against the JPY weakness from the BoJ or MoF, the biasremains lower. But take note of positioning which means we don’t want to chase the JPY lower and bullish reactions can see outsized upside on big drops in US10Y & commodities . It also means watching incoming CPI data closely as any huge upside surprises could trigger speculation of a possible policy shift.
EUR GBP- FUNDAMENTAL DRIVERSEUR
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
In recent weeks, the persistently high inflation has seen the ECB take a more hawkish turn with the bank hiking rates by 50bsp at their July meeting. But the bank quelled any hawkish excitement by explaining they are frontloading hikes and not signalling a higher terminal rate with their bigger than expected July hike. At their July meeting the bank also failed to ease spread fragmentation concerns with their new Transmission Protection Instrument (TPI) as the eligibility criteria means countries that will need the support the most might have a tough time qualifying. Combined with Italian political concerns, further spread widening looks likely. Right now, even though policy and spreads are important, the main story and driver for the EUR is the economic outlook. Recent growth data continues to surprise to the downside at a rapid pace further stoking recession fears for the Eurozone. Even though the bias remains lower, a lot of negatives have been priced in from a tactical point of view though.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
De-escalation or cease fire in Ukraine would open up a lot of EUR upside. Also keep Italian politics in mind where successful attempts to avoid a snap election could ease spread widening & support the EUR. Stagflation remain high and recent data has invigorated recession fears, but with lots of bad news priced any materially better-than-expected growth data could spark some relief. Spread fragmentation remains a concern, especially with Italian politics and the ECB’s failed attempt to reassure markets. Any TPI comments that convinces markets it can solve fragmentation issues should be supportive for the EUR. Energy concerns are still in focus, which means watching the Nord Stream 1 flows, if Russia increases gas flows to more regular levels it should ease some energy supply issues. Rhine river concerns are one to watch, any good news on water levels and resumption of normal transport could be a bullish catalyst for the EUR.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Any escalation in the Ukraine war that risks including NATO would be big negative risks. Also keep Italian politics in mind, where any failed attempts to avoid a snap election should add further pressure on the EUR. Growth concerns continue to weigh on the EUR and means any major negative surprises in incoming growth data (German ZEW data next week) could trigger downside in the EUR. Spread fragmentation remains in focus, and if the ECB fails to act when we see big jolts higher in the BTP/ Bund spread it could trigger bearish reactions in the EUR. Energy concerns are still in focus, which means watching the Nord Stream 1 flows, if Russia decreases gas flows again it should increase concerns and weigh on the EUR. Rhine river concerns are one to watch, any bad news on water levels and continued breakdown in transportation could be a bearish catalyst for the EUR.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook remains bearish with recent leading indicators pointing to a much faster economic slowdown than markets had previously expected. The current bearish drivers (geopolitics, stagflation, spread fragmentation, energy supply concerns) far outweigh the positives from a hawkish ECB. Recession risks open up a narrative change for the EUR which will require markets to adjust forecasts to reflect higher recession probabilities which should weigh on the EUR. Having said that, with lots of bad news priced there is some asymmetric risk to incoming data which means chasing at the lows are dangerous.
GBP
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
The overall bleak economic outlook for the UK, with exceptionally high Inflation and rapidly falling growth have been the biggest negative driver for Sterling. At their August meeting, the BoE confirmed this bleak outlook by forecasting the UK economy to fall into recession by 4Q22 and expects the recession to last for five quarters. Even though the bank followed through with a 50bsp hike, it wasn’t enough to offset the recession forecasts. With inflation expected to reach close to 13%, the bank is stuck between a rock and a hard place as they are forced to keep hiking rates to try and fight inflation but by doing so, they risk further damaging economic growth as a result. Even though Sterling is still fairly close to recent lows (at the index level), the recent bounce was enough to short into, and we saw sizeable downside following the BoE decision. It seems unlikely that the post-BoE price action reflects a market that has already priced in a 5-quarter recession, so we expect sentiment to remain bearish on Sterling for now.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Stagflation fears are very high for the UK, with probabilities of recession growing by the week. With a recession now the base assumption, any incoming news that surprises meaningfully higher could trigger some relief. The UK is facing a huge cost-of-living squeeze, which means lower-than-expected inflation could counterintuitively be a positive driver (as lower CPI means less stagflation risk). The economy needs help right now, which means any help from the fiscal side will be a positive. Any major fiscal support measures to help consumers (subsidies for energy or tax cuts) could trigger bullish reactions for the Pound. Any overly hawkish fiscal promises from PM candidates which eases recession fears could be a positive trigger for Sterling. Any overly hawkish comments signalling more aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bullish reactions.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Odds that the BoE has limited hikes left has been a negative driver, but so too is risks that inflation forces them to hike even more and further damage GDP. Further stagflation risks from higher gas prices or CPI could trigger bearish reactions. Politicsremain a focus, where any attempts by a new PM in the weeks or months ahead to call for a snap election should cause unnecessary uncertainty and could trigger GBP downside. With UK threats of triggering Article 16 and EU threats to terminate the Brexit deal if they do Brexit is in focus again. For now, markets have rightly ignored this as posturing, but any actual escalation can see sharp GBP downside. Any overly dovish fiscal promises from PM candidates that increase recession fears could be a negative trigger for Sterling Any overly dovish comments signalling less aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bearish GBP reactions.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the GBP remains bleak, especially after the BoE’s recent forecasts of a 5-quarter recession in the UK. Furthermore, given the risks to growth, there is growing speculation that the BoE might not be too far away from pausing. Anything that exacerbates stagflation fears is expected to weigh on the Pound and anything that alleviates some of that pressure should be positive. The post-BoE price action was big, but not big enough for a market that has priced in a deep recession, which means we would expect sentiment to remain soft on Sterling after the most recent BoE meeting, but incoming data this week could trigger short-term sentiment reactions as always.
GBP CHF - FUNDAMENTAL DRIVERSGBP
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
The overall bleak economic outlook for the UK, with exceptionally high Inflation and rapidly falling growth have been the biggest negative driver for Sterling. At their August meeting, the BoE confirmed this bleak outlook by forecasting the UK economy to fall into recession by 4Q22 and expects the recession to last for five quarters. Even though the bank followed through with a 50bsp hike, it wasn’t enough to offset the recession forecasts. With inflation expected to reach close to 13%, the bank is stuck between a rock and a hard place as they are forced to keep hiking rates to try and fight inflation but by doing so, they risk further damaging economic growth as a result. Even though Sterling is still fairly close to recent lows (at the index level), the recent bounce was enough to short into, and we saw sizeable downside following the BoE decision. It seems unlikely that the post-BoE price action reflects a market that has already priced in a 5-quarter recession, so we expect sentiment to remain bearish on Sterling for now.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Stagflation fears are very high for the UK, with probabilities of recession growing by the week. With a recession now the base assumption, any incoming news that surprises meaningfully higher could trigger some relief. The UK is facing a huge cost-of-living squeeze, which means lower-than-expected inflation could counterintuitively be a positive driver (as lower CPI means less stagflation risk). The economy needs help right now, which means any help from the fiscal side will be a positive. Any major fiscal support measures to help consumers (subsidies for energy or tax cuts) could trigger bullish reactions for the Pound. Any overly hawkish fiscal promises from PM candidates which eases recession fears could be a positive trigger for Sterling. Any overly hawkish comments signalling more aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bullish reactions.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Odds that the BoE has limited hikes left has been a negative driver, but so too is risks that inflation forces them to hike even more and further damage GDP. Further stagflation risks from higher gas prices or CPI could trigger bearish reactions. Politicsremain a focus, where any attempts by a new PM in the weeks or months ahead to call for a snap election should cause unnecessary uncertainty and could trigger GBP downside. With UK threats of triggering Article 16 and EU threats to terminate the Brexit deal if they do Brexit is in focus again. For now, markets have rightly ignored this as posturing, but any actual escalation can see sharp GBP downside. Any overly dovish fiscal promises from PM candidates that increase recession fears could be a negative trigger for Sterling Any overly dovish comments signalling less aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bearish GBP reactions.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the GBP remains bleak, especially after the BoE’s recent forecasts of a 5-quarter recession in the UK. Furthermore, given the risks to growth, there is growing speculation that the BoE might not be too far away from pausing. Anything that exacerbates stagflation fears is expected to weigh on the Pound and anything that alleviates some of that pressure should be positive. The post-BoE price action was big, but not big enough for a market that has priced in a deep recession, which means we would expect sentiment to remain soft on Sterling after the most recent BoE meeting, but incoming data this week could trigger short-term sentiment reactions as always.
