Talking Points:
- Commodity-backed loans and bypassing capital control could include gold as well as copper.
- USD/CNH movements could be quick in any broad based liquidation of risk assets.
- Reference rate out of China for the USDollar to Yuan (CNH) continues to move higher.
In March we touched on the fact that China (consuming half of copper trade per annum) was using 80% of their imports as pure loan collateral and/or to get around capital controls. When the People’s Central Bank of China began to widen the Yuan band in the face of slowing growth and as to target some shadow financing vehicles, we saw heavy selling of copper as some highly leveraged commodity backed loans were unwound. The recent run-up in gold prices combined with the highest USD/CNY fixing rates in months may have forced the unwinding of some extremely overleveraged positions. Although the systems of financing are often complex as we saw with copper, gold has been used for some even more complex and lucrative structures surrounding the skirting of capital controls. Yesterday, USD/CNH hit its highest level since February of 2012.
In regards to the depreciating Yuan, political pressure continues to build with Treasury officials warning the Chinese not to weaken the Yuan for their economic benefit. Meanwhile, the daily reference rates out of the PBoC continue to move higher toward the ominous 6.25 mark. That is said to be the level where a large concentration of leveraged financial vehicles may experience some serious stresses. A run towards and through that mark could be quick and does provide trading opportunities for those who keep tabs on Chinese credit markets during these volatile and uncertain times.
Note: USD/CNH vs. USD/CNY
“CNH is an offshore version of the RMB introduced by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and People's Bank of China which allows investors outside of mainland China to gain exposure to the RMB.”
Recommended Content
Editors’ Picks
AUD/USD risks a deeper drop in the short term
AUD/USD rapidly left behind Wednesday’s decent advance and resumed its downward trend on the back of the intense buying pressure in the greenback, while mixed results from the domestic labour market report failed to lend support to AUD.
EUR/USD leaves the door open to a decline to 1.0600
A decent comeback in the Greenback lured sellers back into the market, motivating EUR/USD to give away the earlier advance to weekly tops around 1.0690 and shift its attention to a potential revisit of the 1.0600 neighbourhood instead.
Gold is closely monitoring geopolitics
Gold trades in positive territory above $2,380 on Thursday. Although the benchmark 10-year US Treasury bond yield holds steady following upbeat US data, XAU/USD continues to stretch higher on growing fears over a deepening conflict in the Middle East.
Bitcoin price shows strength as IMF attests to spread and intensity of BTC transactions ahead of halving
Bitcoin (BTC) price is borderline strong and weak with the brunt of the weakness being felt by altcoins. Regarding strength, it continues to close above the $60,000 threshold for seven weeks in a row.
Is the Biden administration trying to destroy the Dollar?
Confidence in Western financial markets has already been shaken enough by the 20% devaluation of the dollar over the last few years. But now the European Commission wants to hand Ukraine $300 billion seized from Russia.