|

Chart of the week: EUR/USD carry trade unwind done, mean reversion opportunities

EUR/USD has been a funding currency of choice due to the second most negative implied yield in the G10 FX space behind the CHF. Prior to the coronavirus, in Sep 2019, we saw a low of 1.0879 due to weak eurozone fundamentals. Then, in 202, the US dollar took over as the driver and we saw a fresh low of 1.0779. We have seen a recent reversal of price to a high of 1.1053 due to what appears to be an unwind of the carry trade as investors seek to step away from the risks of the contagion effects of the global economy, buying back the euro that had been used as a liquid currency to finance risker investments at a low borrowing cost. This is what makes the charts so compelling and taking a deeper dive into the volume profile, technical analysis, we can assume a downside correction is on the cards as a low-risk trade set-up. 

Weekly trendline (bearish below)

While there is room to the weekly trendline, the 1.1150s, there is a fairly high hurdle above 1.1095 (2020 VPOC) for a continuation of EUR/USD rally at this juncture. The path of least resistance appears to be to the downside when factoring in the volume profile and the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement of the 31st December peak to YTD lows. The 1.1095 (2020 VPOC) would usually act as a magnet/support/resistance target, so it should not be ignored at this juncture, despite the recent rally sitting in overbought conditions. 

Daily chart, price runs towards 61.8% Fibo/resistance

The 2020 VPOC should prove to be a strong level of resistance and a level which bulls will target the accumulation of buy stop liquidity.  On the daily chart, we now have a doji, (bearish). High volume nodes are accumulated below the close of 1.1025 and the prior day's VPOC is located at 1.0977, a support zone seen clearly on the 4-hour time frame and a 61.8% retracement of Friday's range. 

4-HR support

The VPOC of Friday is located at 1.1000, a 50% retracement of the range which is the first target for a mean reversion trade. On a break and follow trough, beyond the aforementioned 61.8% retracement opens risk to 1.0950 and low volume nodes of price on Friday's session. Bears will be motivated on a spike of hourly sell tick-volume in the open with A/D moving back into distribution territories. 1.0920 guards a drop to 1.0870 according to VPOC, 25th Feb (correlates with a 161.8% Fibo).

Author

Ross J Burland

Ross J Burland, born in England, UK, is a sportsman at heart. He played Rugby and Judo for his county, Kent and the South East of England Rugby team.

More from Ross J Burland
Share:

Editor's Picks

GBP/USD declines toward 1.3500 as markets turn risk-averse

GBP/USD comes under bearish pressure and declines toward 1.3500 on Tuesday. The UK ILO Unemployment Rate held steady at 4.9% in the three months to June, against a forecast of 4.8%, while Employment Change arrived at 83K in the same period versus 147K previous. Weak UK labor data, combined with the risk-averse market atmosphere amid a re-escalation of tensions in the Middle East weigh on the pair.

EUR/USD retreats below 1.1600 on modest USD recovery

EUR/USD struggles to gain traction and trades below 1.1600 in the second half of the day on Tuesday, even after the data from the Eurozone and Germany highlighted improving economic sentiment in August. The US Dollar (USD) benefits from the risk-averse market atmosphere as tensions in Middle East remain high, making it difficult for the pair to turn north.

Gold sticks to losses below $4,400 as USD recovers further from two-month low

Gold remains depressed below the $4,400 mark through the first half of the European session, snapping a two-day winning streak amid a broadly firmer US Dollar. Inflation risks stemming from higher oil prices back the case for at least one interest rate hike by the US Federal Reserve in 2026.

Pi Network holds steady amid app studio costs surge to push user adoption

Pi Network extends a consolidation range capped below $0.0900 holding above the $0.0839 support level. PI token remains under pressure as the Core Team pushes for real user adoption by raising costs for AI-powered app creation, effective from August 24. Leverage-linked risk exposure eases as Open Interest declines despite an increase in social interest.

Fiscal concerns and doubts on Fed independence send US yields to long-term highs

US Treasury yields keep rising across the curve this week, with the yield for the 30-year Treasury bond reaching its highest level since 2007, during the global financial crisis, at 5.33% so far on Monday. A mix of concerns about the ballooning US fiscal deficit and growing doubts about the Federal Reserve’s Independence are increasing pressure on US Government Bonds.

Why is Crude Oil priced for a reopening the ships haven't made?
Fourteen vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday. Before the war, the count ran near 120 a day. In the sessions since the waterway was publicly declared open, Brent has drifted back to $87 and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) to $81, both a little lower again on Wednesday, with daily momentum on each unwound from the top of its range in late July to the low twenties now.