Etikett: Draghi

Rate hike expectations resurface

ETF Securities Rate hike expectations resurface Rate hike expectations resurface

Rate hike expectations resurface – Market Insight – Foreign Exchange

Market expectations shift

The EUR/USD currency pair has been subject to a great deal of volatility in 2016, despite only being up 0.1%* on a YTD basis. Earlier this month, the exchange rate reached a four month high of 1.133 before Mario Draghi’s dovish speech to the European parliament pulled the pair back down to the 1.08/1.09 range. The swings reflect market uncertainty around prospects for European and US economic growth and the future path of central bank policy. In the period leading up to and following the European Central Bank (ECB) and the US Federal Reserve (Fed) monetary policy meeting on the 10th and 15th March respectively, the EUR/USD is likely to come under pressure as investors re-establish expectations of US interest rate hikes and the ECB delivers on promises of further monetary easing.

Pressure on ECB to deliver

The ECB’s current measures to ensure price stability appear to be inadequate. Eurozone inflation expectations are at the lowest level in over 12 years and advance inflation data released last Friday show that the Eurozone fell back into deflation in February (see Figure 1). The ECB is under considerable pressure to implement meaningful stimulus at its March meeting in order to restore price growth in the region. This is compounded by events in December, where ECB actions failed to meet market expectations and fuelled a 3%* EUR/USD appreciation. Should Mario Draghi follow through on recent rhetoric and implement further easing at the upcoming monetary policy meeting, the EUR/USD currency pair is likely to trend lower.

(Click to enlarge)

Core US inflation approaches target

In the wake of recent market turbulence, expectations of further US interest rate hikes in 2016 dropped to zero. However, the strength of recent US inflation readings, both headline and core, have prompted investors to revisit these expectations. The Fed’s favoured measure of inflation, personal consumption expenditure (PCE) core price index, rose to 1.7%* in January, over half a percent higher than consensus estimates. This puts the measure very close to the Fed’s target of 2% and at a level that the average Fed official didn’t expect to reach before Q4 of this year. The data dependent approach that the Fed claims to follow should mean that, contrary to market expectations, more rate hikes are on the way in 2016. As investors re-price this into short term market rates the US Dollar should receive support.

Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) data shows that since the start of December, short positioning to the EUR has unwound to the lowest level in 15 months, closely tracking reduced expectations of a Fed rate hike (see Figure 2). In coming weeks, as expectations of 2016 US interest rate hikes reassert themselves, we could see a corresponding build in short positions against the Euro.

(Click to enlarge)

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The information contained in this communication is for your general information only and is neither an offer for sale nor a solicitation of an offer to buy securities. This communication should not be used as the basis for any investment decision. Historical performance is not an indication of future performance and any investments may go down in value.

This document is not, and under no circumstances is to be construed as, an advertisement or any other step in furtherance of a public offering of shares or securities in the United States or any province or territory thereof. Neither this document nor any copy hereof should be taken, transmitted or distributed (directly or indirectly) into the United States.

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Fyra faktorer som stödjer den globala ekonomin 2016

Fyra faktorer som stödjer den globala ekonomin 2016

Den globala ekonomin har levererat besvikelser ett upprepat antal tillfällen då tillväxten under de senaste åren dragits ned av lågkonjunkturer i stora ekonomier som Eurozonen och Japan, men också i Kina och andra tillväxtekonomier. 2016 kan mycket väl vara det bästa året för världsekonomin sedan 2011, då tillväxttakten beräknas öka till 3,6 procent (från 3,1 procent 2015), i enlighet med Internationella valutafonden (IMF). Följande fyra faktorer som stödjer den globala ekonomin bör stödja de globala tillväxtutsikterna under 2016.

Monetär stimulans

USA är om den enda stora ekonomin där penningpolitiken har stramats åt efter att Federal Reserve höjde sin styrränta i december 2015 för första gången på nästan ett decennium. I resten av världen är emellertid de monetära kranarna är fortfarande öppna. Ett antal stora ekonomierna, inklusive Europa, Japan, Indien, Kanada och Kina har fortsatt sin lätta pengar politik genom kvantitativa lättnader (QE) eller lägre räntor för att stimulera sina ekonomier. Investerarna mottagning av dessa stimulansåtgärder är fortsatt generellt positiv, vilket framgår av den euforiska reaktionen i 2015 till Europeiska centralbankens ordförande Mario Draghis tillfälliga proklamationer av fler stimulansåtgärder för euroområdet

Valutadepreciering

Skillnaderna i penningpolitiken mellan USA och resten av världen har resulterat i en kraftig ökning av dollarns värde sedan mitten av 2014. Den amerikanska dollarn härskade i valutavärlden 2015 och har vunnit mark mot alla större valutor. De valutor som klarat sig sämst mot dollarn under 2015 är den brasilianska realen (-33 procent), Sydafrikas Rand (-25 procent), den ryska rubeln (-20 procent) och den kanadensiska dollarn (-16 procent). Nationer som Brasilien, Ryssland och Kanada är stora exportörer råvaror/energi, och en lägre inhemsk valuta mildrar några av de skador som tillfogats dessa ekonomier genom fallande energi- och råvarupriser.