CHF
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BULLISH
BASELINE
The CHF has been supported in recent months as STIR markets have steadily priced in higher interest rates for Switzerland, as well the SNB’s reluctance to intervene in the currency markets to try and weaken the CHF. At their June meeting, the SNB took a very aggressive policy step by hiking rates with 50bsp and removing their previous classification that the CHF is ‘highly valued’. Unlike other central banks, the SNB has chosen to try and tackle inflation before it runs rampant by hiking rates aggressively. Their hike in June was the first hike since 2007, and if the bank follows through with a hike in September it will mean Switzerland will have positive interest rates for the first time in almost a decade. There is scope for further CHF upside in the months ahead with 4 supporting drivers. SNB’s hawkish tilt, the bank’s acceptance of a stronger CHF with less intervention, negative underlying risk sentiment driven by the global cyclical slowdown, rising inflation . The SNB did note that they are willing to be active in the foreign exchange market to ensure appropriate monetary conditions which means too much CHF strength could get the wrong attention from the bank.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Any incoming data (especially CPI on Wednesday) or SNB comments that causes markets to price in even more aggressive policy from the bank could trigger bullish reactions in the CHF. As a risk sensitive currency, and catalyst that causes big bouts of risk off sentiment could trigger bullish reactions in the CHF. The more aggressive markets think the ECB will be with incoming hikes, the more aggressive they will be for the SNB. Thus, data that trigger hawkish ECB expectations could also be supportive for the CHF.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
The SNB has not been as active in trying to devalue the CHF through sight deposits as they have been in recent years. With the bank now on a hiking cycle, any drastic appreciation could spark some intervention and would be a bearish catalyst. As a risk sensitive currency, and catalyst that causes big bouts of risk on sentiment could trigger bearish reactions in the CHF. Further lower repricing of ECB hikes could trigger downside in the CHF as well, and the biggest dovish risk for the currency is a big surprise miss on any incoming CPI data.
BIGGER PICTURE
The SNB surprised with a 50bsp hike and signalled, that unlike other central banks, they will not get behind the curve. Apart from a hawkish central bank , we also have the economy on a steady footing, as well as less risk of intervention as SNB’s Jordan said they no longer see the CHF as highly valued (there is of course risk that they could intervene if the CHF appreciates too much too fast). This means the bias for the CHF is bullish and we’re looking for dips as CHF for buying opportunities.
EUR GBP- FUNDAMENTAL DRIVERSEUR
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
In recent weeks, the persistently high inflation has seen the ECB take a more hawkish turn with the bank hiking rates by 50bsp at their July meeting. But the bank quelled any hawkish excitement by explaining they are frontloading hikes and not signalling a higher terminal rate with their bigger than expected July hike. At their July meeting the bank also failed to ease spread fragmentation concerns with their new Transmission Protection Instrument (TPI) as the eligibility criteria means countries that will need the support the most might have a tough time qualifying. Combined with Italian political concerns, further spread widening looks likely. Right now, even though policy and spreads are important, the main story and driver for the EUR is the economic outlook. Recent growth data continues to surprise to the downside at a rapid pace further stoking recession fears for the Eurozone. Even though the bias remains lower, a lot of negatives have been priced in from a tactical point of view though.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
De-escalation or cease fire in Ukraine would open up a lot of EUR upside. Also keep Italian politics in mind where successful attempts to avoid a snap election could ease spread widening & support the EUR. Stagflation remain high and recent data has invigorated recession fears, but with lots of bad news priced any materially better-than-expected growth data could spark some relief. Spread fragmentation remains a concern, especially with Italian politics and the ECB’s failed attempt to reassure markets. Any TPI comments that convinces markets it can solve fragmentation issues should be supportive for the EUR. Energy concerns are still in focus, which means watching the Nord Stream 1 flows, if Russia increases gas flows to more regular levels it should ease some energy supply issues. Rhine river concerns are one to watch, any good news on water levels and resumption of normal transport could be a bullish catalyst for the EUR.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Any escalation in the Ukraine war that risks including NATO would be big negative risks. Also keep Italian politics in mind, where any failed attempts to avoid a snap election should add further pressure on the EUR. Growth concerns continue to weigh on the EUR and means any major negative surprises in incoming growth data (German ZEW data next week) could trigger downside in the EUR. Spread fragmentation remains in focus, and if the ECB fails to act when we see big jolts higher in the BTP/ Bund spread it could trigger bearish reactions in the EUR. Energy concerns are still in focus, which means watching the Nord Stream 1 flows, if Russia decreases gas flows again it should increase concerns and weigh on the EUR. Rhine river concerns are one to watch, any bad news on water levels and continued breakdown in transportation could be a bearish catalyst for the EUR.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook remains bearish with recent leading indicators pointing to a much faster economic slowdown than markets had previously expected. The current bearish drivers (geopolitics, stagflation, spread fragmentation, energy supply concerns) far outweigh the positives from a hawkish ECB. Recession risks open up a narrative change for the EUR which will require markets to adjust forecasts to reflect higher recession probabilities which should weigh on the EUR. Having said that, with lots of bad news priced there is some asymmetric risk to incoming data which means chasing at the lows are dangerous.
GBP
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
The overall bleak economic outlook for the UK, with exceptionally high Inflation and rapidly falling growth have been the biggest negative driver for Sterling. At their August meeting, the BoE confirmed this bleak outlook by forecasting the UK economy to fall into recession by 4Q22 and expects the recession to last for five quarters. Even though the bank followed through with a 50bsp hike, it wasn’t enough to offset the recession forecasts. With inflation expected to reach close to 13%, the bank is stuck between a rock and a hard place as they are forced to keep hiking rates to try and fight inflation but by doing so, they risk further damaging economic growth as a result. Even though Sterling is still fairly close to recent lows (at the index level), the recent bounce was enough to short into, and we saw sizeable downside following the BoE decision. It seems unlikely that the post-BoE price action reflects a market that has already priced in a 5-quarter recession, so we expect sentiment to remain bearish on Sterling for now.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Stagflation fears are very high for the UK, with probabilities of recession growing by the week. With a recession now the base assumption, any incoming news that surprises meaningfully higher could trigger some relief. The UK is facing a huge cost-of-living squeeze, which means lower-than-expected inflation could counterintuitively be a positive driver (as lower CPI means less stagflation risk). The economy needs help right now, which means any help from the fiscal side will be a positive. Any major fiscal support measures to help consumers (subsidies for energy or tax cuts) could trigger bullish reactions for the Pound. Any overly hawkish fiscal promises from PM candidates which eases recession fears could be a positive trigger for Sterling. Any overly hawkish comments signalling more aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bullish reactions.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Odds that the BoE has limited hikes left has been a negative driver, but so too is risks that inflation forces them to hike even more and further damage GDP. Further stagflation risks from higher gas prices or CPI could trigger bearish reactions. Politicsremain a focus, where any attempts by a new PM in the weeks or months ahead to call for a snap election should cause unnecessary uncertainty and could trigger GBP downside. With UK threats of triggering Article 16 and EU threats to terminate the Brexit deal if they do Brexit is in focus again. For now, markets have rightly ignored this as posturing, but any actual escalation can see sharp GBP downside. Any overly dovish fiscal promises from PM candidates that increase recession fears could be a negative trigger for Sterling Any overly dovish comments signalling less aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bearish GBP reactions.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the GBP remains bleak, especially after the BoE’s recent forecasts of a 5-quarter recession in the UK. Furthermore, given the risks to growth, there is growing speculation that the BoE might not be too far away from pausing. Anything that exacerbates stagflation fears is expected to weigh on the Pound and anything that alleviates some of that pressure should be positive. The post-BoE price action was big, but not big enough for a market that has priced in a deep recession, which means we would expect sentiment to remain soft on Sterling after the most recent BoE meeting, but incoming data this week could trigger short-term sentiment reactions as always.
