Safe Haven Asset Outflows Continue As Risk Appetite Improves

 | Sep 18, 2017 08:36

Market Overview

As risk appetite shows signs of improvement, the flow out of safe haven assets seems to be continuing on Monday morning. With no increased provocation to speak of on the Korean Peninsula, investors are moving out of gold, the yen and US Treasuries in search for higher yielding, more risky assets. This move means that the technical positions on gold and the yen are on the brink of a significant change in outlook. So often in recent weeks any unwinding moves have simply been seen as a chance to buy into gold and the yen. However, this configuration is close to breaking down now.

As we approach the September FOMC meeting, Treasury yields have already broken their negative trends with the probability of a December rate hike once again in the balance. This change of sentiment is seemingly helping to support equity markets once more with a positive reaction early today. This is shaping up to be a pivotal week on financial markets, with the Fed monetary policy on Wednesday and German election next weekend. The outlook is initially positive.

Wall Street closed at yet further all-time highs on Friday, with the S&P 500 up +0.2% closing above 2500 for the first time. Asian markets have also been positive today although the Nikkei was closed for a Japanese public holiday. European markets are also higher in early moves.

In forex the risk positive theme continues to show, with yen underperformance and decent gains on the commodity currencies such as the Aussie and Kiwi. It is also interesting to see sterling hanging on to the sharp gains of last week.

In commodities, gold and silver are still dipping lower, whilst oil is again finding support.

It is a fairly quiet start to the week, with revised eurozone inflation and some US housing data on the card. At 10:00 BST the final Eurozone inflation for August is announced, which is expected to show no change from the flash data two weeks ago, with headline CPI of +1.5% YoY and the core CPI to confirm a slight drop to +1.2%.

Into the afternoon, the US National Association of Home Builders releases its Housing Market Index at 15:00 BST and is expected to drop back to 67 (from a three month high of 68 last month).

Chart of the Day – Silver

Precious metals have come under pressure in the past week as the dollar has rallied and the safe haven flow from geopolitical risk has run somewhat dry. A run of corrective candles has brought silver back to test the support of its 10 week uptrend channel once more. The $17.75 support of the breakout of the June high has already been breached and the rising 21 day moving average (which has supported recent corrective moves) comes in at $17.52 today and a closing breach would continue the correction of the past week. However, momentum indicators are looking increasingly corrective now, with the Stochastics accelerating lower following a confirmed sell signal, a sell signal also on the MACD lines. If the RSI moves below 50 this would add to the corrective momentum. The next real support comes in at $17.25 which is a breakout support from August. The early move lower today is breaking the trend channel and the bear pressure is mounting. Intraday rallies of recent days continue to be sold into, leaving lower highs building up. This means that the $17.85 high from Friday will be watched, with a close above needed to really help to defer the correction.

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