En lägre valuta stimulerar även icke-energiexport, som omfattar sektorer såsom tillverkningsindustrin och turismen. I Kanada till exempel, ökade exporten med 9,4 procent under det tredje kvartalet 2015, som leds av bilar och konsumtionsvaror. Sammantaget bör valutadeprecieringen som drabbade många stora exportländer 2015 öka exporten och begränsa importen 2016, en kombination som kan öka BNP-tillväxten för dessa nationer. Förbehållet här är att den skenande dollarn inte bör leda till stress i tillväxtvalutor, eftersom detta skulle kunna ha en negativ inverkan på deras ekonomier.

Billig olja (och råvaror)

Baksidan är att många stora ekonomier är stora importörer av råolja. År 2015 gick Kina om USA som världens största oljeimportör och Indien knep plats nummer tre från Japan. Eftersom dessa ekonomier är bland de största drivkrafterna för den globala ekonomin, innebär ett femtioprocentigt fall för priset på råolja sedan toppen 2014 att den globala tillväxten förväntades öka mer än väntat, från 0,3 procent till 0,7 procent under 2015 enligt data från IMF. Bonusen från de lägre oljepriset uteblev emellertid eftersom andra faktorer hämmade den globala tillväxten, såsom en skarpare inbromsning än väntat i Kina och en ljummen tillväxttakt under det första halvåret i USA.

År 2016 bör den positiva effekten av lägre oljepriser som fallit med ytterligare 30 procent sedan 2015 börja märkas i ekonomier som USA, Storbritannien, Indien och Japan. Priserna på metaller och andra råvaror sjönk även under 2015 till fleråriga bottnar, och även om det stavas fortsatt dåliga nyheter för råvaruexporterande länder är det goda nyheter för de många stora ekonomier som är viktiga importörer av råvaror.

Frikoppling mellan Kina och den globala ekonomin

I sin 2015 World Economic Outlook från oktober påpekade IMF att även om Kinas ekonomi fortsätter att bromsa, kommer denna effekt på den globala tillväxten under 2016 att kompenseras genom en uppmuntrande utveckling på annat håll. Tillväxttakten för de utvecklade ekonomierna väntas öka, eftersom den amerikanska ekonomin tar fart och euroområdet och Japan gynnas av fortsatta kvantitativa lättnader. IMF konstaterade också att även om många tillväxtmarknader och utvecklingsekonomier, till exempel Brasilien, Ryssland, vissa latinamerikanska länder och flera nationer i Mellanöstern som lidit ”ekonomisk nöd” 2015 fortfarande kämpar 2016 så bör deras ekonomier förbättras.

Dessutom kommer Indien fortsätter att vara världens snabbast växande ekonomi för andra året i rad. Kombinationen av dessa faktorer innebär att så länge den kinesiska ekonomin inte faller som en sten 2016 bör förbättrade tillväxtutsikter för resten av världen kompensera en kvardröjande nedgång i Kina, världens näst största ekonomi. Denna utveckling är en förbättring från mindre rosiga utsikter i början av 2015, då många ekonomier, inklusive Kina tycktes vara på väg mot ekonomisk turbulens. Under 2016 bedöms utsikterna för att den globala ekonomin frikopplar sig från ett allt svagare Kina vara ljusare än på många år vilket är den sista av de fyra faktorer som stödjer den globala ekonomin 2016.

Commodity turning point echoed by commodity basket inflows

Commodity turning point echoed by commodity basket inflows

Commodity ETP Weekly – Commodity turning point echoed by commodity basket inflows

  • A shortened trading week saw oil and most industrial metals prices increase as investors become more confident that we are close to the trough in the commodity market. Flows into our commodity baskets echo this sentiment.
  • Gold, viewed a defensive asset that performs poorly in higher real rate environments, saw a second consecutive week
    of outflows. We believe that such pessimism for the metal could be misplaced.
  • Despite some optimism expressed in the market last week, we doubt OPEC will change course at its meeting on
    Friday.

