ONE-TWENTY TWO: Trading Financial Markets
Exploring the poetry in financial markets for students of money and economy since the year 2000.
It was a simple headline from the Wall Street Journal but enough to turn the tide for trade-sensitive plays: “U.S. Proposes New Trade Talks With China to Avert Tariffs.” The reported talks are proposed for later this month, but the market wasted no time in responding. In the world of foreign exchange, the U.S. dollar … Read more
I completely missed how the Bank of Canada (BoC) was deftly tempering its rate hike designs with a claim that the Canadian economy still needs more accommodation. For example, in April’s statement on monetary policy, the BoC said the following (emphasis mine): “Some progress has been made on the key issues being watched closely by … Read more
Last June, 2017, Senior Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada (BoC) Carolyn A. Wilkins stepped onto the stage with a surprisingly bullish message about the Canadian economy. This speech set the stage for the BoC’s rollback of “emergency measure” rate cuts that responded to the past collapse in oil prices. At the time, the … Read more
Last week, financial markets were abuzz with rumors that Canada was preparing for the U.S. to exit NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement. No official statement ever emerged and within three trading days the entire impact of the scare reversed. For example, the rumors weakened the Canadian dollar (FXC) significantly against the U.S. dollar … Read more
Last week, I wrote about how economic data overrode the apparent desire of the Bank of Canada (BoC) to apply brakes to the strength of the Canadian dollar (FXC). Friday’s jobs report all but sealed the deal on the bullish case for the Canadian dollar and makes it more likely that the BoC will be … Read more
The Canadian dollar (FXC) is at an interesting juncture. Strong economic data has strengthened the currency but the Bank of Canada (BoC) has applied brakes on currency’s rally. The Canadian dollar weakened in the wake of policy statements in October and December. The last word of 2017 went to the economic data as hot inflation … Read more
Central banks are getting pretty good at having it both ways. Despite two rate hikes, one in July and one in September, the Bank of Canada (BoC) has talked its way to a net no change in the Canadian dollar (FXC) versus the U.S. dollar (DXY0). Source: FreeStockCharts.com As the chart above shows, the Canadian … Read more
There is nothing like a significantly stronger currency to get central banks to take pause. I cannot recall in recent memory a time where a little known (or under-appreciated?) Deputy Director of the Bank of Canada made a notable impact on the Canadian dollar. Such an event occurred on Monday, September 18th. Deputy Director Timothy … Read more
A little over a week ago, I explained why I put the Mexican peso and the Canadian dollar (FXC) on shorter leashes. Canada’s extremely strong second quarter GDP report at the end of August just loosened that leash a little. Statistics Canada reported 2Q real GDP growth of 1.1%. The annualized growth rate of 4.5% … Read more
Currency speculators have not been this bullish on the Mexican peso in about four years. The Canadian dollar (FXC) has enjoyed such bullishness for a year longer. Source for charts: Oanda’s CFTC’s Commitments of Traders I have traded alongside these bulls for several months now, but I decided this week to pull in the reins … Read more