Central Banks in Abundance
“NZD Official Cash Rate (Cut from 2.75% to 2.50% as expected)” NZD/USD 15 Minute: So with the Kiwi rallying, we again see the phenomenon we seem to now be calling a ‘hawkish rate cut’. With the RBNZ...
View ArticleAustralian Employment Data Wrong?
Australian Employment Data Wrong? What Matters to Traders Australian Employment Data Wrong? What Matters to Traders: Yesterday’s Employment figures out of Australia were what can only be described as...
View ArticleFOMC and Trader Expectations
And here we are, FINALLY the Monday before the December FOMC meeting. The week before Christmas: the traders version. The biggest, most anticipated meeting (really this time) since… well the last time...
View ArticleFOMC Lead Up: The Sounds of Silence
Can you hear that? That is the sound of silence, with quiet market action expected as we lead into Thursday morning’s FOMC decision. All I can say is enjoy the peace while it lasts! With only 2 and a...
View ArticleForget Conventional Economics, You're a Trader Now
I don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade, but tomorrow’s FOMC meeting is most probably going to be the least volatile, biggest non-event of all time. I mean lets be honest, markets and traders have been...
View ArticleFed Hikes Interest Rates; Dovish Hike
“FOMC hikes interest rates by 25bps to 0.25%-0.50% as expected.” The US Federal Reserve has this morning raised interest rates for the first time in almost 10 years. With the move was widely expected...
View ArticleTime to Consider Divergent Monetary Policies
Following the initial equities euphoria, the stops above swing highs survived and sanity prevailed. Interest rates up – Stocks down… Yes, that’s how it’s meant to go! US Dollar strength is accelerating...
View ArticleLow Liquidity? Play the Ranges
Key Notes: Just two more trading days until a chunk of the financial world takes their major yearly holidays over the Christmas/New Years period, if they haven’t already that is! With this exodus of...
View ArticleChristmas Forex
Christmas Forex: Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. I’m not going to sit here on Christmas Eve, telling you about the trade of...
View ArticleSaudi/Iran Tensions Spike; A Look at OIL
Welcome back to your trading desks for the new year, now let’s make sure it’s a good one! Well, it didn’t take long to set up a massive new spin on an old theme, did it! Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr...
View ArticleBoy, That Escalated Quickly; China Goes Limit Down
Boy, that escalated quickly… Easing into 2016? No chance! From yesterday’s open, it was very clear that the session’s theme was going to be risk-off. The commodity currencies were smashed from the...
View Article2016 Market Pessimism
And exhale! We’ve only had two full trading days of 2016 and already the financial world is shrouded in pessimism. Monday’s feature story was the dramatic flare-up in tensions between Saudi Arabia and...
View Article2016 Market Pessimism
2016 Market Pessimism: And exhale! We’ve only had two full trading days of 2016 and already the financial world is shrouded in pessimism. Monday’s feature story was the dramatic flare-up in tensions...
View ArticleBrace Yourselves
Brace Yourselves: The bears are coming… “USD Non-Farm Employment Change: +292K v +203K expected.” After raising rates at the beginning of the month, for the Fed to see an excellent headline number like...
View ArticleDaily Headline Jaw-boning
There are two major headlines flicking through our News Terminal screens today, with the first continuing to keep China in the news and the second back with our old friend the Fed. China: Speaking at a...
View ArticleWhen to get Contrarian?
With the Chinese onshore RMB fix still the big Asian session focus, the fact that yesterday’s number came in 200 points below expectation was huge. Chinese authorities are flexing their muscles and...
View ArticleFriday Optimism & the BoE
Friday Optimism: Another day and another terrorist attack that doesn’t even cause a blip in markets. Welcome to 2016! But hey, how about we keep the tone reflecting US stocks last night and be a little...
View ArticleOil Gap Monday
Another Monday morning and another big gap down in Oil: OIL 15 Minute: On the blog we’ve been following the longer term OIL chart for weeks (click make it live) and trying to warn about the dangers of...
View ArticleChinese Data Dump: In Which Direction Does the Market See the Greatest Risk?
Chinese Data Dump: In Which Direction Does the Market See the Greatest Risk?: The US Martin Luther King Day saw holiday trading conditions continue today, with North American traders enjoying the rest...
View ArticleMore Chinese Stimulus on the Way?
More Chinese Stimulus on the Way?: With Chinese GDP coming in at an expected 6.9%, the emerging economy officially grew at the slowest pace since 1990. That is a 25 year low and opens up fresh...
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