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Have You Seen This?

Have You Seen This?

  • Mixed data in the US keeps the $ in a tight range ...

    In This Issue..

    * Mixed US data keeps the $ in a tight range...

    * Sovereign debt worries ease a bit...

    * Will Japan intervene?...

    * Gold attracts some big buyers...

    And Now... Today's Pfennig!

    ...
  • The Wolves Are Always At The Door!

    In This Issue..

    * Euro rally falls on its face!
    * Dollars, yen, and Gold highlight the day...
    * More on the ratings agencies...
    * What, me worry about inflation?

    Good day... And a Terrific Tuesday to you! It's rainy and cold here in St. Louis... Not exactly 'May weather'... But then, you've got to experience this kind of weather, to enjoy the blue umbrella skies, and sunshine, warm days!

    Well... The sunshine for the euro only lasted about 12 hours... Yesterday, when I signed off, I said that the euro had come back from 1.3094 to 1.30, and we would need to see what the NY boys and girls thought of the aid package to get a clear direction for the euro... Well, the NY boys and girls didn't think much of the aid package, and their feelings were soon to show up in the currency trading... Almost all of the euro's gains, and those of the other currencies affected by the Eurozone problems, were wiped out... Completely! The euro is now trading lower than it was when we left for happy hour on Friday afternoon! UGH! But... Shoot Rudy, I said yesterday, that while I liked the package for its calming affect on the markets, I didn't like it for the debt... Well, the calming affect is gone, so we're left with debt......
  • China Puts The Brakes On!

    In This Issue..

    * Risk Aversion sets in, on China's moves...
    * Now, we know what's going on with the TIC's!
    * Germany to step in to save Greece?
    * Honkers losing value VS the dollar...


    Good day... And a Wonderful Wednesday to you! As I understand it, we are in for some Monsoon like rain today and the next couple of days... Living in a little river town, and having a creek at the back of my property, lends itself to cause me to worry when I hear things like Monsoon like rains expected... But... It's mother nature, I can't do a thing to stop it, so, I carry on... But worrying while I carry on!

    The rain is falling on the currencies too... The dollar has rebounded very quickly the past few days, and there are no roadblocks right now. The risk takers in the markets are running for safety again, sent running by China's decision to curb lending and attempt to slow growth before their economy overheats......
  • Game off for risk trades...

    In This Issue..

    * Dollar hits 3 month high...
    * Norges bank raises .25%...
    * Fed repeats call to keep rates low...
    * Inflation in India rises...

    Good day...And welcome to Thursday. Chuck started his Christmas vacation, so I have the honor of bringing you the daily missive for the next week or so. The dollar continued to gain strength throughout the day as investors waited on news from the FOMC. Overnight, Greece sustained another rate cut, this time by S&P, which caused investors to move back toward the 'safety' of the US$. The news caused the dollar to rally to a 3 month high vs. the Euro and post gains across the board. The currency markets are becoming a bit volatile again, and much of this volatility can be linked back to the return of a transaction which dominated currency markets over the past decade....
  • Dollar continues to fall...

    In This Issue..

    * Dollar moves lower...
    * China to take a role at IMF...
    * US Borrow and spend policies continue...
    * Gold sets a new record...

    Good day...and what a day it was in the currency markets on Tuesday! The rout on the dollar continued, and was broad based with gains in every currency we trade. The commodity based currencies led the pack, as the weaker dollar fueled a big run up in raw material prices. Reports out of both Asia and Europe signaled the global economy is recovering, and bolstered investors looking for a way out of the falling dollar.

    European industrial output rose for a fourth month in August, increasing just below 1 percent from July. From a year earlier, August output fell 15.4%, a big drop but still the smallest YOY decline in 8 months. The Euro area continues to recover 'at a gradual pace' according to ECB President Trichet. The positive news coming from the manufacturing sector is a good sign the European economic recovery will be sustainable....
  • Gold Soars To An All-Time High!

    In This Issue..

    * It was all about Gold yesterday!
    * Commodity Currencies take the lead today...
    * The story behind the euro's non-move...
    * Budget data prints today...

    Good day... And a Wonderful Wednesday to you! What a day for Gold yesterday! WOW! In case you were trapped in a cave and didn't hear the news... Gold, which I said yesterday morning looked like it was going to take out its all-time high, did take out its all-time high, and not just take it out! Gold pushed past the all-time high of $1,033.90, and didn't stop until it was trading $1,047 and change! WOW! No check that... Double WOW!

