Macro Events & News

Andria Pichidi HFM

FX News

European Outlook: Topix and Nikkei rallied and are targeting fresh highs, boosted by technology companies and retailers as markets start to focus on earnings. Elsewhere gains were more mooted and Hang Seng and CSI 300 swung between gains and losses. U.S. stock futures are higher, UK100 futures slightly down, but for the Eurozone a Bloomberg report that the ECB is considering halving asset purchases next year, but with a longer than anticipated 9 months extension could help the GER30 to finally crack the 13000 mark and keep Bunds underpinned. Brexit risks meanwhile are weighing on U.K. markets as hopes of early trade talks were dashed by Barnier yesterday, although there is still the hope of a transition period, which would at least give more time for talks.

FX Updates: EURUSD opened in N.Y. at 1.1860 highs, and spent much of the remainder of the session slowly grinding lower, basing at 1.1827 after the London close. The pairing traded under both its 50- and 20day moving averages, before reclaiming the levels into the close. Dovish fallout from Wednesday’s FOMC minutes continued to provide some support, though Friday’s U.S. CPI report may end up being a weight on the euro should data come in warm, as expected. Talk of a no-deal exit from the EU has been increasing, with five rounds of negotiation having reached “deadlock,” according to the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Barniar. He also said that the EU would agree to a two-year transitory period, to buy more time after actual Brexit occurs in March 2019. Cable surged to $1.3290 after EU’s Barnier’s comments.

Main Macro Events Today

US Retail Sales – Expectations – At 1.7% in September vs -0.2% in August, or 0.3% ex-auto.

US CPI – Expectations – CPI is forecast to surge 0.6% in September from 0.4% due to the surge in petroleum price.

ECB – ECB Vice President Vitor Constancio is due to speak at 12:30 GMT.

FOMC Speeches – Boston Fed dove Rosengren opens a policy conference by his branch at 12:30 GMT. Evans is back on the economy and policy from 14:25 GMT, Kaplan takes Q&A at a CFA conference from 15:30 GMTand Powell is invited to speak at the Boston Fed conference from 17 GMT.

Charts of the Day

Support and Resistance Levels

Author

Andria Pichidi

HFM

Having completed her five-year-long studies in the UK, Andria Pichidi has been awarded a BSc in Mathematics and Physics from the University of Bath and a MSc degree in Mathematics, while she holds a postgraduate diploma (PGdip) in

EUR/USD hits two-day highs near 1.1820

EUR/USD picks up pace and reaches two-day tops around 1.1820 at the end of the week. The pair’s move higher comes on the back of renewed weakness in the US Dollar amid growing talk that the Fed could deliver an interest rate cut as early as March. On the docket, the flash US Consumer Sentiment improves to 57.3 in February.

GBP/USD reclaims 1.3600 and above

GBP/USD reverses two straight days of losses, surpassing the key 1.3600 yardstick on Friday. Cable’s rebound comes as the Greenback slips away from two-week highs in response to some profit-taking mood and speculation of Fed rate cuts. In addition, hawkish comments from the BoE’s Pill are also collaborating with the quid’s improvement.

Gold climbs further, focus is back to 45,000

Gold regains upside traction and surpasses the $4,900 mark per troy ounce at the end of the week, shifting its attention to the critical $5,000 region. The move reflects a shift in risk sentiment, driving flows back towards traditional safe haven assets and supporting the yellow metal.

Crypto Today: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP rebound amid risk-off, $2.6 billion liquidation wave

Bitcoin edges up above $65,000 at the time of writing on Friday, as dust from the recent macro-triggered sell-off settles. The leading altcoin, Ethereum, hovers above $1,900, but resistance at $2,000 caps the upside. Meanwhile, Ripple has recorded the largest intraday jump among the three assets, up over 10% to $1.35.

Three scenarios for Japanese Yen ahead of snap election

The latest polls point to a dominant win for the ruling bloc at the upcoming Japanese snap election. The larger Sanae Takaichi’s mandate, the more investors fear faster implementation of tax cuts and spending plans.

XRP rally extends as modest ETF inflows support recovery

Ripple is accelerating its recovery, trading above $1.36 at the time of writing on Friday, as investors adjust their positions following a turbulent week in the broader crypto market. The remittance token is up over 21% from its intraday low of $1.12.