World currency markets have been largely sluggish in the past week. As the November date of the FOMC draws ever nearer, there has been a wait and watch situation developing especially about the level of any stimulus especially in light of some of US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner’s recent comments with respect to the major currency pairs.
Meanwhile the market sentiment turned out to be correct regarding the G20 finance ministers and central bankers meeting in South Korea as the meet failed to achieve anything of note apart from a few sound bites about monitoring the situation, and urging countries not to use their currencies as weapons of devaluation. Although the G20 meet made all the sound notes, analysts feel that it is unlikely to reverse the overall pressure on the US dollar as it continues to remain under pressure.
USD and Q3 GDP:
After the G20 meet failed to set any market tone, all eyes are now focussed on the coming week which can is a critical week for both the dollar as well as the pound as traders are keeping a close watch over the release of Q3 GDP figures for evidence of economic deterioration and the increased likelihood of further stimulus. Meanwhile the US dollar is continuing to show signs of a possible rebound as it continues to hold above key trend line support. The release of Q3 GDP on Friday where a figure of 2.2% is expected will in all likelihood be a key indicator of what sort of measures the Fed may embark on at the conclusion of its next meeting on November 3rd.
GBP: The pound is also set for a key week with the release on Tuesday of Q3 GDP where expectations are for a slip back to a figure of 0.4% which would be a shot in the arm for the dovish camp in the Bank of England’s monetary policy committee (MPC) for a further round of quantitative easing (QE) into the UK economy, and send the pound lower. The pound is currently trading near trend line support at 77.80 from its all-time lows on its trade weighted index at 73.05, set in early 2009. A break below this level could well target further sterling weakness in the near term. A break of this trend line could well target further sterling weakness towards this years low’s at 76.10.
World Market Pulse Euro Update: Traders are likely to remain in a euro bullish mode despite the firming up of the US dollar amid Improved Home Builder Confidence even as EUR together with Scandinavian currencies under performed the rest of G10 at the start of the week after investors sought to take profit on their USD-short positions. EU’s Economic and Monetary Commissioner Olli Rehn has meanwhile indicated that the currencies will feature prominently on the agenda after Eurogroup’s Chairman Juncker had said that there has been too much volatility between the main global currencies.
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