Stock Check:
The US Dollar has been the major out-performer of the day, driven by a significant selloff in US equities. All major US stock market indices have closed in the red, with technology stocks leading the dive during the overnight Asian session. Household stock names including Apple suffered immense losses during the premarket session, opening more than 4.5% below Monday’s closing price. Apple, like many US stocks, now trades at more than a 20% discount versus its highs last month, perpetuating underlying fears surrounding earnings growth and trade tensions. The selloff in the tech sector and across equity markets in general has driven investors to liquidate their holdings in company stocks and shares, instead holding their assets in the underlying US Dollar. The flight into cash and safer US Treasuries has generated a demand for the US Dollar that has allowed it to appreciate some one quarter of one percent on a trade weighted basis since market open. Defensive demand for the world’s major reserve currency in the face of an intensification of President Trump’s trade war has helped determine the demand for US cash, driving cable towards 1.28 and breaking key support of 1.14 against the Euro. On the European front, Brexit demands and concessions continue to create obstacles to May’s Brexit deal that was announced last week. Chief EU negotiator Michel Barmier has warned member states that their idiosyncratic demands and concerns should be constrained as fear surrounding the stability of May’s working majority and domestic popularity grow. Sterling has managed to largely hold onto its value throughout the day, however, markets want news, and fast.
Today’s Global Market:
Discussion and Analysis by Charles Porter
Oil Price Pre TT or Trump Tariffs, the oil price seesawed around but mostly reverted to its mean over a few trading sessions unless a major piece of economic, political or trade news arose. All that has gone out of the window with steady declines in session after session, so in case you have been […]
Stagflation USA This is the spectre confronting Federal Reserve Chair Powell and the wider USA. It is unusual simultaneously to have both rising unemployment and higher prices with the consequence of rising inflation, but that is where the USA stands today, in the face of the TT or Trump tariffs. Unsurprisingly, despite POTUS offering his […]
Asia on Fire The TWD or Taiwan Dollar has scarcely featured in most FX traders’ consciousness until the past four weeks, when the NTD has roared up over 10%. The Korean Won has managed a respectable 6%, the Thai Baht and the Malaysian Ringgit 5% and the Singapore Dollar 4%. So what’s behind it? The […]