Shorts in energy stocks rise and Bitcoin risks sanctions [Video]

Ipek Ozkardeskaya Swissquote Bank Ltd

The possibility of another round of discussion between Russia and Ukraine and Jerome Powell’s more dovish than expected testimony saved the day for equity investors yesterday.

The S&P 500 rallied 1.86%, while Nasdaq gained 1.62% on Wednesday, but the 50-DMA finally crossed below the 200-DMA confirming a long-awaited death cross formation on Nasdaq’s daily chart.

Elsewhere, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence, the short interest against the energy stocks has peaked to the highest levels in more than a year, as the latest rally in global energy stocks ‘may be petering out, even with oil prices surging to their highest levels since 2014’.

But US and Brent crude continue their jaw-dropping advance this morning as OPEC+ decided to maintain its production target unchanged at 400’000 extra barrels per day from April.

Among safe havens, demand in US dollar remains strong. Gold performs well, but Bitcoin becomes a risky safe haven as the latest news suggests that the US Department of Justice announced a new task force broadly designed to enforce sanctions, which will also target efforts to use cryptocurrency to evade US sanctions.

Author

Ipek Ozkardeskaya

Swissquote Bank Ltd

Ipek Ozkardeskaya began her financial career in 2010 in the structured products desk of the Swiss Banque Cantonale Vaudoise. She worked in HSBC Private Bank in Geneva in relation to high and ultra-high-net-worth clients.

EUR/USD trims losses, flirts with the 1.1850 zone

EUR/USD is back on the back foot on Wednesday, slipping below the 1.1850 area as the US Dollar picks up some modest traction. The move comes as traders position ahead of a busy run of US data and the release of the FOMC Minutes. Adding to the pullback are reports that the ECB’s Lagarde may step down before completing her term.

GBP/USD flirts with daily highs near 1.3580

GBP/USD manages to set aside two consecutive daily declines and trades with slight gains in the 1.3580 zone on Wednesday. Cable’s uptick comes despite acceptable gains in the Greenback and easing UK inflation figures, which seem to have reinforced the case for a BoE rate cut in March.

Gold regains some shine, retargets $5,000 ahead of FOMC Minutes

Gold gathers fresh upside traction on Wednesday, leaving part of the weakness seen at the beginning of the week and refocusing its attention to the key $5,000 mark per troy ounce, all ahead of the release of the FOMC Minutes and despite the modest uptick in the US Dollar.

Pi Network rally defies market pressure ahead of its first anniversary

Pi Network is trading above $0.1900 at press time on Wednesday, extending the weekly gains by nearly 8% so far. The steady recovery is supported by a short-term pause in mainnet migration, which reduces pressure on the PI token supply for Centralized Exchanges. The technical outlook focuses on the $0.1919 resistance as bullish momentum increases.

Mixed UK inflation data no gamechanger for the Bank of England

Food inflation plunged in January, but service sector price pressure is proving stickier. We continue to expect Bank of England rate cuts in March and June. The latest UK inflation read is a mixed bag for the Bank of England, but we doubt it drastically changes the odds of a March rate cut.

Top 3 Price Prediction: Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple face downside risk as bears regain control

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple remain under pressure on Wednesday, with the broader trend still sideways. BTC is edging below $68,000, nearing the lower consolidating boundary, while ETH and XRP also declined slightly, approaching their key supports.