Key results (August 2024)

The RBNZ emphasised the recent weakness of high-frequency activity indicators in its decision to cut the OCR in August. And indeed there was a marked deterioration across a range of measures for the June month. However, the updates for July and beyond have generally improved since then. We don’t think this will derail further OCR cuts in the months ahead, but the lift in business confidence along with other measures should see the market scale back the odds of larger 50bp moves.

TOKYO (Aug 29): The Japanese government has upgraded its economic assessment for the first time in more than a year on signs of improved consumption, fostering optimism for a broader recovery.

"The Japanese economy is recovering at a moderate pace, although it appears to be still pausing in parts," the Cabinet Office said in its monthly economic report for August, raising the assessment for the first time since May 2023.

Consumption is picking up as the impact of shipping stoppage at some automakers is easing, the government said. The increase in household disposable income, coupled with temporary cuts in income and resident taxes, also helped consumption.

However, the extreme heat this summer yielded mixed consumption results, the report said. While demand for air-conditioning, parasols and ice creamed increased, customer traffic at theme parks and restaurants declined.

The report also anticipated a fall in import prices, primarily due to the recent correction in the yen's weak trend.

The government also upgraded its assessment on housing construction to "almost flat" from "in a weak tone" for the first time in more than two years, attributing the change to a halt in the decline of owner-occupied house construction.

Assessments for the remaining sub-sectors, including exports, remained unchanged.

The report was presented at a meeting attended by relevant cabinet ministers and Bank of Japan (BOJ) governor Kazuo Ueda.

Earlier this month, government data showed Japan's economy expanded by a much faster-than-expected 3.1% annualised rate in the second quarter. The rebound, after a slump at the start of the year, was largely attributed to a robust increase in consumption.

Source: Theedgemarkets

Key Points

---EUR/USD dives below 1.1100 as lower inflation in Spain and in six key German states prompts expectations of another ECB rate cut.

---Eurozone and German inflation are estimated to have slowed further in August.

---The US core PCE inflation data could influence market expectations for Fed rate-cut size in September.

EUR/USD faces a sharp sell-off, sliding below the round-level support of 1.100 in Thursday’s European session. The major currency pair extends its correction after some preliminary inflation data from Spain and six important German states showed that price pressures continued to abate in August, increasing bets of an upcoming interest-rate cut by the European Central Bank (ECB). Meanwhile, the US Dollar increased further above Wednesday’s high, with the US Dollar Index (DXY) – which tracks the Greenback’s value against six major currencies – rising to near 101.30.

The sharp recovery in the US Dollar suggests that investors are turning risk-averse with United States (US) Personal Consumption Expenditure Price Index (PCE) data for July on the horizon. The underlying inflation data is expected to influence market speculation for the likely size of Federal Reserve (Fed) interest-rate cuts in September.

The PCE inflation report is expected to show that the annual core inflation rose by 2.7% in July, faster than the 2.6% seen in June. Month-over-month, core PCE is estimated to have grown steadily by 0.2%.

In Thursday’s session, investors will keenly focus on the revised estimates of Q2 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the Initial Jobless Claims data for the week ending August 23 at 12:30 GMT. Q2 GDP revised estimated are unlikely to impact the US Dollar unless there comes a substantial change. In Europe, the preliminary August inflation data for overall Germany will be published at 12:00 GMT.

Investors will also focus on the Jobless Claims data as the Fed is now vigilant to downside risks to the labor market.. Fed Chair Jerome Powell vowed to support deteriorating labor market strength in his speech at the Jackson Hole (JH) Symposium.

Daily digest market movers: EUR/USD weakens on Euro’s broader underperformance

EUR/USD extends its downside below the crucial support of 1.1100 in European trading hours. The shared currency pair weakens on the Euro’s (EUR) underperformance against its major peers as traders seem to be certain that the European Central Bank (ECB) will cut interest rates in September.

A sharp slowdown in price pressures in Spain and six important German states has boosted ECB September rate cut bets. The Annual Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) in Spain came in at 2.4%, the slowest in year-to-date (YTD).

Firm speculation for ECB September rate cuts was already prompted by consistently easing Eurozone price pressures and its poor economic outlook, as suggested by the flash HCOB PMI report for August. However, the Eurozone Economic Sentiment Indicator, Industry Confidence, and Services Sentiment have come in better than expected in August. On the contrary, Consumer Confidence deteriorated to -13.5 from the estimates and the former release of -13.4.

The ECB is also expected to deliver an additional rate cut somewhere in the last quarter of the year. A few ECB policymakers appear to be comfortable with the central bank reducing its key borrowing rates further this year.

Dutch policymaker Klaas Knot said to a conference panel on Tuesday that "as long as our disinflation path still converges to a return to 2% inflation at or before the end of 2025, then I'm comfortable with gradually taking our foot off the brake." When asked about September rate cut expectations, Knot said: "I will have to wait until I have the full data and information set going into that meeting to decide my position on whether September is appropriate,” adding that "I would have to do so again in October, December and whenever," reported Reuters.

The German and Eurozone flash HICP data for August will be published at 12:00 GMT later today and on Friday, respectively. German annual HICP is estimated to have grown at a slower pace of 2.3% from 2.6% in July. Month-over-month, the HICP is forecasted to have remained flat after rising 0.5% in July. 

Source: FXSTREET

The EUR/USD pair is holding steady at around 1.1134 as markets consolidate USD positions during a lull in significant news. Investors are now keenly awaiting the release of the Core PCE inflation data, a critical metric that the Federal Reserve uses to gauge inflationary pressures and shape its interest rate policy.

The anticipation surrounding this week’s Core PCE release is particularly high due to the lack of impactful data from both the US and the eurozone earlier in the week. While significant shifts in expectations regarding the Fed’s monetary policy trajectory are unlikely, the upcoming report will still be crucial for fine-tuning investor forecasts.

The market has currently primarily priced in a rate cut by the Fed at its September meeting, with the baseline expectation being a 25 basis point reduction. However, a 34.5% probability of a more aggressive cut of 50 basis points remains. This possibility is bolstered by recent comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell indicating that the timing for a rate adjustment is appropriate now, echoing sentiments within the monetary policy community.

EUR/USD technical analysis

On the H4 chart of EUR/USD, the pair is forming a structure indicating an initial decline towards 1.1090. Following this decline, a corrective movement to 1.1150 is anticipated. Once this correction concludes, a further decline to 1.1030 is expected, potentially continuing to 1.0960. This bearish outlook is supported by the MACD indicator, with its signal line positioned above zero but trending sharply downwards.

On the H1 chart, EUR/USD has already declined to 1.1104. A corrective phase towards 1.1150 may follow, testing it from below before resuming the downward trajectory towards 1.1090. The Stochastic oscillator, currently above 80, suggests an impending drop to 20, reinforcing the likelihood of continued downward movement.

Source: ACTIONFOREX

TESTING TIMES

NOVEMBER PUZZLE

Source: Reuters