Near Term Dollar Slide Continues, Wall Street All-Time Highs

 | Jul 12, 2019 08:08

Market Overview

Fed chair Powell has seemingly called an end to the prospects of ongoing outperformance of the US dollar this year. The Fed is pretty much nailed on to cut rates in the July meeting. However, it seems as though we are now entering a choppy period of range trading for the dollar. Swings will come with the data. Yesterday’s core CPI rose at its strongest monthly gain since January 2018, seeing a year on year improvement to +2.1% (notably above the Fed’s 2% mandated target). This is dollar positive and yet the market knows that the Fed will still cut rates in the next meeting.

Subsequently an intraday jump for the dollar but then back lower again. On a near term basis, EUR/USD is still tracking higher, and Dollar/Yen edging lower. However, looking further out, there is also an increasingly ranging look to major markets (EUR/USD and Gold especially). For now there seems to be some fuel left in the tank for US equities on the dovish Fed, with the Dow joining the S&P 500 in breaking to all-time highs. However, the question is how far can this continue to have legs in a breakout to new highs, with this environment of slowing global growth dynamics and ongoing trade tensions/protectionism. For now though, there is still a positive hangover from Powell that is pulling equities higher. However, if ranging conditions develop on the dollar and yields, equities are unlikely to soar from here.

Wall Street closed at all-time highs on Dow above 27,000 for the first time, whilst the S&P 500 was +0.2% at 3000. US futures are adding further ground to this move today, currently around +0.2%. The Asian markets had a decent session with the Nikkei +0.2% and Shanghai Composite +0.2%. In Europe there is an early bounce in play, with FTSE futures +0.3% and DAX futures +0.4%.

In forex, the near term USD slide continues amid ongoing underperformance across the major currencies. Commodities currencies seem to be performing well, with AUD, NZD and CAD all gaining well.. In commodities, the uncertain trend on gold continues, with a mini rebound, whilst oil continues to consolidate the recent breakout.

On a quiet morning for European data the Eurozone Industrial Production for May is in focus, at 10:00 BST. The expectation is that growth will be +0.2% on the month (after falling -0.5% in April), however, the year on year there is a continued deterioration down to -1.6% (from -0.4% in April).

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The US data gives another look at the inflation picture with the US PPI for June at 13:30 BST. Consensus expects to show a to slip on a headline basis to +1.6% (from +1.8% in May) with core PPI drop back to +2.2% (from +2.3%).

Chart of the Day – German DAX

A corrective move on the DAX has set in over recent sessions. This reaction of the market to the supposedly bullish equities implications of a dovish Fed chair Powell (and all-time highs on Wall Street) is intriguing. The DAX has turned corrective for the past week, with near term negative momentum signals being posted. A move back below the old breakout support at 12,440, means this has become a basis of resistance. The decline is now eyeing the next support at 12,190 (also an old pivot). Momentum indicators are deteriorating as the move lower has developed. The RSI has drop back towards 50, but interestingly to a five week low, which implies the 12,190 level will be threatened now. The MACD lines have also bear crossed for the first time since late April (when the market then corrected for the next five weeks). Stochastics are also accelerating lower from a bear cross. Near term and intraday rallies are now being viewed as a chance to sell, with the reaction around 12,440 now being key now. Furthermore, if the decline continues, how the market reacts to 12,190 will also be seen as key as this is the latest higher low and a breach would confirm a new bear trend formation.