Strong Chinese Exports Cause Aussie Dollar to Soar

Yesterday’s price action in the currencies versus the dollar was a drag, man… We did, however, see the higher yielding currencies begin to move away from the pack of currencies led by the euro (EUR). That move higher by the likes of Australia (AUD), Brazil (BRL), South Africa (ZAR), and others, carried over through the overnight sessions, so, as we start today, they are stronger versus the dollar… In fact, the Aussie dollar is near a 7-week high this morning.

European Monetary Fund: You Heard it Here First

Well… After a couple of weeks of waiting, and wondering if it was going to print or not… There was a very nice article in The Wall Street Journal on Saturday that featured… Me! And my Pfennig! I’m sure that most of you missed it, so if by chance you would want to read what Jeff Opdyke had to say about me and the Pfennig… Click here.

GDP and Dollar Growth: It’s All Happening in Australia

I have to say front and center this morning, that while it may have taken the currency traders half a day to realize that Australia had raised rates, they finally began pushing the Aussie dollar (AUD) higher versus the green/peachback. I was beginning to think that I would have egg all over my face again, when the Aussie dollar didn’t respond right away… But it was all right on the night.

Canadian Dollar More than Just a Commodity Currency

I like the Canadian dollar (CAD) more and more. It has some fundamentals that are definitely improving, and some other aspects that are definitely worth considering. Here’s why…

Traditionally, the loonie has been linked with the Australian (AUD) and New Zealand dollars (NZD). Now in the current market, currencies are often linked together by at least one of three elements: They either produce a high yield, they are commodity-based or they are funding currencies for a carry trade.

Dollar Falters Overnight on Interest Rate Speculation

It can be a struggle to find things to write about when the markets aren’t moving much. That has been the case with the currency markets over the past few days, as the dollar has been trading in a fairly tight range. It felt like the dollar had the possibility to break out of this range yesterday, as we got a couple of different reports that looked to push the dollar higher.

Long Term US Dollar Trends: Nowhere But Down

Well… Here we are this morning, the currencies have basically remained stalled, with only the “higher yielders” making any headway, albeit small headway.

The non-dollar currencies saw a bit of selling yesterday morning, after I signed off, but have rebounded a bit in the overnight markets. There’s a feeling among us here on the trading desk that we’re about to break out here… It’s either going to be a break out to the high side or the low side… But I doubt that we’re going to remain in these tight ranges for too much longer. But, that’s just my opinion, of course. I could be wrong!

Japanese Investment Trusts To Buy Aussie Dollars?

Front and center this morning consumer prices rose 0.2% in January, equaling the increases in December and November. Market expectations going into the report had been for a slightly larger 0.3% rise. Core prices surprisingly fell 0.1% in January following the 0.1% rise recorded in December and the flat reading in November. On a year-over-year basis, the overall CPI index rose 2.6% in December.

China Reduces Treasury Purchases for 5th Straight Month

Front and center this morning, we saw quite the rally in risk assets yesterday, all day, and all night! It was like the sea parted, the stars aligned, and the karma began to flow… The global economic recoveries came back into the thoughts of traders and investors, and the fears of Greece waned… It was as if none of the “sky is falling” theatrics had gone on the past month!

China Reduces Treasury Purchases for 5th Straight Month

Front and center this morning, we saw quite the rally in risk assets yesterday, all day, and all night! It was like the sea parted, the stars aligned, and the karma began to flow… The global economic recoveries came back into the thoughts of traders and investors, and the fears of Greece waned… It was as if none of the “sky is falling” theatrics had gone on the past month!

German Investor Confidence Declines

Remember last week, when I told you about the 10-year Treasury auction results? I told you that the yield had to be driven higher by 7 BPS to attract investors… Well, that’s cotton candy compared to the news from the 30-year Treasury auction!

Let me put this as simply as possible… “Indirect buyers” are the foreign central banks, and they normally take down 40% of a Treasury Issue… Well, last week, they only took down 28% of the issue… Uh-Oh! But then, there were the “direct buyers” upping their participation in the auction to a record level of 24%!

Big Ben Bernanke Talks Rate Hikes

OK… Well, the “experts” that thought the trade deficit was going to narrow in December got their lunch handed to them yesterday, when not only did the trade deficit NOT narrow, but widened from $35 billion to $40 billion! Now that stinks! And… I’ll tell you right now, it will deduct from the 5.7% GDP figure that was printed a couple of weeks ago. Yes, this increase in the trade deficit will probably reduce the GDP figure to at least 5%.

Stop Deficit Spending. Save the Credit Rating.

Front and center this morning, the non-dollar currencies have seen some healing… Not much, but some… But these mini-rallies are on tenterhooks, folks; they can be reversed in a New York Minute… And, now that I look back at the screens, that’s exactly what’s happening! UGH! These turn-arounds are beginning to give me a rash!