GBP CHF - FUNDAMENTAL DRIVERSGBP
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
The overall bleak economic outlook for the UK, with exceptionally high Inflation and rapidly falling growth have been the biggest negative driver for Sterling. At their August meeting, the BoE confirmed this bleak outlook by forecasting the UK economy to fall into recession by 4Q22 and expects the recession to last for five quarters. Even though the bank followed through with a 50bsp hike, it wasn’t enough to offset the recession forecasts. With inflation expected to reach close to 13%, the bank is stuck between a rock and a hard place as they are forced to keep hiking rates to try and fight inflation but by doing so, they risk further damaging economic growth as a result. Even though Sterling is still fairly close to recent lows (at the index level), the recent bounce was enough to short into, and we saw sizeable downside following the BoE decision. It seems unlikely that the post-BoE price action reflects a market that has already priced in a 5-quarter recession, so we expect sentiment to remain bearish on Sterling for now.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Stagflation fears are very high for the UK, with probabilities of recession growing by the week. With a recession now the base assumption, any incoming news that surprises meaningfully higher could trigger some relief. The UK is facing a huge cost-of-living squeeze, which means lower-than-expected inflation could counterintuitively be a positive driver (as lower CPI means less stagflation risk). The economy needs help right now, which means any help from the fiscal side will be a positive. Any major fiscal support measures to help consumers (subsidies for energy or tax cuts) could trigger bullish reactions for the Pound. Any overly hawkish fiscal promises from PM candidates which eases recession fears could be a positive trigger for Sterling. Any overly hawkish comments signalling more aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bullish reactions.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Odds that the BoE has limited hikes left has been a negative driver, but so too is risks that inflation forces them to hike even more and further damage GDP. Further stagflation risks from higher gas prices or CPI could trigger bearish reactions. Politicsremain a focus, where any attempts by a new PM in the weeks or months ahead to call for a snap election should cause unnecessary uncertainty and could trigger GBP downside. With UK threats of triggering Article 16 and EU threats to terminate the Brexit deal if they do Brexit is in focus again. For now, markets have rightly ignored this as posturing, but any actual escalation can see sharp GBP downside. Any overly dovish fiscal promises from PM candidates that increase recession fears could be a negative trigger for Sterling Any overly dovish comments signalling less aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bearish GBP reactions.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the GBP remains bleak, especially after the BoE’s recent forecasts of a 5-quarter recession in the UK. Furthermore, given the risks to growth, there is growing speculation that the BoE might not be too far away from pausing. Anything that exacerbates stagflation fears is expected to weigh on the Pound and anything that alleviates some of that pressure should be positive. The post-BoE price action was big, but not big enough for a market that has priced in a deep recession, which means we would expect sentiment to remain soft on Sterling after the most recent BoE meeting, but incoming data this week could trigger short-term sentiment reactions as always.
CHF
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BULLISH
BASELINE
The CHF has been supported in recent months as STIR markets have steadily priced in higher interest rates for Switzerland, as well the SNB’s reluctance to intervene in the currency markets to try and weaken the CHF. At their June meeting, the SNB took a very aggressive policy step by hiking rates with 50bsp and removing their previous classification that the CHF is ‘highly valued’. Unlike other central banks, the SNB has chosen to try and tackle inflation before it runs rampant by hiking rates aggressively. Their hike in June was the first hike since 2007, and if the bank follows through with a hike in September it will mean Switzerland will have positive interest rates for the first time in almost a decade. There is scope for further CHF upside in the months ahead with 4 supporting drivers. SNB’s hawkish tilt, the bank’s acceptance of a stronger CHF with less intervention, negative underlying risk sentiment driven by the global cyclical slowdown, rising inflation. The SNB did note that they are willing to be active in the foreign exchange market to ensure appropriate monetary conditions which means too much CHF strength could get the wrong attention from the bank.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Any incoming data (especially CPI on Wednesday) or SNB comments that causes markets to price in even more aggressive policy from the bank could trigger bullish reactions in the CHF. As a risk sensitive currency, and catalyst that causes big bouts of risk off sentiment could trigger bullish reactions in the CHF. The more aggressive markets think the ECB will be with incoming hikes, the more aggressive they will be for the SNB. Thus, data that trigger hawkish ECB expectations could also be supportive for the CHF.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
The SNB has not been as active in trying to devalue the CHF through sight deposits as they have been in recent years. With the bank now on a hiking cycle, any drastic appreciation could spark some intervention and would be a bearish catalyst. As a risk sensitive currency, and catalyst that causes big bouts of risk on sentiment could trigger bearish reactions in the CHF. Further lower repricing of ECB hikes could trigger downside in the CHF as well, and the biggest dovish risk for the currency is a big surprise miss on any incoming CPI data.
BIGGER PICTURE
The SNB surprised with a 50bsp hike and signalled, that unlike other central banks, they will not get behind the curve. Apart from a hawkish central bank, we also have the economy on a steady footing, as well as less risk of intervention as SNB’s Jordan said they no longer see the CHF as highly valued (there is of course risk that they could intervene if the CHF appreciates too much too fast). This means the bias for the CHF is bullish and we’re looking for dips as CHF for buying opportunities.
GBP JPY - FUNDAMENTAL DRIVERSGBP
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
The overall bleak economic outlook for the UK, with exceptionally high Inflation and rapidly falling growth have been the biggest negative driver for Sterling. At their August meeting, the BoE confirmed this bleak outlook by forecasting the UK economy to fall into recession by 4Q22 and expects the recession to last for five quarters. Even though the bank followed through with a 50bsp hike, it wasn’t enough to offset the recession forecasts. With inflation expected to reach close to 13%, the bank is stuck between a rock and a hard place as they are forced to keep hiking rates to try and fight inflation but by doing so, they risk further damaging economic growth as a result. Even though Sterling is still fairly close to recent lows (at the index level), the recent bounce was enough to short into, and we saw sizeable downside following the BoE decision. It seems unlikely that the post-BoE price action reflects a market that has already priced in a 5-quarter recession, so we expect sentiment to remain bearish on Sterling for now.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Stagflation fears are very high for the UK, with probabilities of recession growing by the week. With a recession now the base assumption, any incoming news that surprises meaningfully higher could trigger some relief. The UK is facing a huge cost-of-living squeeze, which means lower-than-expected inflation could counterintuitively be a positive driver (as lower CPI means less stagflation risk). The economy needs help right now, which means any help from the fiscal side will be a positive. Any major fiscal support measures to help consumers (subsidies for energy or tax cuts) could trigger bullish reactions for the Pound. Any overly hawkish fiscal promises from PM candidates which eases recession fears could be a positive trigger for Sterling. Any overly hawkish comments signalling more aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bullish reactions.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Odds that the BoE has limited hikes left has been a negative driver, but so too is risks that inflation forces them to hike even more and further damage GDP. Further stagflation risks from higher gas prices or CPI could trigger bearish reactions. Politicsremain a focus, where any attempts by a new PM in the weeks or months ahead to call for a snap election should cause unnecessary uncertainty and could trigger GBP downside. With UK threats of triggering Article 16 and EU threats to terminate the Brexit deal if they do Brexit is in focus again. For now, markets have rightly ignored this as posturing, but any actual escalation can see sharp GBP downside. Any overly dovish fiscal promises from PM candidates that increase recession fears could be a negative trigger for Sterling Any overly dovish comments signalling less aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bearish GBP reactions.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the GBP remains bleak, especially after the BoE’s recent forecasts of a 5-quarter recession in the UK. Furthermore, given the risks to growth, there is growing speculation that the BoE might not be too far away from pausing. Anything that exacerbates stagflation fears is expected to weigh on the Pound and anything that alleviates some of that pressure should be positive. The post-BoE price action was big, but not big enough for a market that has priced in a deep recession, which means we would expect sentiment to remain soft on Sterling after the most recent BoE meeting, but incoming data this week could trigger short-term sentiment reactions as always.
