Equity Markets Look To Rebound, But Will It Last?

 | Oct 12, 2018 08:18

Market Overview

After Wall Street sold sharply lower once more yesterday, there are signs of stabilisation this morning. The big question is how traders respond to a technical rally. It will also help to show whether the market has sustainably shifted outlook. If a technical rally is sold into and used as another chance for the bears to renew sort positioning, then equity investors could be in for a rough ride in the coming weeks. However a solid rebound that starts to build higher lows again could be seen as s steadying hand on the tiller. It is interesting to see Asian markets finding support late into their session. The move seems to have been supported by a dramatic positive surprise in the Chinese Trade Balance, driven by a sharp improvement in exports. The balance was +$31.7bn well above the expected +$19.4bn (+$27.9bn in August), with imports +14.3% (+15.0% exp, +19.9% last) and exports an impressive +14.5% (+8.9% exp, +9.8% last). It is also interesting to see that bond yields are picking up again. There seems to have been some confusion with how Treasury yields have moved recently and the impact. Initially with the equities selling pressure we saw yields rising (bond selling off) as equities have, this reflected serious fear on markets with traders selling everything. However, in yesterday’s session there was a sharp move lower on Treasury yields as investors dipped back into the safe haven of US bonds again, with the usual bonds/equities relationship resuming. This hit the dollar. With yields ticking back higher again today, this is coming as market sentiment is picking up again. So, if bond markets can stabilise this should help broader market risk appetite to also stabilise. However, bond markets need to be watched closely as if this rebound in yields turns out to be another push strongly higher, then we are likely to see renewed selling pressure across risk assets once more.

Wall Street closed sharply lower again, with the Dow over 500 ticks lower (-2.1%) and the S&P 500 -2.1% at 2728. However, futures are showing a retracement higher today, well over a percent higher currently. This rebound on futures has helped Asian markets higher into the close with the Nikkei +0.5% and China’s Shanghai Composite +1.0%. In Europe the moves are also looking higher. In forex markets there is a dollar rebound showing through primarily with yen underperformance, whilst other majors are showing little real move. In commodities, gold is now unwinding some of yesterday’s huge gains, currently dropping back by $7, whilst silver is also slightly lower, whilst oil has rebounded 1% after yesterday’s latest loss.

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It is a relatively quiet end to the week with little on the calendar for the European morning aside from Eurozone Industrial Production at 1000BST which is expected to deteriorate to -0.2% for the year. The University of Michigan Sentiment is at 1500BST and is expected to show a mild improvement to 100.4 (from the downwardly revised 100.1 last month). There is also a Fed speaker to look out for with Raphael Bostic (voter, mild dove) at 1730BST.

Chart of the Day – EUR/CHF

During this time of elevated volatility in equities which is extending into other asset classes, there is a forex cross that retains a relative degree of stability and recent trends appear unaffected. This is Euro/Swiss which has been building a recovery over recent weeks and continues to show signs of a key breakout. In the past four weeks, there has been an uptrend channel formation as the market has found support above a near term breakout at 1.1345. In this time, the momentum indicators have been progressing higher as that market has tested the resistance overhead at 1.1450. The move higher has been rather serene with a run of higher lows, but yesterday’s decisive bull candle has closed above 1.1450 to complete a move to a two month high. With momentum increasingly strong there is confirmation, with the RSI above 60 and Stochastics strongly configured. Yesterday solid bull candle now sets the bulls up for buying into intraday weakness, with 1.1450 now an initial basis of support.. This close above 1.1450 also completes a base pattern that implies around 200 pips higher. This week’s reaction low at 1.1365 is growing as support and is now another higher low.