Sterling bears out in force

A worse than expected UK manufacturing production figure of -0.4% against a forecast of 0.1% (-0.4% was the figure in December) has given sterling bears a further excuse to sell the currency, with some really nice downtrends in a number of GBP pairs. In addition industrial production also followed a similar trend coming at -0.7% against a forecast of 0%, and declining further against last month's number of 0.1%, The data injected volatility into the sterling pairs, with volatility candles triggering in the faster time frames. Cable managed to find some minor support at 1.4458, before moving lower, and what is significant is that the hourly CSI is showing GBP as likely to be moving steadily lower, and we will have to wait for the US session to see if there is any halt to the current bearish momentum....
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NZD and USD in focus on the currency strength indicator

Thanks to everyone for coming along to our forex webinar for the London session earlier, where our focus was the euro & eurodollar, particularly with some pretty heavy option expiry strike prices due up later today. Also in view was the kiwi which was in a similar state to the British pound ahead of Chancellor Osborne's autumn statement. In other words totally beaten down across multiple time frames, and despite various efforts to rise kept falling back into oversold territory. Interesting to see the Kiwi (white line) has now moved off the floor on the 30 & 60 min CSI. Also note the USD (the red line) is very overbought, so we need to keep an eye on what it is likely to do the remainder of the day. What happens in our next webinar for the US session is difficult to tell given it was Thanksgiving yesterday, and today is Black Friday. Appreciate it's not a national holiday, but given many in the...
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GBP in focus ahead of Autumn budget

This morning's highlight comes from Chancellor George Osborne here in the UK with his Autumn Forecast Statement, so expect lots of smoke & mirrors, volatility and opportunity to shake traders out of the market.For the British pound complex on the faster time frames, it's been a case of some good moves lower against USD, JPY & euro. The hourly currency strength indicator is also highlighting the GBP as heavily oversold, but as we have said many times in our forex webinars - currencies, markets and instrument can stay stubbornly over extended much longer than we think. And as we also say in the webinars your time horizon will always be a factor in any trading decision, and also help to quantify the level of risk associated with that trade. Discover more about the currency strength indicator here....
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Eurodollar continues to frustrate

Eurodollar continues to frustrate traders, and it's easy to see why. Since the failure to breach 1.1713 the pair has retreated back into the range of the VPOC (volume point of control) in the 1.1170 region where it continues to remain waterlogged. With end of month and end of quarter position squaring we will have to wait to see whether eurodollar can finally break away from this region. From a technical perspective the heavy selling of 6 weeks ago is self evident with the extreme volume and deep upper wick to the candle telling their own story. Since then the pivots have helped to define the floor and ceiling of the congestion zone, and with volume now building on the VPOC histogram any move away is likely to be extreme and accompanied with strong participation. The key level to any move to the downside is 1.1128 where strong support awaits.  ...
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Bears take hold of cable

Today's reversal in cable has once again taken the pair back to the VPOC (volume point of control) support which sits in the 1.5573 price region. This price area is where cable has been rotating since early July, and despite what appeared to be a decisive break away on Monday when cable touched a high of 1.5803, yesterday's down candle has had the effect of creating a classic two bar reversal. Therefore, no surprise to see the resulting fall in today's trading session where cable has fallen over 200 pips. Today's price action has not only taken cable below the VPOC for the first time since early August but also seen a break through the 100 ma, and with today's move supported with good volume the next stop for cable would appear to be 1.5424 on the daily chart. Moving to the hourly chart cable has found some good support at 1.5466, a price point first hit by a volatility candle earlier...
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And now we wait for the forex market to open!

Have been reading that carnage is expected and word is EUR/USD has already dropped to 1.1029 - although my MT4 hasn't started as yet, so we will have to wait & see. Meantime here are some levels for some of the euro pairs : EUR/USD - was already bearish & shorts at CFTC increased last week. Putting the 1.1029 aside for the time being - 1.1052 is the first level of support & if breached 1.0819 comes into play where a high volume node on the VPOC awaits. EUR/JPY - Has been in congestion for a number of days having failed to breach the 140.78 price point & now looking to turn bearish. The immediate level below is at 137.57 with any move through here then likely to test the 136.69 region. The VPOC continues to remain in the 134.94 region for the time being and should this be taken out then a longer term bearish trend will ensue. EUR/AUD - The interest rate...
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The yen currency matrix in focus as equities fall

The overnight fall in the Nikkei 225 of 1.76% has resulted in an impressive two bar reversal (aka a shooting star) on the daily chart for the USD/JPY - so no surprise to see the pair move lower in this morning's trading session. What is perhaps more significant is this move in the JPY is not consistent across the JPY pairs we follow on our matrix, and in particular the EUR/JPY and GBP/JPY. The latter is a pair I am looking to short on a longer term basis, but patience is required not least because I want to see the JPY begin to move away from the bottom (oversold) on the currency strength indicator. This also highlights a key aspect of forex trading, namely individual currencies can stay overbought or oversold for much longer than we expect. Much, of course, will depend on risk sentiment, and in particular whether the current downwards trend in equities continues, and if so then we...
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AUD/NZD now in focus

USD buying has continued into US session, and despite it being a holiday in Canada the USD/CAD has done really well. Question now is how far is USD likely to move higher. The key level is 11,750 on the USDX index which is the support platform which was breached last week & of which we may see a re-test. Focus overnight is back to AUD & NZD, with a monetary policy statement from the RBA for the first, & inflation expectation for the second. Both AUD/USD and NZD/USD have had a bearish day, although Aussie dollar less so. In addition, whilst we can expect a reaction in both these pairs, we can also expect some interesting moves in the AUD/NZD cross which today has had an 80 pip move to the upside. Since last Tuesday the pair has traded in a relatively narrow range, 1.0865 to the top & 1.0776 to the bottom, and I do believe the overnight news may be...
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More selling of the US dollar

Despite it being a holiday across most of Europe for Ascension Day - it's quite lively out there at the moment. We've also just had an unscheduled comments from Mark Carney (not shown on Forex Factory), but came up on Forex Live feed. Greek Fin Min Varoufakis also speaking & even mentioning the word 'reform'. Meanwhile on the charts it's been more selling of USD which is propelling euro & gbp higher with volatility candles on faster time frames. For cable 1.5788 is a key level being tested up to and including the daily chart. Have reading how a lot of traders are looking to short cable since it went over 1.5550, but it's just not co-operating & the principle reason is the USD which continues to be sold off. It's only in the EUR/GBP that we have seen some serious GBP selling. This is an aspect of forex trading David & I will be covering in tomorrow's forex webinars - the importance...
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Aussie dollar and the AUD/NZD the ones to watch

Here in UK election day is almost here & we can expect reactions as soon as the exit polls start posting as well as the actual results. Heaven only knows what is going to happen. So far GBP has been fairly well behaved - moving more as a result of USD & EUR. Meanwhile in Asia - AUD has employment data to contend with. On 4hr CSI we have seen the AUD pull back & is also showing the NZD as hugely oversold, but as mentioned many times before a currency can stay stubbornly over stretched for a considerable time. And in the case of the Kiwi where it is still falling on the weekly and daily charts it is likely to stay down on the 4 hr chart. Of course AUD/USD is the one to watch, but expect to see moves in the AUD/NZD cross with some interesting volume/price action now developing in the slower timeframes, and with the NZD (...
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