With the recent volatility in the forex market, one currency pair seems to stand out: the EUR/USD. This pair has been range-trading for the previous week as the two currencies struggle for dominance of the currency market. With this weekend’s G8 summit on the global financial system, traders will no doubt anticipate a higher level of volatility among this primary currency pair after the world’s economic leaders meet.
Economic News
USD – USD Advances after Treasury Auction
The Dollar advanced Wednesday against the EUR and JPY after an auction of 10-year U.S. Treasury notes achieved higher than expected yields. Selling off of stocks after the auction intensified the losses among risk-sensitive currencies. The USD fell earlier after Russia’s central bank said it will diversify its currency reserves by cutting U.S. Treasury purchases and buying IMF-backed bonds.
The Dollar also fell 6.6% versus the EUR in May on speculation the ever expanding U.S. budget deficit and the Federal Reserve’s increase of the money supply will undermine the greenback. The U.S. budget deficit climbed to $189.7 billion in May, a record for the month which prompted some concerns of the Dollar’s collapse. In light of this, it appears that U.S. fiscal and monetary policy will provide indications on the outlook for the Dollar as markets currently associate an improving economic outlook with a possible tightening of monetary policy.
A Federal Reserve survey know as the “Beige Book” which was released Wednesday showed that economic conditions remain weak and even deteriorated in several regions of the country, with commercial real estate and labor markets continuing to struggle. Traders should pay close attention to Core Retail Sales and Unemployment Claims to be released today at 12:30 GMT for further insight in to the state of the U.S economy. The likelihood that the greenback will continue to rise against some of its main currency rivals appears stronger than usual today.
EUR – EUR Trims Losses against USD
After a downward turn against the USD, the EUR rebounded from its session low of $1.3914 and trimmed its losses following a rise in the equity markets. Wednesday the EUR ended at $1.3987, down from $1.4075 late Tuesday and at 137.47 Yen, up from 137.10. The Pound Sterling was at $1.6355, up from $1.6333. The Pound advanced against the EUR to the highest level since December after a government report showed manufacturing in the U.K. expanded for a second consecutive month and stocks gained.
The EUR/USD pair seems to have settled into a trading range with the EUR fluctuating between $1.38 and $1.42. This trend is likely to continue until the end of the week. However, with high oil prices and diminishing risk aversion it is likely that the EUR will resume its bullish trend as the underlying sentiment is still negative for the Dollar.
With a slow news days for the Euro-Zone today and Friday, investors are waiting for the weekend G8 meeting to start this Friday for a better assessment of the direction the participating economies will take. The EUR’s recent strength makes it a excellent forerunner in today’s market, but regional uncertainties have captivated traders lately and made the forex market less predictable.
JPY – JPY Trading Down against Currency Rivals
The JPY declined yesterday against most major currencies as speculation regarding a global recovery encouraged investors to buy higher yielding assets outside of Japan, selling the Japanese currency. The Yen was at 137.21 per EUR Wednesday and at 98.21 per USD, following a 0.8% drop. As the anxiety about financial turmoil retreats, people are willing to buy riskier currencies which offer higher yields while funding that with safer currencies such as the Yen and the Dollar.
The Japanese Yen is likely to continue to weaken as improving risk appetite brought on by advances in the Asian stock market is likely to encourage investors to turn to overseas assets offering higher returns, promoting Japanese capital outflows. As a result, the JPY’s target rates today should be lower against its currency counterparts.
Crude Oil – Oil Soars above $72 a Barrel
Crude Oil rose to a 7-month high after a government report showed that U.S. crude supplies unexpectedly fell. Stockpiles of oil dropped 4.38 million barrels to 361.6 million in the week ended June 5, the Energy Department said Wednesday. Crude Oil for July delivery rose to another record price this morning by reaching $72.04 a barrel.
Oil demand is still pretty weak across the globe despite a slight increase in demand in the U.S. Commodity futures which have increased this year as the Dollar weakened and equity markets rebounded. Still, the fundamentals don’t support prices at these levels and Oil’s current strength might be a result of momentum-trading as investors turn to higher yielding assets amid rising confidence of global recovery. Fears over rising inflation may also assist in Crude Oil’s rise as investors look for assets that can offer protection against rising inflation.
Technical News
EUR/USD
The price of this pair has been sending mixed signals over the past few days as it continues to trade in a wide range. There appears to be a bearish cross on the hourly chart’s Slow Stochastic; however, a fresh bullish cross has just occurred on the hourly chart’s MACD. With bullish and bearish crosses on the MACDs of the 4-hour and daily charts, respectively, traders may find it difficult to choose a direction. Waiting for a clearer signal might be a wise choice today.
GBP/USD
The price of this pair appears to be floating in the over-bought territory on the RSI of the 4-hour chart, signaling an impending bearish move. The fresh bearish crosses on the hourly chart’s Slow Stochastic and MACD support this notion. Going short appears to be a good strategy today.
USD/JPY
The oscillators on this pair have recently completed a number of bearish crosses, and have exited the over-bought territory on the RSIs. As of now, the price is on a slippery downward slope. However, indications on the hourly chart are beginning to show signs of opposing pressure as the downward movement may be coming to an end. If it breaches the next resistance line, a strong downward move may occur; however, if it fails to breach, traders may expect an upward correction throughout the day.
USD/CHF
The price of this pair appears to be floating in the over-sold territory on the 4-hour chart’s RSI, indicating an imminent upward correction. The fresh bullish cross on the hourly chart’s Slow Stochastic supports this notion. Going long might be a wise move today.
The Wild Card
EUR/NOK
The price of this pair has just entered the over-sold territory on the hourly chart’s RSI, signaling upward pressure. The fresh bullish crosses on the MACD of the hourly and 4-hour charts support the notion of an impending bullish correction. By entering early long positions, forex traders can enter the market on this pair, and at a great starting price.
Written by: Forexyard.com