|

China Fix and some 'nervous Nellies' in the oil pit

China Fix 

While we expect the brain-twisting onslaught of headlines to unfold at any minute, I still think the G-20 meeting will be a formality at best. And although Mnuchin suggested we are 90 % there to a trade deal, yet that reaming 10 %   has always been the gap too far to bridge — especially that trust gap where the US wants to keep existing tariffs in place to ensure China compliance.

Yuan 

Despite may ho-hum view going into G-20, judging from Yuan price action in the past few days, the market appears to be trading more defensively, as buyers on dips have swarmed USDCNH. Price action should remain choppy in the next two days due to the onslaught of teaser headlines

Oil markets

Perhaps it’s a case of no boots on the ground in Iran, the bullish speculative length in the market, or oil traders suffering a case of the nervous Nellies ahead of the two most significant oil risk events of the year.

With many what if around the G-20 with Trump threatening plan B and even some jitters around Russian compliance heding into the OPEC meeting, and not to mention the delicate situation in Iran, there's cause to be nervous about at these lofty monthly levels. 

Frankly, in the absence of a defining headline, I think someone just ran the market at a vulnerable low liquid time as demand has come back quickly.

But in these headline-driven markets and despite the humongous inventory draws, it's always wise to expect the unexpected and remain a vigilant two-fisted trader with the sell trigger in one hand and the buy in the other.

Author

Stephen Innes

Stephen Innes

SPI Asset Management

With more than 25 years of experience, Stephen has a deep-seated knowledge of G10 and Asian currency markets as well as precious metal and oil markets.

More from Stephen Innes
Share:

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD flirts with daily highs, retargets 1.1900

EUR/USD regains upside traction, returning to the 1.1880 zone and refocusing its attention to the key 1.1900 barrier. The pair’s slight gains comes against the backdrop of a humble decline in the US Dollar as investors continue to assess the latest US CPI readings and the potential Fed’s rate path.

GBP/USD remains well bid around 1.3650

GBP/USD maintains its upside momentum in place, hovering around daily highs near 1.3650 and setting aside part of the recent three-day drop. Cable’s improved sentiment comes on the back of the Greenback’s  irresolute price action, while recent hawkish comments from the BoE’s Pill also collaborate with the uptick.

Gold clings to gains just above $5,000/oz

Gold is reclaiming part of the ground lost on Wednesday’s marked decline, as bargain-hunters keep piling up and lifting prices past the key $5,000 per troy ounce. The precious metal’s move higher is also underpinned by the slight pullback in the US Dollar and declining US Treasury yields across the curve.

Crypto Today: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP in choppy price action, weighed down by falling institutional interest 

Bitcoin's upside remains largely constrained amid weak technicals and declining institutional interest. Ethereum trades sideways above $1,900 support with the upside capped below $2,000 amid ETF outflows.

Week ahead – Data blitz, Fed Minutes and RBNZ decision in the spotlight

US GDP and PCE inflation are main highlights, plus the Fed minutes. UK and Japan have busy calendars too with focus on CPI. Flash PMIs for February will also be doing the rounds. RBNZ meets, is unlikely to follow RBA’s hawkish path.

Ripple Price Forecast: XRP potential bottom could be in sight

Ripple edges up above the intraday low of $1.35 at the time of writing on Friday amid mixed price actions across the crypto market. The remittance token failed to hold support at $1.40 the previous day, reflecting risk-off sentiment amid a decline in retail and institutional sentiment.