The British Pound’s Freshly Greased Slippery Slope

The UK’s FTSE 100 remains a big post-Brexit winner. This headline from the Telegraph for January 10, 2017 says it all: “FTSE 100 records longest run of closing highs since 1984 as Brexit fears hurt pound.” The FTSE 100 was created in 1984. Never since that time has the index notched nine straight all-time highs … Read more

The Australian Dollar Remains Resilient Despite Soaring Odds for a Rate Cut

Global bond yields are falling like rocks, many investors are paying governments to hold their money, and odds are increasing for more monetary accommodation from the major economies in the likes of the United Kingdom, the eurozone, and Japan. In the U.S., expectations for a rate cut have essentially been moved off the table. So, … Read more

Forget the Yuan – The Devaluation of the British Pound Is Breathtaking

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on February 24, 2016. Click here to read the entire piece.) Americans do not get to vote as a nation on anything unless it is something like American Idol or Dancing With the Stars; definitely nothing political. Our nation’s founders sought fit … Read more

The Australian Dollar Sinks With An RBA Rate Cut – Time for A Big Unwind?

Last week, the Australian dollar (FXA) was slammed by poor inflation data. Market expectations for a rate cut strengthened significantly as well. This week, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) took heed and cut its cash rate from 2.0% to 1.75%. In its statement on the monetary policy decision, the RBA explained that its decision … Read more

Markets Brace for Another Australian Rate Cut

The disappointing inflation numbers for Australia did not just take down the Australian dollar (FXA). Financial markets also rushed to ramp up the odds of a rate cut in the next policy meeting for the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). Source: ASX RBA Rate Indicator Even if the RBA takes a pass on a rate … Read more

Forex Critical: Speculators Beat A Major Retreat from Bearishness on the British Pound

A bottom for the British pound just got more likely. The latest data from the CFTC shows that net speculators beat a major retreat from net short positions against the British pound: Source: Oanda’s CFTC’s Commitments of Traders The chart shows that speculators have not held such small net short positions since the surge began … Read more

Forex Critical – Speculators In Retreat (Now Bullish on the Australian Dollar)

The following data cover the latest from the CFTC’s Commitment of Traders as reported by Oanda from the week of Monday, February 15, 2016. From Oanada: “The Commitments of Traders (COT) is a report issued by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). It aggregates the holdings of participants in the U.S. futures markets (primarily based … Read more

Getting Ready to Tip-Toe Around the Euro

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on December 2, 2015. Click here to read the entire piece.) The European Central Bank (ECB) next makes a statement on monetary policy on December 3, 2015. The market is apparently eagerly anticipating an announcement from ECB President Mario Draghi that delivers … Read more

Trading the Breakdown of the Australian Dollar

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on November 6, 2014. Click here to read the entire piece.) The pressure is building on the Australian dollar (FXA). If it were not for the fresh collapse in the Japanese yen (FXY), the proverbial risk trade would be looking very shaky. … Read more

Forex Chart Review: The Power of 50 – Carving Out A Large Swath Of Key Pivots?

Tonight, January 14, 2014, I was casually doing my periodic check of forex charts and was absolutely startled to see so many currency pairs pivoting around the 50-day moving average (DMA). I was so captured by this pattern, I decided to post every single chart for the record. I realize that the tests and touches … Read more