This is not a correlated market. The USD is Up and Crude is Down which is normal, and the 30 Year T-Bond is trading Higher. The Financials should always correlate with the US dollar such that if the dollar is Higher, then the bonds should follow and vice-versa. The S&P is Higher and Crude is trading Lower which is correlated. Gold is trading Lower which is correlated with the US dollar trading Up. I tend to believe that Gold has an inverse relationship with the US Dollar as when the US Dollar is down, Gold tends to rise in value and vice-versa. Think of it as a seesaw, when one is up the other should be down. I point this out to you to make you aware that when we don't have a correlated market, it means something is wrong. As traders you need to be aware of this and proceed with your eyes wide open. Asia traded Mixed. Europe is trading Higher with the exception of the Paris exchange.

Possible challenges to traders

Challenger Job Cuts y/y is out at 7:30 AM EST. This is Major.
ADP Non-Farm Employment Change is out at 8:15 AM EST. This is Major.
Unemployment Claims is out at 8:30 AM EST. This is Major.
Revised Nonfarm Productivity q/q is out at 8:30 AM EST. This is not Major.
Revised Unit Labor Costs q/q is out at 8:30 AM EST. This is not Major.
Trade Balance is out at 8:30 AM EST. This is Major.
Final Services PMI is out at 9:45 AM EST. This is Major.
ISM Services PMI is out at 10 AM EST. This is Major.
Natural Gas Storage is out at 10:30 AM EST. This is Major.
Crude Oil Inventories is out at 12 Noon EST. This is Major.
FOMC Member Williams Speaks at 12:05 PM EST. This is Major.

Traders, please note that we've changed the Bond instrument from the 10 Year (ZN) to the 2 Year (ZT). They work exactly the same.

We've elected to switch gears a bit and show correlation between the 2-year Treasury notes (ZT) and the S&P futures contract. The YM contract is the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the purpose is to show reverse correlation between the two instruments. Remember it's likened to a seesaw, when up goes up the other should go down and vice versa.

Yesterday the ZT climbed Higher at around 7:30 AM EST with various news items pending. The Dow dived Lower at the same time. Look at the charts below and you'll see a pattern for both assets. The Dow dived Lower at around 7:30 AM EST and the ZT climbed Higher at around the same time. These charts represent the newest version of Bar Charts, and I've changed the timeframe to a 15-minute chart to display better. This represented a Long opportunity on the 2-year note, as a trader you could have netted about 10 ticks per contract on this trade. Each tick is worth $6.25. Please note: the front month for ZT is now Sep '25 and the Dow is now Sep '25. I've changed the format to filled Candlesticks (not hollow) such that it may be more apparent and visible.

Charts courtesy of barcharts

ZT -Sep 25 - 9/03/25

Dow - Sep 2025- 9/03/25

Bias

Yesterday we predicted an Upside Day for the markets, however two of the three indices we track traded Higher with the Dow trading 72 points Lower. The other indices closed Higher. Today our bias is to the Upside.

Could this change? Of Course. Remember anything can happen in a volatile market.

Commentary

Yesterday was a topsy turvy day for the markets as the Epstein "survivors" spent quite a bit of time discussing their ordeal and of course certain high-ranking members of government didn't like it claiming that it was a hoax, etc. The markets weren't too fond of it either but as the saying goes "two out of three ain't bad."

Author

Nick Mastrandrea

Market Tea Leaves

EUR/USD extends its optimism past 1.1900

EUR/USD retains a firm underlying bid, surpassing the 1.1900 mark as the NA session draws to a close on Monday. The pair’s persistent uptrend comes as the US Dollar remains on the defensive, with traders staying cautious ahead of upcoming US NFP prints and CPI data.

GBP/USD hits three-day peaks, targets 1.3700

GBP/USD is clocking decent gains at the start of the week, advancing to three-day highs near 1.3670 and building on Friday’s solid performance. The better tone in the British Pound comes on the back of the intense sekk-off in the Greenback and despite re-emerging signs of a fresh government crisis in the UK.

Gold picks up pace, retargets $5,100

Gold gathers fresh steam, challenging daily highs en route to the $5,100 mark per troy ounce in the latter part of Monday’s session. The precious metal finds support from fresh signs of continued buying by the PBoC, while expectations that the Fed could lean more dovish also collaborate with the uptick.

XRP struggles around $1.40 despite institutional inflows

Ripple (XRP) is extending its intraday decline to around $1.40 at the time of writing on Monday amid growing pressure from the retail market and risk-off sentiment that continues to keep investors on the sidelines.

Japanese PM Takaichi nabs unprecedented victory – US data eyed this week

I do not think I would be exaggerating to say that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s snap general election gamble paid off over the weekend – and then some. This secured the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) an unprecedented mandate just three months into her tenure.