JPY
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: BEARISH
BASELINE
In recent weeks, yield differentials have been the biggest negative driver for the JPY with the BoJ keeping 10-year JGB yields capped at 0.25% with yield curve control while other central banks are hiking rates aggressively. Thus, the BoJ’s reluctance to shift on policy even with inflation starting to push higher remains a negative driver for the JPY. Even though the JPY is considered a safe haven, inflows has been limited in the current bear market compared to other cycles. The reason is Japan’s current account surplus (a main reason for safe haven appeal) has deteriorated due to the rise in commodity prices. Japan imports the bulk of their commodities , so very high energy prices has added to downside. The BoJ and MoF’s reluctance to intervene to stop the rapid depreciation in the JPY in recent weeks has been noticeable. As long as they just voice their dislike but fail to act, the market will keep testing them. Having said that, US10Y and commodities have been reacting more and more negative to the current negative cyclical growth outlook, and as a result has seen big players trim their massive JPY shorts. If this continues it should continue to support the currency on any negative data surprises from the US, especially given the size of current JPY short positions.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Catalyst that triggers speculation that the BoJ could drop YCC or hike rates or both (big upside surprises in inflation ) could trigger upside in JPY, which means inflation data will be important to keep on the radar. Catalysts that trigger meaningful corrections in US10Y (less hawkish Fed, faster deceleration in US inflation , faster deceleration in US growth) or meaningful bouts of risk off sentiment could trigger bullish reactions from the JPY. Any catalyst that triggers meaningful downside in key commodities like Oil (deteriorating demand outlook, ease in supply shortage) could trigger bullish JPY reactions. Any intervention from the BoJ or MoF to stop JPY depreciation (buying the JPY or giving firm and clear lines in the sand for USDJPY ) could offer decent reprieve for the JPY.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
With yield differentials playing such a huge role for the JPY, any catalysts that push US10Y higher (more aggressive Fed, further acceleration in US inflation , better-than-expected US growth data) could trigger further bearish price action for the JPY. Any catalyst that creates further upside in oil prices (further supply concerns, geopolitical tensions) poses downside risks for Japan’s current account surplus and could trigger further bearish reactions in the JPY. Further reluctance from the BoJ and MoF to address the concerning depreciation in the JPY, and further reluctance from the BoJ to pivot away from very dovish policy is a continued negative driver for the JPY to keep on the radar. If the BoJ pushes back against calls for a policy shift despite upside surprise in CPI could trigger further JPY downside.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook remains bearish for the JPY, especially after the BoJ once again stuck to the same overly dovish script at their July meeting. As long as US10Y remain elevated and the BoJ stays stubbornly dovish and no push back is made against the JPY weakness from the BoJ or MoF, the biasremains lower. But take note of positioning which means we don’t want to chase the JPY lower and bullish reactions can see outsized upside on big drops in US10Y & commodities . It also means watching incoming CPI data closely as any huge upside surprises could trigger speculation of a possible policy shift.
GBPJPY:Buying dips worthwhile!GBPJPY
Intraday - We look to Buy at 160.40 (stop at 159.50)
We are trading at oversold extremes. A higher correction is expected. Although the anticipated move higher is corrective, it does offer ample risk/reward today. We look to buy dips.
Our profit targets will be 162.20 and 165.65
Resistance: 162.20 / 165.65 / 168.70
Support: 158.70 / 155.60 / 152.00
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GBP JPY - FUNDAMENTAL DRIVERSGBP
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
The overall bleak economic outlook for the UK, with exceptionally high Inflation and rapidly falling growth have been the biggest negative driver for Sterling. At their August meeting, the BoE confirmed this bleak outlook by forecasting the UK economy to fall into recession by 4Q22 and expects the recession to last for five quarters. Even though the bank followed through with a 50bsp hike, it wasn’t enough to offset the recession forecasts. With inflation expected to reach close to 13%, the bank is stuck between a rock and a hard place as they are forced to keep hiking rates to try and fight inflation but by doing so, they risk further damaging economic growth as a result. Even though Sterling is still fairly close to recent lows (at the index level), the recent bounce was enough to short into, and we saw sizeable downside following the BoE decision. It seems unlikely that the post-BoE price action reflects a market that has already priced in a 5-quarter recession, so we expect sentiment to remain bearish on Sterling for now.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Stagflation fears are very high for the UK, with probabilities of recession growing by the week. With a recession now the base assumption, any incoming news that surprises meaningfully higher could trigger some relief. The UK is facing a huge cost-of-living squeeze, which means lower-than-expected inflation could counterintuitively be a positive driver (as lower CPI means less stagflation risk). The economy needs help right now, which means any help from the fiscal side will be a positive. Any major fiscal support measures to help consumers (subsidies for energy or tax cuts) could trigger bullish reactions for the Pound. Any overly hawkish fiscal promises from PM candidates which eases recession fears could be a positive trigger for Sterling. Any overly hawkish comments signalling more aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bullish reactions.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Odds that the BoE has limited hikes left has been a negative driver, but so too is risks that inflation forces them to hike even more and further damage GDP. Further stagflation risks from higher gas prices or CPI could trigger bearish reactions. Politicsremain a focus, where any attempts by a new PM in the weeks or months ahead to call for a snap election should cause unnecessary uncertainty and could trigger GBP downside. With UK threats of triggering Article 16 and EU threats to terminate the Brexit deal if they do Brexit is in focus again. For now, markets have rightly ignored this as posturing, but any actual escalation can see sharp GBP downside. Any overly dovish fiscal promises from PM candidates that increase recession fears could be a negative trigger for Sterling Any overly dovish comments signalling less aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bearish GBP reactions.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the GBP remains bleak, especially after the BoE’s recent forecasts of a 5-quarter recession in the UK. Furthermore, given the risks to growth, there is growing speculation that the BoE might not be too far away from pausing. Anything that exacerbates stagflation fears is expected to weigh on the Pound and anything that alleviates some of that pressure should be positive. The post-BoE price action was big, but not big enough for a market that has priced in a deep recession, which means we would expect sentiment to remain soft on Sterling after the most recent BoE meeting, but incoming data this week could trigger short-term sentiment reactions as always.
