Category — News Releases

It is not easy for many to admit that they made an error. It seems the President Trichet might finally be starting to embark on that difficult path. After raising rates in the Euro-Zone over the protests of many top figures within that continent, Trichet finally admitted what the rest of the world had realized some time ago: the Euro-Zone’s growth prospects are weak. This announcement/confession reflects that the ECB is starting to question if it did the right thing in raising rates. By hiking interest rates, the ECB indicated that it believed that growth would not be hurt too much by their inflation-targeting movements. It seems as though they were mistaken.

While admitting a mistake is a rarity for many, it seems that is even less frequent for public figures. Powerful men and women at the top of their fields have usually ended up there by making correct decisions, and so the idea of messing up can seem foreign. However, with the future health of the European economy largely riding on the ECB’s next move, it is time to these men and women to bite the bullet and cut rates. By alleviating this pressure the ECB will, among other things, send the message that they take growth very seriously and are committed to the economic prosperity of the European Union.

While inflation is very important, the ECB should currently direct its focus towards growth. Inflation targeting is not a cure-all, and if attacking inflation includes the ruin of the Euro-Zone’s economy, then that does not strike me as very helpful.

Upcoming Figures
EUR German Gross Domestic Product (2Q)
EUR German Consumer Price Index (Jul)
EUR French Gross Domestic Product (2Q)
EUR Euro-Zone Gross Domestic Product (2Q)
EUR Euro-Zone Consumer Price Index (Jul)
USD Consumer Price Index (Jul)
NZD Retail Sales (Jun)

Tomorrow is the one for all the marbles. The single most important economic announcement for the USD takes place tomorrow: Non-Farm Payrolls (NFPs). Despite today’s very important announcement of US GDP for Q2, the EUR/USD essentially stood pat around 1.56. What is special about NFPs is that, unlike announcements such as rate decisions or GDP results, predicting the outcome is often like finding a needle in a haystack. The unpredictability of this announcement, coupled with its importance, generally make it the largest “market-moving” announcement for the USD.

Given the hazy future of both the USD and the US economy, tomorrow’s results take on added importance. Good results could potentially enable the Federal Reserve to make market movements in the coming months. If, however, the news mirrors the tone of today’s disappointing results, then the Fed is likely to be stuck for the near future. The last time NFPs were announced, Bernanke pushed the results aside, as employment was not his paramount concern. However, should the numbers approach dangerously high levels, actions will likely need to be taken to curb rising unemployment.

The current expectations are around 75,000 new lost jobs. Should that number turn up around 100,000, there could be a rapid reaction by the government. If unemployment starts creeping towards 6% and beyond, we could witness a further crunch in the credit market, as the unemployed usually have more difficulties in repaying their debts. That problem would reverberate through the financial sector, weakening an already fragile industry. And as Bernanke has declared that the strength of that sector is his top priority, it would be in his best interests to do what he can to combat rising unemployment numbers in the coming months.

Upcoming Figures
USD Total Vehicle Sales (Jul)
JPY Vehicle Sales (Jul)
AUD RBA Commodity Index SDR (JUL)
EUR French Purchasing Manager Index Manufacturing (Jul)
USD Change in Nonfarm Payrolls (Jul)
USD Unemployment Rate (Jul)
USD ISM Manufacturing (Jul)
EUR Italian Budget Balance (Jul)

In the past 15 years, the automobile industry has witnessed monumental shifts, such as the boom in the popularity of the SUV, a Japanese company becoming the world’s largest automaker, and the rise of the hybrid. However, one thing in common between June of 1993 and June of 2008 in the world of automobiles is that roughly the same amount of cars were sold. Today it was announced that US auto sales reached a 15-year low, and I think that it is a fitting reflection of the larger economic situation.

For over a hundred years, automobiles have been mass produced in America. Their presence has encouraged, perhaps more than any other invention, the amazing growth that has occurred in both our cities and populations. When Americans navigated the Oregon Trail in the 19th century, their journeys would last five or six months. Now, because of the automobile, that famous trek could be completed within two days (if you drive like my father does) or three days (if you drive like someone who values their own life).

There are plenty of reasons for why so few cars are being sold. Many of those reasons are similar to the problems facing many of the world’s top economic authorities: oil prices, credit woes, price instability (inflation), etc. Despite automakers best attempts to entice buyers, the fish just aren’t biting on those lines, no matter how appealing the bait. The bottom line is that gas in the US is over $4 per gallon, with no end in sight. Unless a new car can get you fantastic mileage, the odds that a person even wants to consider buying one is slim to none.

