Broad Caution Across Major Markets As Trade Concerns Still Drag

 | Dec 09, 2019 08:26

Market Overview

Market Overview

As we move to within one week of the next potentially key milestone in the trade dispute, traders have started Monday’s session on a somewhat cautious note. The unambiguously strong Nonfarm Payrolls report from Friday has quickly lost impetus and the focus is quickly turning back to trade again. According to Donald Trump’s economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, the prospect of further tariffs being implemented on 15th December remains live.

Those traders that monitor USD/CNY as a gauge for developments in the trade dispute will note that the rate has ticked back higher again this morning and remains above 7.00. The latest trade data out of China brings into focus the impact that the dispute is having. China Trade Balance saw the surplus narrow to +$38.7bn in November (+$46.3bn exp, +$42.8bn in October). This came with Chinese exports missing estimates with a fourth consecutive month of decline -1.1% in November (1.0% exp, -0.9% October), although a slight positive came as Chinese imports grew by +0.3% (-1.8% exp, -6.4% October). A cautious reaction is being seen across major markets. Treasury yields have come back from Friday’s highs and on forex, the yen is strengthening again. Equity traders are looking edgy again. However, there is a trade with a one track mind at the moment though, with sterling back on track for strength.

The UK election looms and the Conservatives have a sizeable lead in the polls. This is considered to be positive for pushing the Brexit process forward. A seven month high for cable and two year and seven months highs for sterling against the euro.

Wall Street closed strongly higher on Friday with the S&P 500 +0.9% at 3146, whilst US futures are more cautious today, currently -1 tick lower. The broad cautious sentiment means that Asian markets have been unable to take too much strength, with the Nikkei +0.3% and Shanghai Composite +0.1%. I

n Europe, this is translating to a mild slip back on DAX Futures -0.1%, whilst FTSE futures are taking the added impact of sterling strength and are -0.2% early today.

In forex, caution is weighing marginally on AUD and NZD whilst USD is stuttering. The big outperformer is GBP which is +0.4% versus the dollar.

In commodities, the moves are helping gold find a degree of support with +$2, whilst oil is just off the top from Friday’s gains post OPEC+.

The economic calendar is thin on the ground today. Only really the Eurozone Sentix Investor Confidence for December at 09:30 GMT which is expected to slip back to -4.9 (from -4.5 in November).

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Chart of the Day – Silver

Silver and gold tend to still have fairly similar outlooks, so Silver’s downside break on Friday of the November low at $16.62 will be of concern for the gold bulls. A move to a new four month low comes with the continued trend lower of recent months. Lower highs and lower lows are gradually dragging silver back. Momentum indicators are now consistently correctively configured and rallies are seen as a chance to sell. The RSI is consistently failing around 50 and back under 40, whilst the MACD lines are struggling under neutral and turning lower again, as Stochastics have now crosses back lower. The latest failure early this week around $17.30 and a band of overhead supply has come with a decisive move lower in recent sessions. This suggests that coming into the new week, that near term rallies remain a struggle for positive traction. The hourly chart shows resistance around $16.75/$16.85 now and is a near term sell zone. The falling 21 day moving average is also a decent gauge and is falling today at $16.94. The next support is $15.88.