JPY
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: BEARISH
BASELINE
In recent weeks, yield differentials have been the biggest negative driver for the JPY with the BoJ keeping 10-year JGB yields capped at 0.25% with yield curve control while other central banks are hiking rates aggressively. Thus, the BoJ’s reluctance to shift on policy even with inflation starting to push higher remains a negative driver for the JPY. Even though the JPY is considered a safe haven, inflows has been limited in the current bear market compared to other cycles. The reason is Japan’s current account surplus (a main reason for safe haven appeal) has deteriorated due to the rise in commodity prices. Japan imports the bulk of their commodities , so very high energy prices has added to downside. The BoJ and MoF’s reluctance to intervene to stop the rapid depreciation in the JPY in recent weeks has been noticeable. As long as they just voice their dislike but fail to act, the market will keep testing them. Having said that, US10Y and commodities have been reacting more and more negative to the current negative cyclical growth outlook, and as a result has seen big players trim their massive JPY shorts. If this continues it should continue to support the currency on any negative data surprises from the US, especially given the size of current JPY short positions.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Catalyst that triggers speculation that the BoJ could drop YCC or hike rates or both (big upside surprises in inflation ) could trigger upside in JPY, which means inflation data will be important to keep on the radar. Catalysts that trigger meaningful corrections in US10Y (less hawkish Fed, faster deceleration in US inflation , faster deceleration in US growth) or meaningful bouts of risk off sentiment could trigger bullish reactions from the JPY. Any catalyst that triggers meaningful downside in key commodities like Oil (deteriorating demand outlook, ease in supply shortage) could trigger bullish JPY reactions. Any intervention from the BoJ or MoF to stop JPY depreciation (buying the JPY or giving firm and clear lines in the sand for USDJPY ) could offer decent reprieve for the JPY.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
With yield differentials playing such a huge role for the JPY, any catalysts that push US10Y higher (more aggressive Fed, further acceleration in US inflation , better-than-expected US growth data) could trigger further bearish price action for the JPY. Any catalyst that creates further upside in oil prices (further supply concerns, geopolitical tensions) poses downside risks for Japan’s current account surplus and could trigger further bearish reactions in the JPY. Further reluctance from the BoJ and MoF to address the concerning depreciation in the JPY, and further reluctance from the BoJ to pivot away from very dovish policy is a continued negative driver for the JPY to keep on the radar. If the BoJ pushes back against calls for a policy shift despite upside surprise in CPI could trigger further JPY downside.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook remains bearish for the JPY, especially after the BoJ once again stuck to the same overly dovish script at their July meeting. As long as US10Y remain elevated and the BoJ stays stubbornly dovish and no push back is made against the JPY weakness from the BoJ or MoF, the biasremains lower. But take note of positioning which means we don’t want to chase the JPY lower and bullish reactions can see outsized upside on big drops in US10Y & commodities . It also means watching incoming CPI data closely as any huge upside surprises could trigger speculation of a possible policy shift.
EUR GBP - FUNDAMENTAL DRIVERSEUR
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
In recent weeks, the persistently high inflation has seen the ECB take a more hawkish turn with the bank hiking rates by 50bsp at their July meeting. But the bank quelled any hawkish excitement by explaining they are frontloading hikes and not signalling a higher terminal rate with their bigger than expected July hike. At their July meeting the bank also failed to ease spread fragmentation concerns with their new Transmission Protection Instrument (TPI) as the eligibility criteria means countries that will need the support the most might have a tough time qualifying. Combined with Italian political concerns, further spread widening looks likely. Right now, even though policy and spreads are important, the main story and driver for the EUR is the economic outlook. Recent growth data continues to surprise to the downside at a rapid pace further stoking recession fears for the Eurozone. Even though the bias remains lower, a lot of negatives have been priced in from a tactical point of view though.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
De-escalation or cease fire in Ukraine would open up a lot of EUR upside. Also keep Italian politics in mind where successful attempts to avoid a snap election could ease spread widening & support the EUR. Stagflation remain high and recent data has invigorated recession fears, but with lots of bad news priced any materially better-than-expected growth data could spark some relief. Spread fragmentation remains a concern, especially with Italian politics and the ECB’s failed attempt to reassure markets. Any TPI comments that convinces markets it can solve fragmentation issues should be supportive for the EUR. Energy concerns are still in focus, which means watching the Nord Stream 1 flows, if Russia increases gas flows to more regular levels it should ease some energy supply issues. Rhine river concerns are one to watch, any good news on water levels and resumption of normal transport could be a bullish catalyst for the EUR.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Any escalation in the Ukraine war that risks including NATO would be big negative risks. Also keep Italian politics in mind, where any failed attempts to avoid a snap election should add further pressure on the EUR. Growth concerns continue to weigh on the EUR and means any major negative surprises in incoming growth data (German ZEW data next week) could trigger downside in the EUR. Spread fragmentation remains in focus, and if the ECB fails to act when we see big jolts higher in the BTP/Bund spread it could trigger bearish reactions in the EUR. Energy concerns are still in focus, which means watching the Nord Stream 1 flows, if Russia decreases gas flows again it should increase concerns and weigh on the EUR. Rhine river concerns are one to watch, any bad news on water levels and continued breakdown in transportation could be a bearish catalyst for the EUR.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook remains bearish with recent leading indicators pointing to a much faster economic slowdown than markets had previously expected. The current bearish drivers (geopolitics, stagflation, spread fragmentation, energy supply concerns) far outweigh the positives from a hawkish ECB. Recession risks open up a narrative change for the EUR which will require markets to adjust forecasts to reflect higher recession probabilities which should weigh on the EUR. Having said that, with lots of bad news priced there is some asymmetric risk to incoming data which means chasing at the lows are dangerous.
GBP
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
The overall bleak economic outlook for the UK, with exceptionally high Inflation and rapidly falling growth have been the biggest negative driver for Sterling. At their August meeting, the BoE confirmed this bleak outlook by forecasting the UK economy to fall into recession by 4Q22 and expects the recession to last for five quarters. Even though the bank followed through with a 50bsp hike, it wasn’t enough to offset the recession forecasts. With inflation expected to reach close to 13%, the bank is stuck between a rock and a hard place as they are forced to keep hiking rates to try and fight inflation but by doing so, they risk further damaging economic growth as a result. Even though Sterling is still fairly close to recent lows (at the index level), the recent bounce was enough to short into, and we saw sizeable downside following the BoE decision. It seems unlikely that the post-BoE price action reflects a market that has already priced in a 5-quarter recession, so we expect sentiment to remain bearish on Sterling for now.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Stagflation fears are very high for the UK, with probabilities of recession growing by the week. With a recession now the base assumption, any incoming news that surprises meaningfully higher could trigger some relief. The UK is facing a huge cost-of-living squeeze, which means lower-than-expected inflation could counterintuitively be a positive driver (as lower CPI means less stagflation risk). The economy needs help right now, which means any help from the fiscal side will be a positive. Any major fiscal support measures to help consumers (subsidies for energy or tax cuts) could trigger bullish reactions for the Pound. Any overly hawkish fiscal promises from PM candidates which eases recession fears could be a positive trigger for Sterling. Any overly hawkish comments signalling more aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bullish reactions.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Odds that the BoE has limited hikes left has been a negative driver, but so too is risks that inflation forces them to hike even more and further damage GDP. Further stagflation risks from higher gas prices or CPI could trigger bearish reactions. Politicsremain a focus, where any attempts by a new PM in the weeks or months ahead to call for a snap election should cause unnecessary uncertainty and could trigger GBP downside. With UK threats of triggering Article 16 and EU threats to terminate the Brexit deal if they do Brexit is in focus again. For now, markets have rightly ignored this as posturing, but any actual escalation can see sharp GBP downside. Any overly dovish fiscal promises from PM candidates that increase recession fears could be a negative trigger for Sterling Any overly dovish comments signalling less aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bearish GBP reactions.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the GBP remains bleak, especially after the BoE’s recent forecasts of a 5-quarter recession in the UK. Furthermore, given the risks to growth, there is growing speculation that the BoE might not be too far away from pausing. Anything that exacerbates stagflation fears is expected to weigh on the Pound and anything that alleviates some of that pressure should be positive. The post-BoE price action was big, but not big enough for a market that has priced in a deep recession, which means we would expect sentiment to remain soft on Sterling after the most recent BoE meeting, but incoming data this week could trigger short-term sentiment reactions as always.