Perhaps, in some twisted way, this is a sign of more responsibility being taken by individuals. Perhaps this is an indicator that more people are looking for alternative ways to get around town. Perhaps this is a sign that the US is finally going to start demanding less oil… perhaps probably not. There is a long way to go before the US will kick what my colleague John labeled “our heroin-like addiction to oil.”

When I studied ‘Black Wednesday’ and the subsequent recession that the UK experienced, I read an interesting commentary on the episode. The economist wrote that the whole process was necessary in the long-run in order to “wring out” inflation from the UK’s economy. So perhaps, if certain pieces fall into the right places over the next few years, this current recession might be able to help “wring out” high oil prices and our addiction to automobiles from the US economy. If that ever happens to be the case, maybe today’s announcement will be seen as a landmark for when consumers finally began the long-overdue process of ending “our heroin-like addiction to oil.”

Upcoming Figures
AUD Retail Sales (May)
EUR Euro-Zone Producer Price Index (May)
AUD Trade Balance (May)

The markets are closed, Wall-E is opening in theatres, and by now most people have at least a foot out the door for the weekend. After writing all week about the USD, the Fed, and about how I am a better forecaster of market movements than my colleague John, I have decided to do the second piece in the Random Country Report Series. Excluding Antarctica and its rather inactive central bank (please see below), the continent with the least amount of coverage in the world of foreign exchange is Africa. So today let’s examine a country known for its history, architecture, and lamb kabobs: Egypt.

Egypt has come a long way from the time of the pharos and the pyramids, being one of the first – and longest lasting – republics in the Muslim world. Its currency is the Egyptian Pound (EGP), which is currently trading at 5.35 EGP to 1 US Dollar and 8.4479 EGP to 1 GBP. Today the Central Bank of Egypt raised interest rates to 10.5%, and unlike many of the major banks around the world, promised to actively combat inflation. If necessary, the CBE promised to bring rates even higher in the future should price stability (inflation) continue to be a problem.

The US Federal Reserve, along with other prominent central banks, is confronting the problem of simultaneously rising costs and slowing growth. As a result, it left rates unchanged the other day. Fortunately for Egypt, however, growth has not been a problem. In fact, the Egyptian economy is expected to expand more in this year than in 2008. As a result, the CBE has what would be seen as a gift by many other central banks: the chance to fight inflation without worrying about growth.

There are, of course, some problems in the Egyptian economy. Inflation is right under 20%, yet this problem is at the forefront of the CBE’s conscience. Many Egyptians also live with a low standard of living – a problem that the government has not yet been able to fully remedy despite recent moves such as wage increases. Another area of worry is rising food costs, as Egypt is the worlds’ second leading wheat importer due to their inability to grow the crop in the bleak Sahara Desert. As commodity prices continue to rise, Egypt should become concerned about their need to import so much wheat.

Still, in all, the outlook seems solid for Egypt. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has rated the country as being one of the top countries in the world undertaking economic reforms, as they have taken steps in the past decade to become more transparent and liberalized economically. Politically, despite having the largest population of any Muslim country, Egypt is a voice of moderation in an ever-volatile region. By avoiding political turmoil and pursuing sound monetary policy, Egypt has produced consistent growth, and should be seen as a model for nearby economies that also don’t have access to enormous natural oil resources.

Antarctica’s Central Bank’s most recent meeting:

As I have explained before, there are some days when there is little of note in the FOREX world, so I get the chance to research a random economy somewhere in the world. Today (and I’m sure tomorrow) is not such a day. Everyone’s favorite superpower, the United States of America, came out with important economic data today, and will have even more important data tomorrow. US Consumer Confidence was lower then expected, and the lowest it has been since 1992. While some analysts are often critical of the fickle nature of this statistic, it nevertheless measures an important aspect of the market: what consumers are thinking about the economy. Partially as a result of this data, but mostly because investors are really waiting for tomorrow’s events, the US Dollar did little today.

A day after bad news came out of Europe’s largest economy, the second largest released better then expected data. Yesterday Germany announced that a measure of business confidence was lower than expected, but today Consumer Spending results in France surprised many by showing solid results. The Euro, like the USD, moved little today relative to the other major currencies. It is very likely that the news coming out of the US tomorrow (see below) will send currency pairs flying even if the USD is not in the pair. If the announcements fall into line as expected, the EUR should enjoy a good day as investors move away from the USD.

