Risk Rally Falters On COVID Fears And Profit-Taking After The Fed Caution

 | Jun 11, 2020 08:23

Market Overview

There has been a mixed read through from the Federal Reserve monetary policy decision yesterday. The FOMC is still accommodative but remains cautious in its outlook for recovery. Looser monetary policy for longer will ultimately support markets and underpin the risk recovery, with rates not rising until at least 2022, whilst asset purchases will continue to run for several months. Initially markets took this as a risk positive, however, the positive mood has quickly dissipated. The Fed is rightfully downbeat on the economic recovery. The road to a V-shaped recovery may not be as smooth as hoped for. Concerns over localised evidence of increasing COVID-19 infection rates in Texas reflect this and have seen the risk recovery roll over this morning. Suddenly today, we see safety first. The oil price is over -3% lower, whilst the dollar and the yen are performing well through major forex. Equities are sharply lower as US futures move into retreat. There is plenty of opportunity to take profits on what has been an incredibly impressive risk recovery and it seems that this morning, this move is kicking in. This move is overdue and is likely to end up being the source of the next opportunity to buy again. For now though, a correction is forming.

Wall Street closed around the lows of the session yesterday with the S&P 500 -0.5% at 3190, whilst futures show this move continuing (E-mini S&Ps -1.3%). Asian markets sold off, with the Nikkei -2.8% and Shanghai Composite -0.8%. European markets are sharply lower in early moves, with DAX futures -2.1% and FTSE futures -1.7%. Forex majors take a risk negative tone, with JPY and CHF outperforming, whilst USD is also strong. AUD, NZD and GBP are moving into reverse. In commodities, oil is around -3% lower, whilst silver is also -2% off. Gold is holding up relatively well still after posting a third consecutive positive close yesterday.

There is another US focus for the economic calendar today. May Factory gate inflation is first up with the US PPI at 1330BST. Headline PPI is expected to continue to remain deep in negative territory, at -1.2% (-1.2% in April), whilst core PPI is expected to drop slightly to +0.4% (from +0.6% in April). The US Weekly Jobless Claims have been steadily falling over recent weeks, but remain hugely elevated, with claims expected to be at 1.550m (1.877m last week).

Chart of the Day – German DAX

We have spent the early part of this week questioning the continuation of the risk rally across major markets. The DAX has been an impressive bull market outperformer in recent weeks, with the move going almost relentlessly higher. However, the signs of profit-taking (or should that be near term correction) have been growing this week. Closing yesterday’s session before the FOMC meeting, there have been two consecutive negative candles. Additionally, they were decisive bearish candlesticks, with failures of initial attempts to move higher. The move has left an important resistance band between 12,885 (old key support from December) and Monday’s high of 12,913. Futures are calling for sharp losses early today and waning daily momentum could {{0|now}} be set for corrective signals if confirmed, with an RSI cross below 70 and Stochastics crossing lower (close to a confirmed sell signal). However, it is on the hourly chart where corrective concerns grow. The first week of May shows negative divergences on hourly RSI throughout the run higher. Hourly MACD lines are {{0|now}} at three week lows, whilst the market is {{0|now}} beginning to post lower highs at 12,765 and 12,665. The daily chart the support of a four week uptrend comes in around 12,370 and looks to be breaching today. However, a closing breach of support at 12,325 (as an important higher low) would put the market into reversal mode. There is little real support until 11,575/11,825 and a near term retreat towards here is a growing possibility.

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