GBP/USD in the lead up to GDP data Great Britian’s GDP Growth Rate data for June 2022 is released in a few hours' time.
The British economy expanded 0.5% MoM in May, unexpectedly beating forecasts for a neutral month of growth. May’s reading stood in stark contrast in April’s –0.2%, March’s +0.1%, and February's 0.0% readings.
The market forecast for June has the data returning to negative territory, with expectations in the realm of –1.0%.
On the technical side, the GBP/USD pair is currently consolidating close to the key level at around 1.2223 on the 4-hour timeframe. The price is currently bouncing in between 1.2260 and 1.2181. From these levels, the GBP/USD might be preparing to make an impulse move upwards.
There is a bullish divergence on the daily timeframe of the pair which adds confirmation to this possible move. A Golden Cross is close to appearing with the 20-day moving average moving sharply upwards to almost intersect the 50-day moving average.
On the daily timeframe, an upside break will put it in contention to retest previous intra-day highs of 1.2400 and 1.2660.
GBP JPY - FUNDAMENTAL DRIVERSGBP
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
The overall bleak economic outlook for the UK, with exceptionally high Inflation and rapidly falling growth have been the biggest negative driver for Sterling. At their August meeting, the BoE confirmed this bleak outlook by forecasting the UK economy to fall into recession by 4Q22 and expects the recession to last for five quarters. Even though the bank followed through with a 50bsp hike, it wasn’t enough to offset the recession forecasts. With inflation expected to reach close to 13%, the bank is stuck between a rock and a hard place as they are forced to keep hiking rates to try and fight inflation but by doing so, they risk further damaging economic growth as a result. Even though Sterling is still fairly close to recent lows (at the index level), the recent bounce was enough to short into, and we saw sizeable downside following the BoE decision. It seems unlikely that the post-BoE price action reflects a market that has already priced in a 5-quarter recession, so we expect sentiment to remain bearish on Sterling for now.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Stagflation fears are very high for the UK, with probabilities of recession growing by the week. With a recession now the base assumption, any incoming news that surprises meaningfully higher could trigger some relief. The UK is facing a huge cost-of-living squeeze, which means lower-than-expected inflation could counterintuitively be a positive driver (as lower CPI means less stagflation risk). The economy needs help right now, which means any help from the fiscal side will be a positive. Any major fiscal support measures to help consumers (subsidies for energy or tax cuts) could trigger bullish reactions for the Pound. Any overly hawkish comments signalling more aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bullish reactions.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Odds that the BoE has limited hikes left has been a negative driver, but so too is risks that inflation forces them to hike even more and further damage GDP. Further stagflation risks from higher gas prices or CPI could trigger bearish reactions. Politicsremain a focus, where any attempts by a new PM in the weeks or months ahead to call for a snap election should cause unnecessary uncertainty and could trigger GBP downside. With UK threats of triggering Article 16 and EU threats to terminate the Brexit deal if they do Brexit is in focus again. For now, markets have rightly ignored this as posturing, but any actual escalation can see sharp GBP downside. Any overly dovish comments signalling less aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bearish GBP reactions.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the GBP remains bleak, especially after the BoE’s recent forecasts of a 5-quarter recession in the UK. Furthermore, given the risks to growth, there is growing speculation that the BoE might not be too far away from pausing. Anything that exacerbates stagflation fears is expected to weigh on the Pound and anything that alleviates some of that pressure should be positive. The post-BoE price action was big, but not big enough for a market that has priced in a deep recession, which means we would expect sentiment to remain soft on Sterling after last week’s BoE.
JPY
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: BEARISH
BASELINE
In recent weeks, yield differentials have been the biggest negative driver for the JPY with the BoJ keeping 10-year JGB yields capped at 0.25% with yield curve control while other central banks are hiking rates aggressively. Thus, the BoJ’s reluctance to shift on policy even with inflation starting to push higher remains a negative driver for the JPY. Even though the JPY is considered a safe haven, inflows has been limited in the current bear market compared to other cycles. The reason is Japan’s current account surplus (a main reason for safe haven appeal) has deteriorated due to the rise in commodity prices. Japan imports the bulk of their commodities , so very high energy prices has added to downside. The BoJ and MoF’s reluctance to intervene to stop the rapid depreciation in the JPY in recent weeks has been noticeable. As long as they just voice their dislike but fail to act, the market will keep testing them. Having said that, US10Y and commodities have been reacting more and more negative to the current negative cyclical growth outlook, and as a result has seen big players trim their massive JPY shorts. If this continues it should continue to support the currency on any negative data surprises from the US, especially given the size of current JPY short positions.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Catalyst that triggers speculation that the BoJ could drop YCC or hike rates or both (big upside surprises in inflation ) could trigger upside in JPY, which means inflation data will be important to keep on the radar. Catalysts that trigger meaningful corrections in US10Y (less hawkish Fed, faster deceleration in US inflation , faster deceleration in US growth) or meaningful bouts of risk off sentiment could trigger bullish reactions from the JPY. Any catalyst that triggers meaningful downside in key commodities like Oil (deteriorating demand outlook, ease in supply shortage) could trigger bullish JPY reactions. Any intervention from the BoJ or MoF to stop JPY depreciation (buying the JPY or giving firm and clear lines in the sand for USDJPY ) could offer decent reprieve for the JPY.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
With yield differentials playing such a huge role for the JPY, any catalysts that push US10Y higher (more aggressive Fed, further acceleration in US inflation , better-than-expected US growth data) could trigger further bearish price action for the JPY. Any catalyst that creates further upside in oil prices (further supply concerns, geopolitical tensions) poses downside risks for Japan’s current account surplus and could trigger further bearish reactions in the JPY. Further reluctance from the BoJ and MoF to address the concerning depreciation in the JPY, and further reluctance from the BoJ to pivot away from very dovish policy is a continued negative driver for the JPY to keep on the radar. If the BoJ pushes back against calls for a policy shift despite upside surprise in CPI could trigger further JPY downside.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook remains bearish for the JPY, especially after the BoJ once again stuck to the same overly dovish script at their July meeting. As long as US10Y gains ground and as long as the BoJ stays stubbornly dovish and no push back is made against the JPY weakness from the BoJ or MoF, the bias remains lower. But take note of positioning which means we don’t want to chase the JPY lower and bullish reactions can see outsized upside on big drops in US10Y & commodities . It also means watching incoming CPI data closely as any huge upside surprises could trigger speculation of a possible policy shift.
