Obama
Intensifying Risk Aversion
January 20, 2016
Share prices closed down 4.1% in Hong Kong, 3.7% (or 632 points) in Japan, 3.0% in Singapore, 2.3% in South Korea, 2.0% in Taiwan, 1.7% in India, 1.5% in China, 1.4% in Indonesia and 1.3% in Australia. Equity declines today in Europe so far amount to 6.8% in Greece, 3.2% in France, 3.1% in Switzerland, […] More
Checklist of Economic Fundamentals Supports a Buoyant Dollar
September 17, 2014
Currency analysts approach the task of forecasting by reviewing a checklist of economic vital signs, the so-called fundamentals. Likewise, when officials complain that their currency is either too strong or too weak, the argument is based on a grading system that considers around seven comparative measures of fundamental economic performance. The ratings involve inflation, short-term […] More
Investors Heartened by Reported Progress on Fiscal Cliff Talks
December 18, 2012
Share prices rose overnight by 1.0% in Japan, 0.6% in India, 0.5% in Australia, 0.3% in New Zealand and Thailand, 0.2% in Taiwan and the Philippines, and 0.1% in China. In Europe, equities have advanced 0.7% in Madrid, 0.4% in Frankfurt and Milan, and 0.3% in London, but the Paris Cac is off 0.1%. Not […] More
Continuing Choppy Forex Conditions Fed by Uncertainty
October 19, 2012
Market noise continues to drown out an sense of cumulating trend. Key dollar pairs against the euro, yen, Swiss franc, sterling, Australian and New Zealand currencies are each trading presently less than 2.0% from their year-to-date average levels. The same is even true of the euro-yen relationship in spite of its 18.5%-wide 111.435 to 94.075 […] More
Fragile yet Better Tone in Market
November 22, 2011
Stocks in Europe have firmed 0.8% in Germany, 0.6% in France, and 0.4% in Great Britain. The dollar, which does best under conditions of high risk aversion, settled back 0.5% against the Swiss franc, 0.4% versus the euro and Aussie dollar, 0.3% relative to the kiwi, 0.2% against the loonie and sterling, and 0.1% versus […] More
Europe Burning… and Draghi No Help
November 18, 2011
Although the dollar has given back some gains, stock markets in Asia and Europe tell the story of a euro debt crisis that’s still raging and threatening to drag the rest of the world down with it. The dollar fell overnight by 0.7% against the Swissie, 0.5% versus sterling, 0.4% relative to the euro, 0.3% […] More
Spotlight on Central Banks and Obama
September 8, 2011
The dollar is 0.6% higher against the Swiss franc, which is trading at 1.2141 per euro. Swiss National Bank officials intend to unilaterally prevent the franc from strengthening past 1.2000/EUR. The dollar has risen 0.3% against the euro and 0.1% versus the Australian dollar but is 0.6% weaker against the kiwi and down 0.2% relative […] More
Panic-Stricken Markets Greet Labor Day 2011
September 5, 2011
U.S. markets are closed for Labor Day, but elsewhere the mood is grim. Ten-year sovereign debt yields tumbled 15 basis points in Britain, 14 bps in Germany and five bps in Japan. Gold catapulted above $1900, gaining 1.3% to $1902.10 per ounce. Oil slumped 2.7% to $84.08 per ounce. Share prices have plunged 5.6% in […] More
Fresh Blast of Risk Aversion
September 2, 2011
At 13:50 GMT, U.S. share prices were down 1.6-1.7%. Earlier trading overnight saw equities fall by 1.2% in Japan, 1.8% in Hong Kong, 1.5% in Australia, 1.1% in China and 0.9% in New Zealand. Europe has seen the most damage, with the German Dax and Paris Cac suffering losses so far of 3.5% and the […] More
No Progress in U.S. Debt Ceiling Talks
July 25, 2011
Risk-on trading has returned. The Swiss franc and yen rose 1.8% and 0.5% against the dollar, which has also slipped 0.2% against the euro and 0.1% relative to the Canadian and New Zealand dollars. The dollar has firmed 0.1% against sterling and is unchanged versus the yuan. Gold leaped 1.2% to $1620.20 per ounce. No […] More