    The Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) rate hike the previous night, opened the door to this run by Gold, as the Gold Bugs all came out and bought the preferred investment to counter soaring inflation... You see, if the RBA is raising rates, when most every other Central Bank is stuck in the mud with near zero rates, the RBA must see something, eh?...
  • Retail Sales Soar!

    In This Issue..

    * Currencies rally on Retail Sales!
    * China likes investments in Canada...
    * Big Ben the 'inflation fighter'...
    * Gold climbs to $1,018!

    Good day... And a Wonderful Wednesday to you! Good news for me this morning, the pain in my left knee has subsided... Now, If I could just get that swelling to go down, I'd be in tall cotton! This has been quite the ordeal on the old Pfennig writer, and one that I will be glad to put in the rear view mirror!

    Well... When I turned on the currency screens this morning, the euro was trading with a 1.47 handle! WOW! It just skipped to my Lou right through the 1.46 handle, eh? It began yesterday afternoon, the dollar was getting sold on the news of a strong Retail Sales figure, more on that in a minute, and the euro was edging up the 1.46 ladder... The move to get it past 1.47 came in the overnight markets... Now, having gotten you all lathered up about 1.47, I have to say that since I turned on the currency screens, the euro has lost ground back to 1.4688, but still... That's quite an impressive move from yesterday morning, eh?

    ...
  • House prices move up, but consumers still aren't confident...

    In This Issue..

    * House prices move up...
    * US consumers are worried...
    * Japanese retail sales drag...
    * Australian rates to rise...

    Good day... We finally had a bit of volatility in the currency markets yesterday, as conflicting data released in two separate reports moved the markets in opposite directions. The dollar started off the day drifting lower, as has been the pattern over the past 2 weeks. But during the late morning the dollar started gaining strength, and has barely paused its ascent overnight.

    Many of you probably heard the news reports that home prices finally rose during the month of May, and this is what had the dollar on the ropes yesterday morning. The S&P/CaseShiller Home Price Index reported that home prices in the US rose ever so slightly in May compared to April. But if we look at the annual figures, home prices are still down just over 17% across the country. Media outlets trumpeted this 'feel good' story with many economists declaring that housing has now turned a corner. This is a good sign, as prices have to stabilize before the housing sector can recover, but it is hard to get overly excited about a 17% drop YOY. The monthly figure rose just .5%, reflecting the first monthly gain since July 2006. Another report showed the share of homes sold as foreclosures or otherwise distressed properties fell to about 31% in June, down from a high of 50% seen earlier this year. With unemployment still creeping up, and the US consumer continuing to save instead of spend, I am going to need to see a couple of months of stabilized prices before I am convinced housing is turning the corner here in the US....
  • Good news for housing is bad news for the dollar...

    In This Issue..

    * Home sales increase most in eight years...
    * Euro boosted by confidence...
    * Geitner sells the Chinese...
    * Carry trades back in vogue...

    The dollar lost more ground on Monday, but the reasons were different than those that caused last week's slow decline. Currency traders sold the dollar after a report showed sales of new homes rose the most in eight years. New-home sales in the US climbed 11% last month to a 384,000 annual pace. This was substantially higher than economists had forecast, and the most since November. The report also showed the number of houses on the market dropped to the lowest level in more than a decade. The housing numbers seem to confirm that the housing market may be approaching a bottom, but housing prices continue to fall, and more data is needed before I'm convinced the worst is over. Many of these homes have been sold to first time homebuyers taking advantage of government programs; and if unemployment continues to climb, housing sales are not likely to rise quickly....
  • US leading indicators push higher...

    In This Issue..

    * US leading indicators push higher...
    * Labor department admits errors...
    * Ben Bernanke heads to the hill...
    * PIMCO suggests buying emerging markets...

    Good day... A quiet trading day to start the week off yesterday. As I turn on the computers this morning the dollar index is trading right at the level it was yesterday morning. The currencies were up a bit through most of Monday's trading day, but the dollar came back in Asian trading leaving us right about back where we started.

    The only data released yesterday was the index of US leading indicators which rose slightly in June for a third consecutive month. The numbers gave a bit of hope for all of the bulls, with many exclaiming that the US economy has turned a corner and the recession has ended. I am not so sure, as rising unemployment and continued weakness in the housing market will likely hold any recovery back....
  • Frightened investors move back into US treasuries.....

    In This Issue..