GBP JPY - FUNDAMENTAL DRIVERSGBP
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
The overall bleak economic outlook for the UK, with exceptionally high Inflation and rapidly falling growth have been the biggest negative driver for Sterling. At their August meeting, the BoE confirmed this bleak outlook by forecasting the UK economy to fall into recession by 4Q22 and expects the recession to last for five quarters. Even though the bank followed through with a 50bsp hike, it wasn’t enough to offset the recession forecasts. With inflation expected to reach close to 13%, the bank is stuck between a rock and a hard place as they are forced to keep hiking rates to try and fight inflation but by doing so, they risk further damaging economic growth as a result. Even though Sterling is still fairly close to recent lows (at the index level), the recent bounce was enough to short into, and we saw sizeable downside following the BoE decision. It seems unlikely that the post-BoE price action reflects a market that has already priced in a 5-quarter recession, so we expect sentiment to remain bearish on Sterling for now.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Stagflation fears are very high for the UK, with probabilities of recession growing by the week. With a recession now the base assumption, any incoming news that surprises meaningfully higher could trigger some relief. The UK is facing a huge cost-of-living squeeze, which means lower-than-expected inflation could counterintuitively be a positive driver (as lower CPI means less stagflation risk). The economy needs help right now, which means any help from the fiscal side will be a positive. Any major fiscal support measures to help consumers (subsidies for energy or tax cuts) could trigger bullish reactions for the Pound. Any overly hawkish comments signalling more aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bullish reactions.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Odds that the BoE has limited hikes left has been a negative driver, but so too is risks that inflation forces them to hike even more and further damage GDP. Further stagflation risks from higher gas prices or CPI could trigger bearish reactions. Politicsremain a focus, where any attempts by a new PM in the weeks or months ahead to call for a snap election should cause unnecessary uncertainty and could trigger GBP downside. With UK threats of triggering Article 16 and EU threats to terminate the Brexit deal if they do Brexit is in focus again. For now, markets have rightly ignored this as posturing, but any actual escalation can see sharp GBP downside. Any overly dovish comments signalling less aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bearish GBP reactions.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the GBP remains bleak, especially after the BoE’s recent forecasts of a 5-quarter recession in the UK. Furthermore, given the risks to growth, there is growing speculation that the BoE might not be too far away from pausing. Anything that exacerbates stagflation fears is expected to weigh on the Pound and anything that alleviates some of that pressure should be positive. The post-BoE price action was big, but not big enough for a market that has priced in a deep recession, which means we would expect sentiment to remain soft on Sterling after last week’s BoE.
JPY
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: BEARISH
BASELINE
In recent weeks, yield differentials have been the biggest negative driver for the JPY with the BoJ keeping 10-year JGB yields capped at 0.25% with yield curve control while other central banks are hiking rates aggressively. Thus, the BoJ’s reluctance to shift on policy even with inflation starting to push higher remains a negative driver for the JPY. Even though the JPY is considered a safe haven, inflows has been limited in the current bear market compared to other cycles. The reason is Japan’s current account surplus (a main reason for safe haven appeal) has deteriorated due to the rise in commodity prices. Japan imports the bulk of their commodities, so very high energy prices has added to downside. The BoJ and MoF’s reluctance to intervene to stop the rapid depreciation in the JPY in recent weeks has been noticeable. As long as they just voice their dislike but fail to act, the market will keep testing them. Having said that, US10Y and commodities have been reacting more and more negative to the current negative cyclical growth outlook, and as a result has seen big players trim their massive JPY shorts. If this continues it should continue to support the currency on any negative data surprises from the US, especially given the size of current JPY short positions.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Catalyst that triggers speculation that the BoJ could drop YCC or hike rates or both (big upside surprises in inflation) could trigger upside in JPY, which means inflation data will be important to keep on the radar. Catalysts that trigger meaningful corrections in US10Y (less hawkish Fed, faster deceleration in US inflation, faster deceleration in US growth) or meaningful bouts of risk off sentiment could trigger bullish reactions from the JPY. Any catalyst that triggers meaningful downside in key commodities like Oil (deteriorating demand outlook, ease in supply shortage) could trigger bullish JPY reactions. Any intervention from the BoJ or MoF to stop JPY depreciation (buying the JPY or giving firm and clear lines in the sand for USDJPY) could offer decent reprieve for the JPY.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
With yield differentials playing such a huge role for the JPY, any catalysts that push US10Y higher (more aggressive Fed, further acceleration in US inflation, better-than-expected US growth data) could trigger further bearish price action for the JPY. Any catalyst that creates further upside in oil prices (further supply concerns, geopolitical tensions) poses downside risks for Japan’s current account surplus and could trigger further bearish reactions in the JPY. Further reluctance from the BoJ and MoF to address the concerning depreciation in the JPY, and further reluctance from the BoJ to pivot away from very dovish policy is a continued negative driver for the JPY to keep on the radar. If the BoJ pushes back against calls for a policy shift despite upside surprise in CPI could trigger further JPY downside.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook remains bearish for the JPY, especially after the BoJ once again stuck to the same overly dovish script at their July meeting. As long as US10Y gains ground and as long as the BoJ stays stubbornly dovish and no push back is made against the JPY weakness from the BoJ or MoF, the bias remains lower. But take note of positioning which means we don’t want to chase the JPY lower and bullish reactions can see outsized upside on big drops in US10Y & commodities. It also means watching incoming CPI data closely as any huge upside surprises could trigger speculation of a possible policy shift.
EUR GBP - FUNDAMENTAL DRIVERSEUR
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
In recent weeks, the persistently high inflation has seen the ECB take a more hawkish turn with the bank hiking rates by 50bsp at their July meeting. But the bank quelled any hawkish excitement by explaining they are frontloading hikes and not signalling a higher terminal rate with their bigger than expected July hike. At their July meeting the bank also failed to ease spread fragmentation concerns with their new Transmission Protection Instrument (TPI) as the eligibility criteria means countries that will need the support the most might have a tough time qualifying. Combined with Italian political concerns, further spread widening looks likely. Right now, even though policy and spreads are important, the main story and driver for the EUR is the economic outlook. Recent growth data continues to surprise to the downside at a rapid pace further stoking recession fears for the Eurozone. Even though the bias remains lower, a lot of negatives have been priced in from a tactical point of view.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
De-escalation or cease fire in Ukraine would open up a lot of EUR upside. Also keep Italian politics in mind where successful attempts to avoid a snap election could ease spread widening & support the EUR. Stagflation remain high and recent data has invigorated recession fears, but with lots of bad news priced any materially better-than-expected growth data could spark some relief. Spread fragmentation remains a concern, especially with Italian politics and the ECB’s failed attempt to reassure markets. Any TPI comments that convinces markets it can solve fragmentation issues should be supportive for the EUR. Energy concerns are still in focus, which means watching the Nord Stream 1 flows, if Russia increases gas flows to more regular levels it should ease some energy supply issues.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Any escalation in the Ukraine war that risks including NATO would be big negative risks. Also keep Italian politics in mind, where any failed attempts to avoid a snap election should add further pressure on the EUR. Growth concerns continue to weigh on the EUR and means any major negative surprises in incoming growth data could trigger further downside in the EUR. Spread fragmentation remains in focus, and if the ECB fails to act when we see big jolts higher in the BTP/Bund spread it could trigger bearish reactions in the EUR. Energy concerns are still in focus, which means watching the Nord Stream 1 flows, if Russia decreases gas flows again it should increase concerns and weigh on the EUR.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook remains bearish with recent leading indicators pointing to a much faster economic slowdown than markets had previously expected. The current bearish drivers (geopolitics, stagflation, spread fragmentation, energy supply concerns) far outweigh the positives from a hawkish ECB. Recession risks open up a narrative change for the EUR which will require markets to adjust forecasts to reflect higher recession probabilities which should weigh on the EUR. Having said that, with lots of bad news priced there is some asymmetric risk to incoming data which means chasing at the lows are dangerous.
