The US dollar is firm, near the best levels of the week against
the euro, yen, and sterling. However, against the dollar-bloc and several actively
traded emerging market currencies, including the Turkish lira and South African
rand, the greenback has given back some of yesterday's gains.
Oil is snapping a four-day decline. News that US output fell by 113k barrels a day last
week, the biggest drop in eight months, coupled with a Canadian wildfire that
is threatening as much as one million barrels a day
in Canada are helping drive oil prices higher. Several oil companies have
announced cutting output in Canada and/or
closing pipelines.
Rising oil prices did Asian equity markets no favors. The MSCI Asia-Pacific Index
excluding Japan, which concludes its Golden Week holiday day with markets
re-opening tomorrow, posted a fractional
loss that was sufficient to extend the losing streak for a seventh session.
China's markets bucked the trend to post marginal gains. European
shares, on the other hand, are mostly higher, with the Dow Jones Stoxx 600
snapping a four-day decline with a 0.5% gain near midday in London. The gains are led by telecom and energy sectors.
Asia-Pacific bonds were firm, but European bonds are trading
heavier. European bonds yields are mostly 1-2
bp higher as are US Treasury yields. The US 10-year yield fell 10 bp over the past two sessions and is up two bp today. There were conflicting
employment signals yesterday. The ADP estimate disappointed, but the jobs
component of the service ISM, where the headline rose to four-month highs,
reached its highest level in a year. Initial jobless claims today,
though no bearing on tomorrow's national report, may be given more weight than
usual. The four-week moving average, used to smooth out of the noise in
this high frequency series stands its lowest level since the early 1970s.
Nevertheless, the importance of the employment data may be
lessening. The continued recovery of the labor
market may be necessary, but still insufficient to prompt the Fed to move.
The April FOMC statement acknowledged the improvement but cautioned that
it was not lifting consumption, which drives the economy. That said, the
strong April auto sales suggest the US
consumer may be returning in Q2.
In addition to the weekly initial jobless claims, the North
American session features speeches by four regional Fed Presidents (Bullard,
Kaplan, Lockhart, and Williams). Many investors may be confused by
the cacophony of Fed voices. We continue to advise that the clearest
signals of intent and policies emanate from the Fed's leadership. Three voices in particular should be monitored, Yellen, Fischer, and Dudley.
Politics and economics are featured in the UK today. The service PMI completed the monthly cycle and
painted a consistent picture with the manufacturing and construction PMIS by
disappointing expectations. The service sector PMI fell to 52.3 in April
from 53.7 in March. The median forecast was for a 53.5 reading. The
combination of the three PMIs pushed the composite to 51.9, which is at least a
three-year low, from 53.6. The takeaway is that the gradual slowing of the UK
economy that began near the middle of last year has continued into early Q2 16.
British voters go to the polls today to elect local government
officials, including the Mayor of London. Typically, the opposition party
picks up a few hundred local council seats. It does not appear Labour
will, and this is not particularly good news of Corbyn, the party's leader.
It might embolden a leadership challenge. In any event, Labour does
not look to be in a position to take maximum advantage of the sharp fissures in
the Tory Party over next month's referendum.
The Australian dollar is the best performing major currency today,
gaining about 0.4%. It has recouped most of yesterday's losses but remains a cent lower on the week
after the RBA's rate cut surprised many. Economic data surprised on the
upside today. March retail sales rose 0.4% (0.3% expected) after a 0.1% rise in
February. In volume terms, retail sales rose 0.5% in Q1, nearly matching
the 0.6% gain in Q4 15.
Australia's March trade deficit was smaller at A$2.16 bln, and
revisions to the February imbalance saw a 10% cut in the shortfall. These reports bode well for Q1 GDP
forecasts ahead of the release at the end of the month. Separately, new
homes sales rose 8.9% in March, the largest gain since 2010 and offsets in full
the 5.3% decline in February.
The Australian dollar ignored news that China's Caixin services
PMI slipped to 51.8 from 52.2. Coupled
with the softer manufacturing reading, the composite eased to 50.8 from
51.3. The
average in Q1 was 50.5. The Australian dollar needs to overcome
resistance seen in the $0.7520-$0.7540 area to begin repairing the technical damage suffered earlier in the week.
The euro is lower for the third session. It is the first day this week that
it has not traded above $1.15. Although the upside momentum has faded,
the downside is still being limited by support we pegged in the $1.1400-$1.1430
band. Sterling is trading comfortably within yesterday's ranges.
The dollar is firm at the upper end of yesterday's range against the yen.
It is nearly two yen off the low
set Tuesday near JPY105.55. The dollar is bumping against resistance near
JPY107.50. A break could see JPY108.00.
Given the criteria that the US Treasury outlined last week in its
report on the international economy and the foreign exchange market, there is
some speculation that the MOF could order intervention. Recall that intervention (boosting foreign reserves) by 2%
of GDP and or persistent one-sided intervention
would rise the ire of US officials.
This ostensibly gives Japanese
officials a way to square the circle. The rhetoric has escalated.
However, while we recognize the risk, we think that barring a new leg
down for the dollar, Japanese officials will be reluctant to intervene ahead of
the G7 meeting (Japan hosts) later this month.
We note that while the
Turkish lira has recouped the sharp losses seen in thin dealings in the New
York afternoon yesterday, the asset markets are under pressure today amid
concern that the Prime Minister is set to resign after resisting President
Erdogan's encroachment. Equities are lower and bond yields are
higher.
Dollar Performance Turns More Nuanced
Reviewed by Marc Chandler
on
May 05, 2016
Rating: