Summary
The Day So Far
French bonds have let out a sigh of relief this morning having taken solace in the centrist alliance formed between Emmanuel Macron and François Bayrou. To me this is a strong move in pursuit of the closely contested Presidential race and gives the relatively inexperienced Macron an experienced partner who the voting electorate will be very familiar with having had Bayrou place his hat in the ring on three prior occasions in 2002, 2007 and 2012. Even from a personal background the two could not be more different with Macron the son of a neurology professor and doctor, in contrast to Bayrou being the eldest son of farmers from the South-West region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It is this marriage of differences coming together that I believe is the answer for those looking for a credible alternative to the rising populous movement that has swept global politics over the last 18-months.
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Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD hovers around nine-day EMA above 1.1800
EUR/USD remains in the positive territory after registering modest gains in the previous session, trading around 1.1820 during the Asian hours on Monday. The 14-day Relative Strength Index momentum indicator at 54 is edging higher, signaling improving momentum. RSI near mid-50s keeps momentum balanced. A sustained push above 60 would firm bullish control.
Gold sticks to gains above $5,000 as China's buying and Fed rate-cut bets drive demand
Gold surges past the $5,000 psychological mark during the Asian session on Monday in reaction to the weekend data, showing that the People's Bank of China extended its buying spree for a 15th month in January. Moreover, dovish US Federal Reserve expectations and concerns about the central bank's independence drag the US Dollar lower for the second straight day, providing an additional boost to the non-yielding yellow metal.
GBP/USD holds medium-term bullish bias above 1.3600
The GBP/USD pair trades on a softer note around 1.3605 during the early European session on Monday. Growing expectation of the Bank of England’s interest-rate cut weighs on the Pound Sterling against the Greenback.
Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple consolidate after massive sell-off
Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple prices consolidated on Monday after correcting by nearly 9%, 8%, and 10% in the previous week, respectively. BTC is hovering around $70,000, while ETH and XRP are facing rejection at key levels.
Weekly column: Saturn-Neptune and the end of the Dollar’s 15-year bull cycle
Tariffs are not only inflationary for a nation but also risk undermining the trust and credibility that go hand in hand with the responsibility of being the leading nation in the free world and controlling the world’s reserve currency.
Three scenarios for Japanese Yen ahead of snap election Premium
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.