GBP
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
The overall bleak economic outlook for the UK, with exceptionally high Inflation and rapidly falling growth have been the biggest negative driver for Sterling. At their August meeting, the BoE confirmed this bleak outlook by forecasting the UK economy to fall into recession by 4Q22 and expects the recession to last for five quarters. Even though the bank followed through with a 50bsp hike, it wasn’t enough to offset the recession forecasts. With inflation expected to reach close to 13%, the bank is stuck between a rock and a hard place as they are forced to keep hiking rates to try and fight inflation but by doing so, they risk further damaging economic growth as a result. Even though Sterling is still fairly close to recent lows (at the index level), the recent bounce was enough to short into, and we saw sizeable downside following the BoE decision. It seems unlikely that the post-BoE price action reflects a market that has already priced in a 5-quarter recession, so we expect sentiment to remain bearish on Sterling for now.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Stagflation fears are very high for the UK, with probabilities of recession growing by the week. With a recession now the base assumption, any incoming news that surprises meaningfully higher could trigger some relief. The UK is facing a huge cost-of-living squeeze, which means lower-than-expected inflation could counterintuitively be a positive driver (as lower CPI means less stagflation risk). The economy needs help right now, which means any help from the fiscal side will be a positive. Any major fiscal support measures to help consumers (subsidies for energy or tax cuts) could trigger bullish reactions for the Pound. Any overly hawkish comments signalling more aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bullish reactions.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Odds that the BoE has limited hikes left has been a negative driver, but so too is risks that inflation forces them to hike even more and further damage GDP. Further stagflation risks from higher gas prices or CPI could trigger bearish reactions. Politicsremain a focus, where any attempts by a new PM in the weeks or months ahead to call for a snap election should cause unnecessary uncertainty and could trigger GBP downside. With UK threats of triggering Article 16 and EU threats to terminate the Brexit deal if they do Brexit is in focus again. For now, markets have rightly ignored this as posturing, but any actual escalation can see sharp GBP downside. Any overly dovish comments signalling less aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bearish GBP reactions.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the GBP remains bleak, especially after the BoE’s recent forecasts of a 5-quarter recession in the UK. Furthermore, given the risks to growth, there is growing speculation that the BoE might not be too far away from pausing. Anything that exacerbates stagflation fears is expected to weigh on the Pound and anything that alleviates some of that pressure should be positive. The post-BoE price action was big, but not big enough for a market that has priced in a deep recession, which means we would expect sentiment to remain soft on Sterling after last week’s BoE.
GBPCHF: Rallies bound to fail?!GBPCHF
Intraday - We look to Sell at 1.1711 (stop at 1.1745)
Preferred trade is to sell into rallies. Previous resistance located at 1.1710. There is scope for mild buying at the open but gains should be limited. Expect trading to remain mixed and volatile.
Our profit targets will be 1.1600 and 1.1550
Resistance: 1.1710 / 1.1758 / 1.1990
Support: 1.1570 / 1.1527 / 1.1450
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Today’s Notable Sentiment ShiftsGBP – Sterling fell on Thursday after the BoE raised interest rates by the most in 27 years as it seeks to tame inflation now seen peaking at more than 13% but also warned that a long recession is on its way.
Summarising the meeting and GBP’s reaction, ING simply stated “The pound is falling despite a 50 by hike by the BoE. The reaction mostly boils down to the BoE’s pessimistic outlook for the UK economy, with a recession now expected to start in the fourth quarter and to extend through next year.”
EUR GBP - FUNDAMENTAL DRIVERSEUR
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
In recent weeks, the persistently high inflation has seen the ECB take a more hawkish turn with the bank hiking rates by 50bsp at their July meeting. But the bank quelled any hawkish excitement by explaining they are frontloading hikes and not signalling a higher terminal rate with their bigger hike. At their July meeting the bank also failed to ease spread fragmentation concerns with their new Transmission Protection Instrument (TPI) as the eligibility criteria means countries that will need the support the most might have a tough time qualifying. Combined with Italian political concerns, further spread widening looks likely. Right now, even though policy and spreads are important, the main story and driver for the EUR is the economic outlook. Recent growth data continues to surprise to the downside at a rapid pace further stoking recession fears for the Eurozone. As long as data surprises lower and spreads remain high the bias for the EUR remains firmly in bearish territory.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Geopolitics remains important where any de-escalation or cease fire in Ukraine would open up a lot of EUR upside. Also keep Italian politics in mind where successful attemptsto avoid a snap election could ease spread widening & support the EUR. Stagflation fears are high, with growth expected to slow with inflation still. Recent PMI data has invigorated recession fears, which means any materially better-than-expected growth data (DE Factory Orders & Industrial Production this week) could spark some relief for the EUR. Spread fragmentation remains a concern, especially with Italian politics and the ECB’s failed attempt to reassure markets about their new TPI tool. Any comments about TPI that convinces markets it can solve fragmentation issues should be supportive for the EUR. Energy concerns are still in focus, which means watching the Nord Stream 1 flows, if Russia increases gas flows to more regular levels it should ease some energy supply issues.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Geopolitics remain in focus, any escalation in the Ukraine war that risks including NATO would be big negative risks. Also keep Italian politics in mind, where any failed attempts to avoid a snap election should add further pressure on the EUR. Growth concerns continue to weigh on the EUR and means any major negative surprises in incoming growth data (DE Factory Orders & Industrial Production this week) could trigger further downside in the EUR. Spread fragmentation remains in focus, and if the ECB fails to act with big jolts higher in the BTP/Bund spread it could trigger bearish reactions in the EUR. We've seen a chunky repricing in hike expectations over the past three weeks, and any further lower repricing is expected to weigh on the EUR. Energy concerns are still in focus, which means watching the Nord Stream 1 flows, if Russia decreases gas flows again it should increase concerns and weigh on the EUR.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook remains bearish for the EUR with recent leading indicators pointing to a much faster economic slowdown than markets had previously expected. The current bearish drivers (geopolitics, stagflation, spread fragmentation, energy supply concerns) far outweigh the positives from a hawkish ECB. Recession risks open up a narrative change for the EUR which will require markets to adjust forecasts to reflect higher recession probabilities which should weigh on the EUR.
GBP
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
The overall bleak economic outlook for the UK, with exceptionally high Inflation and rapidly falling growth have been the biggest negative driver for Sterling. With rising price pressures and falling demand, the risks of stagflation has risen substantially, so much so that the BoE have forecasted a possible recession for the UK economy heading into 2023. At their June meeting the bank followed through with their more moderate approach by hiking 25bsp instead of growing calls of a potential 50bsp hike. The BoE is stuck between a rock and a hard place, right now they have to hike rates to try and fight inflation but by doing so they risk further damaging economic growth as a result. Even though the June statement was dovish, it wasn’t materially more dovish compared to their previous meeting. The price action was a clear warning sign that a lot of negatives has been priced in for Sterling in recent weeks so chasing lower is very risky right now.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Stagflation fears are very high for the UK, with probabilities of recession growing by the week. With so much bad news priced in, incoming news risk is asymmetrical, meaning positive surprises in growth data could trigger strong bullish reactions. The UK is facing a huge cost-of-living squeeze, which means lower-than-expected inflation could counterintuitively be a positive driver (as lower CPI means less stagflation risk). The economy needs help right now, which means any help from the fiscal side will be a positive. Any major fiscal support measures to help consumers (subsidies for energy or tax cuts) could trigger bullish reactions for the Pound. Any overly hawkish comments signalling more aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bullish reactions.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Odds that the BoE has limited hikes left has been a negative driver, but so too is risks that inflation forces them to hike even more and further damage GDP. Further stagflation risks from higher gas prices or CPI could trigger bearish reactions. Politicsremain a focus, where any attempts by a new PM in the weeks or months ahead to call for a snap election should cause unnecessary uncertainty and could trigger GBP downside. With UK threats of triggering Article 16 and EU threats to terminate the Brexit deal if they do Brexit is in focus again. For now, markets have rightly ignored this as posturing, but any actual escalation can see sharp GBP downside. Any overly dovish comments signalling less aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bearish GBP reactions.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the GBP remains fairly bleak right now with the economic prospects and risk of stagflation keeping the currency pressured, alongside expectations that the BoE might not be too far away from pausing their hiking cycle. Anything that exacerbates stagflation fears is expected to weigh on the Pound and anything that alleviates some of that pressure should be positive. Sterling has been looking stretched to the downside, so any new shorts do need to be weary of the risk of some mean reversion, but with the recent bounce at the index level some of the stretched price action might be waning.