SGM-FX insights

The Focus Markets have been dominated by the geopolitical risk presented by events in Israel and neighbouring geographies. Week on week, this has meant that the best performing G-10 currency has been the Swiss Franc benefiting from a safe haven, defensive move. Despite US treasuries taking a breather from their chaotic sell off, the US […]

Geo-Political Tensions While it has not been hard to disagree with JPMorgan CEO, Jamie Dimon on occasion since he is by inclination a prolific pronouncer, this time he is spot on: the world is faced with the most dangerous combination of challenges for several decades with the wars in Ukraine and In Israel. That in […]

USA Inflation In the year to end of September US inflation stands at 3.7%. While it has come down, the snag is that it is not continuing its downward trajectory as expected, and it is this sticky inflation that has strengthened the USD in the last hours of yesterday’s trading session. That has meant that […]

UK Branch Banking This week has revealed the difference in bricks and mortar strategies between the traditional clearing banks and first an ex building society now a bank and then a challenger bank. The clearing banks have been efficient and some would say ruthless in shutting branches. There are now 4,000 branches in the UK […]

Confident In what is an uncertain world, there was a certain reassurance to reading the comments from European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde yesterday. Firstly Mme Lagarde is confident that the 4% record high interest rates in the EU will succeed in getting the inflation genie back in the bottle and a return to the […]

Oil In case you do not have your finger on the pulse of the global oil market, the moves in the past week have been sharp and sharply down to say the least. Following fears of higher interest rates for longer, stuttering global economies and a perceived lack of demand, the oil market sages who […]

US Treasury Yields Last night with the Dow selling off almost 400 points, the culprit was once again the spectre of still increasing US Treasury Bond yields which have hit fresh highs: 10 years at 4.72% and 30 years at 4.85%. 2 years firmly above 5% at 5.10%. USD firmer too. EUR/USD 1.0450. For Hire […]

The parapet With high US yields and strong US data publications, it is not the time for currencies to stick their head above the parapet. Unfortunately for GBP, the attention that the Prime Minister is drawing to himself, and the conservative party conference, runs the risk of highlighting the political risk associated with GBP. With […]

US Government Treasury Bond Yields With the higher for longer realization dawning on interest rate markets, it is worth looking at where the yields are on US Governments: 3 months 5.40, 2 years 5.12, 5 years 4.70, 10 years 4.63 and 30 years 4.75. That is obviously weighing on the equity markets at present but […]

The only haven The avoidance of a hard landing according to many projections of most economically significant geographies has undoubtedly moderated perceived financial risk. Back when recessions were forecasted and priced in as the base case to follow the interest rate hiking cycle, there was greater financial risk within the system. Despite a more sanguine […]

US Interest Rates Nothing much new over the weekend other than while sifting thought the tea leaves from last week, we found that not one but two members of the FOMC, the rate setting and policy making committee of the Federal Reserve, advocated US interest rates staying higher for longer to crush inflation. Within their […]

A revised 2024 The Dollar opens stronger this morning following the Federal Reserve’s decision last night. The decision confirmed interest rates were to stay on hold following this meeting. As we have highlighted following previous decisions, the forward guidance offered by the Chair Jay Powell was once again underwhelming. However, the Dollar’s bid this morning […]