    * Jobs data skewed by 'seasonal adjustments'...
    * BOE surprises the market...
    * Oil falls below $60...
    * China's reserves continue to grow...

    Good day...Chuck has a bevy of doctor's appointments today, so he decided to let me take over the Pfennig. Unfortunately it will go out a little later than usual, as I always struggle to get all of my thoughts together so early in the morning. Its not that I come in late (I was here two hours before everyone else) but it just takes me much longer than Chuck to get it all on paper. But enough of the excuses, I've got to get writing.

    Weekly jobless claims released in the US yesterday morning fell below 600k for the first time since January but the continuing claims continue to rise, hitting another record. The slight improvement in the weekly numbers was distorted by the automotive sector. Car companies typically shut down plants in early July in order to change over to the new model year. Bankruptcy forced many of these plants to shut down much earlier than normal, and some temporarily started up production again during the past few weeks....
  • Desperately Seeking Yield...

    In This Issue..

    * Currencies rally...
    * More on the BRIC's...
    * New Zealand's GDP contracts..
    * Bernanke gets grilled!

    Good day... And a Happy Friday to one and all! The end of what seemed to be a very long week... The last weekend in June, can you believe that? Next week, we'll be getting ready for the 4th of July celebrations! WOW!

    Well... What a volatile week it has been in the currencies! Up, down, all around, and settling back to levels that we saw before the Fed's FOMC meeting earlier this week. Suddenly, investors are looking for yield again... Looks like they are "Desperately Seeking (not Susan) Yield! And why not? The Fed, and the Bank of Canada (BOC) have come out and said that there will be no interest rate hikes until we've turned quite a few pages on the 2010 calendar....
  • So Far... It's A Turn Around Tuesday!

    In This Issue..

    * Currencies bounce back...
    * Commodities and Commodity Currencies get hit hard!
    * China's recovery a myth?
    * Devaluation in the dollar's future?

    Good day... And a Terrific Tuesday to you! It's too hot in the hot tub! You can't make me get in the hot tub! Ahhh... When I walk outside and my eye glasses fog up from the heat and humidity, I think of that old Saturday Night skit, with Eddie Murphy playing James Brown!

    OK... Well, yesterday we saw the currencies stop the bleeding from the overnight sell off, and although they range traded on the day, the bias was to sell dollars once again. That bias has played through on our Turn Around Tuesday theme, and the currencies are higher today than yesterday, but lower than they were 3-weeks ago week ago. Yes, the month of June has not been kind to the currencies, as some of the euphoria that was going on from March thru May, regarding the global economic recovery is being thought about again, and this time, not with the same rose colored glasses......
  • A Currency Rally For The Ages!

    In This Issue..

    * Negative momentum towards the dollar grows...
    * Treasury yields continue to rise...
    * Fundamentals and Charts coincide!
    * Silver has best week in 22 years!

    Good day... And a Happy Friday to one and all! I'm going to make the call and say this is going to be a Fantastico Friday! The sun is supposed to come out today after a week of rain, it's Friday, it's pay-day, and... The currencies have put on a rally that's the stuff that movies are made from! And... Once again, there were signs yesterday that the break of the link to stocks was in place! Take all that, and the fact that we woke up this morning for a brand new day... And you have a Fantastico Friday!

    OK... So front and center this morning let me tell you about the currency rally that began yesterday morning... Let's look back at what I said as I was getting ready to hit the send button yesterday morning... 'So... As I get ready to head to the Big Finish, I see that the currencies, led by the Big Dog, euro, are getting off the porch once again to chase the dollar.'...
  • Maybe, Just Maybe A Break In The Link?

    In This Issue..

    * Currencies consolidate...
    * Brazil posts a surplus!
    * Dr. Marc Faber speaks...
    * High yielders rule!

    Good day... And a Wonderful Wednesday to you! A very tight trading range day was in place yesterday for the currencies... In yet another sign that maybe, just maybe, because you never know, the currencies could be breaking their link to stocks... U.S. stocks jumped 196 points yesterday, and the currencies range traded... Hmmm....

    Not that this will become a 'stock jockey journal'... Stocks jumped on the news that Consumer Confidence surged this month... Talk about looking at things through rose colored glasses! Any way, Consumer Confidence surged... Better to have blips in Confidence than to be all negative all the time I guess! I also guess the stock jockeys took what was behind door number 1 (consumer confidence) and not was what behind door number 2, which was the Case-Shiller House Price Index......
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