If you have an opinion about what the FOMC will say, tonight is a great time to get in before the market moves tomorrow. If you are unsure, I encourage you to try to find out what has been announced as soon as you can, and then look to jump on board if the market seems to be moving. Good luck!

Upcoming Figures
EUR German Consumer Price Index (Jun)
EUR Italian Retail Sales (Apr)
USD Durable Goods Orders (May)
USD New Home Sales (May)
USD Federal Open Market Committee Decision @ 2:15PM EST
NZD Current Account Balance (Q1)
NZD Current Account Deficit – Gross Domestic Product Ratio (Q1)

My assignment for the day: write 200 times “Next time I will not get too excited when I write about India’s short term economic situation.” For those who have been following India in the past few days, the developments seem anything but the rosy picture I painted last time around. Sure, in the long run, India is still poised to have solid and sustainable growth. However, their current battle with inflation may be more than just a bump in the road.

The rupee has been slammed in the past few days, as many see the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) having made insufficient actions, and being too slow to respond. The rupee’s fall is testament to the economy needing more rate hikes in order to limit its rapidly rising inflation. Limiting inflation is seen as being one of the keys to fixing the myriad of problems in India’s economy: a rising budget deficit, a current account deficit, a weak rupee, rising import costs (including energy), and diminishing spending power. However, concerns exist for the RBI (similar to the worries of the U.S. Federal Reserve) when considering rate hikes: the role of energy costs and the related adverse effects of rates that are too high.

So, let me revise my earlier statements. In order to correct the problems that their country is facing, the RBI should (and most likely will) continue to raise rates. As they are very dependent on oil imports, it would be a very worthwhile long-term goal to try to utilize alternative energy sources. As the country is still becoming industrialized, by pursuing these alternative energy methods while the country is still growing, the new energy sectors could grow along with the country. Finally, most analysts are saying that India is not in the same position as it was in 1991, when it suffered another economic downturn (and rupee devaluation). In other words, though the Indian economy may suffer a downturn or even a recession, India is still well situated – as long as they utilize smarter monetary policy – to stabilize and expand in the future.

On June 28, 1914, Gavrilo Princip assassinated the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, leading to the onset of the Great War. Indirectly, Princip’s actions led not only to WWI, but also to WWII and as the Cold War. In other words, Princip inadvertently became one of the most important figures of the 20th century.

Fast forward to today, June 19, 2008, when two former hedge fund managers for Bear Stearns were arrested in New York on charges of securities fraud and conspiracy. These men allegedly mislead investors regarding the outlook for their funds, claiming that the funds presented excellent opportunities for investors despite poor actual results. It is doubtful, however, that these former managers truly believed their optimistic talk; one manager added no new deposits of his own to the account, and the other actually withdrew $2 million from his fund. Beyond the details of the case, however, is the more important point: these men are being arrested for having played a part in the onset of the current credit crunch.

What’s not as important here (for this article) is their guilt or innocence, but what is significant is the theme. Unlike Princip, these managers’ actions are highly unlikely to lead to any war or a worldwide struggle between communism and capitalism. Similarly to Princip, however, the managers’ actions (allegedly) helped lead to a worldwide problem far beyond what they could have foreseen. As their actions show, they were concerned with two localized thoughts: guarding their personal assets and protecting their companies’ stability. The collapse of these large hedge funds helped facilitate the demise of Bear Stearns, which had been the fifth largest financial services company in the United States.

The fall of Bear Stearns is one story involved in the worldwide credit crunch, which has influenced economies all around the globe. As the trials for these men go forward, it is important to remember that we must think about all of the potential consequences of our actions. Their dishonesty and deceitfulness helped lead, in some small way, to worse economic conditions internationally. Now, the judicial system will decide if the roll they played was significant enough to merit punishment.

Upcoming Figures
EUR Italian Trade Balance Non-EU (Euros)
CAD Retail Sales (Apr)
CAD Retail Sales Less Autos (Apr)

The surprising rally of the US Dollar this week has inevitably led to what seems like everyone and their niece predicting just how long it will last. My 10-year old niece doesn’t like the dollar, and though she’s a very bright girl, please note that she based her reasoning on the Canadian dollar looking a lot cooler than its American counterpart. Given that for several years the USD has done little but suffer, it’s of little surprise that few people are giving the greenback a chance.

Predicting the future can be a tricky business, so it’s important to follow some upcoming events that could determine the USD’s long term prospects. Some people throw caution to the winds regarding the future, such as Doc Brown, “Roads? Where were going, we don’t need roads.” In the world of Foreign Exchange, however, should you find yourself without a Flux Capacitor, it is very important to look at these events. They have guided currencies for as long as the market has existed.

In the short term, the upcoming G8 meeting could set the tone for the USD’s future. Should the USD become a focal point at the meetings (as it is expected to), one possible outcome would be a new dedication to strengthen the USD. There is a history of nations working to correct currency weaknesses, such as the Plaza Accord. However, while that agreement was aimed at the US facilitating the recover of the Japanese Yen, the tides have now turned.

Two more reasons for foreign countries to aid the USD are that commodities (such as oil!) are generally priced in dollars, and that the many countries holding dollar reserves would love to see those reserves have higher value. However, the results of the G8 will not be the only piece in shaping the USD’s future. The most important factor rests in the hands of Chairman Bernanke, and whether or not he can walk the walk as much as he has talked the talk regarding interest rate hikes.

Upcoming Figures

CHF Adjusted Real Retail Sales (Apr)

EUR Euro-Zone Consumer Price Index (May)

USD Net Long-term TIC Flows (Apr)

USD Total Net TIC Flows (Apr)

JPY Tertiary Industry Index (Apr)

Calm seems to be returning to international financial markets.  US economic data released today surprised to the upside.  The US dollar is even losing its safe-haven bid with fear not as dominant in the market as in days past.  We could even see conditions set up for a normalization of credit and liquidity in the last quarter of the year.

Asian and European markets have done well for the past couple of days.  US markets have not been as resilient, but we haven’t seen major losses either (which is almost as good).  We talked about the carry yesterday, and it should continue to rebound as long as the Dow does well.  The only major negative report that we have heard regarding financial institutions is the discovery of $10 billion worth of asset-backed securities on the books of China’s national bank.  But that’s a bank that doesn’t have to worry about liquidity, so it is not something that should worry investors.

US economic data should also prove reassuring to traders at all levels.  New Home Sales came in with a dramatic 2.8% increase, registering a pace of 870,000 new purchases compared to expectations of only 820,000.  Durable Goods printed even better, rising 5.9% last month after a revised 1.9% growth the month before (check out dailyfx.com for an explanation of how you can make money trading currency on the back of the durable goods report).  Economists at Bloomberg only expected 1.0% growth in July.  What these reports mean is that the US economy was doing really well before the credit crunch this month, and if we can get passed the liquidity issue, the overall economy is on a good track.  As good news dominates the market, fewer investors feel compelled to park their assets in US dollars, and one place you can go right now is Canadian dollars.

The best case scenario in this situation is for world financial markets to settle down before the Fed’s meeting in September.  The ECB has reaffirmed its commitment to raising the overnight lending rate on the continent.  Bank of Japan Governor Fukui is determined to normalize Japan’s interest rates before too long because extremely low rates result in a misallocation of resources.  Time Magazine has a profile defining Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke as a man walking a “fine line” between inflationary pressures and threats to growth.  But Main Street looks like it may survive, and the Fed (hopefully) will be able to keep the Funds rate constant on September 18 without too much trouble.

In the highly volatile forex market the dollar rebounded slightly from a previous falling trend. A government report today unexpectedly showed a record level of U.S. securities bought by foreign investors in May. Holdings in U.S. stocks, bonds, and notes rose to a net $126.1 billion in May, up from a net $80.3 billion in April. This surge is an indication that confidence in the U.S. economy has not diminished. Economic data in May suggested that the housing slump did not necessarily spill into other sectors as had been feared. Economists had predicted that international investors would buy a net $72.5 billion in U.S. long-term securities for June, but in fact a net $105.9 billion was bought.

The dollar traded at 122.30 yen at 9:42 a.m. in New York up from 121.89 yen yesterday. Against the euro the U.S. currency traded at $1.3783, a significant increase from the July 13^th record low level of $1.3814. Earlier gains in the dollar were due to a report showing an increase core prices for May. Core prices, which exclude energy and food, rose 0.3 percent giving investors reason to speculate that the Fed will not be cutting interest rates. However, it remains to be seen what Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke will report during tomorrow’s testimony before Congress.

The gains made by the dollar are only short term. Investors should be careful and not overly optimistic as both the European and England Central Banks are about to raise interest rates. European Central Bank Council Member Nicholas Garganas is wary of inflation pressures from stronger than expected economic growth. This would prompt the ECB to raise the interest rate above the six-year benchmark of 4 percent. Likewise, inflation in England exceeded the central bank’s 2 percent target level for a 14^th month in June. Interest rates will likely be increased to cool the economy.