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More investors return to commodity markets. ETFS Longer Dated All Commodities GO UCITS ETF (COMF) received US$24.2mn last week in an indication that more investors are convinced that commodities have hit a turning point. Year-to-date inflows into diversified commodity baskets have risen to US$429.2mn this year, compared to US$206.1mn in 2014, US$53.5mn in 2013 and an outflow of 21.6mn in 2012. We have observed clear signs that a turning point is in sight for the beleaguered asset class. The prolonged period of underperformance has driven miners, smelters, drillers and other resource extractors to cut capital expenditure (capex), sowing the seeds for supply tightness in years to come. The cuts to capex are already biting into supply and it is a matter of time before there is a price-response.

Gold ETP outflows rise to US$75.5mn, marking a 15-week high. As the first Federal Reserve rate hike in nine years approaches, many investors are turned off the metal given its historic negative relation with long-term US Treasury yields. However, we would caution that tightening short-term interest rates may not simply translate in higher long-term nominal rates given the role of Treasuries as a policy tool, which could limit the downside for prices. Inflation on the other hand could rise more rapidly than widely expected. The simple rolling out of the base-effect from lower commodity prices a year ago is likely to push headline inflation from 0.2% in October 2015 to 1.5% by January 2016. Real Treasury yields could therefore remain depressed. We have observed that in previous rate hiking cycles (when rates are increased from very low levels) that the US Dollar actually depreciated (contrary to conventional thinking). If history is any guide to the future, gold and commodities in general could perform well when rate rise fears crystalise.

Oil ETPs see continued inflows ahead of OPEC meeting. We received a further US$16.8mn of inflows into long Brent and WTI oil ETPs. WTI gained 6.2%, while Brent gained 2.9% as Saudi Arabia softened it tone on encouraging the world’s high cost producers to cut back on production. However, we don’t read its recent comments as an indication it will push for OPEC supply cuts this week. In fact we believe that Saudi Arabia won’t end the price war until it sees non-OPEC supply cut severely (which will be price positive) or it has run out of fiscal might (the latter will be some time in 2018).

Key events to watch this week. We will see if Draghi delivers on recent rhetoric about further loosening when the ECB meet this week. Meanwhile US payrolls numbers and Yellen’s testimony to congress will likely consolidate rate rise expectations set for the December 15/16 FOMC meeting. China manufacturing PMIs will be closely watched as a barometer for commodity demand. The RBA and BoC policy meetings this week could shed light on how the commodity exporting countries are faring under the strain of low prices.

For more information contact

ETF Securities Research team
ETF Securities (UK) Limited
T +44 (0) 207 448 4336
E info@etfsecurities.com

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Risk Off to Risk On

Risk Off to Risk On

ETFS Multi-Asset Weekly – Risk Off to Risk On

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Highlights

Historic accord on Iran deal paves way for lower oil prices.

Positive Chinese data, Q2 earnings and central bank meetings help fuel equity rally.

Declining commodity currencies underscore growth path divergence within major developed economies.

With Greece’s survival in the EU extended, and Greek banks partially opening today cyclical assets rallied. However, banking restrictions remain after being shut for three weeks and the ECB has injected €900m worth of fresh liquidity taking the country’s emergency liquidity assistance to €89.9bn. With Grexit fears easing and the US ready to raise rates later this year, gold has fallen out of favour and its price fell sharply today. However we believe that rate rises will be gradual and are more than priced-in to gold already and we are clearly not out of the woods on the Greek saga.

Commodities

Historic accord on Iran deal paves way for lower oil prices. The landmark deal of the six world powers with Iran to ease nearly a decade of sanctions in exchange for restricted nuclear enrichment activity is expected to apply further downward pressure to the price of oil. The International Energy Agency has said that Iran has at least 17m barrels of crude oil stored at sea ready to be shipped to an already oversupplied global market. In addition Saudi Arabia reported its crude oil production hit a record 10.6m barrels a day in OPEC’s latest monthly oil report. Meanwhile, US Crude stockpiles remain almost 100m barrels above the five-year average for this time of the year according to U.S. Energy Information Administration. We believe that after an initial correction, high cost oil producers will cut back on production paving the way for price increases in the future.

Equities

Positive Chinese data, Q2 earnings and central bank meetings help fuel equity rally. China dominated the data landscape with better-than-expected annual GDP (7% vs consensus expectations of 6.8%), industrial production (6.8% vs 6%) and retail sales (10.6% vs 10.2%) figures. Although viewed with skepticism, the releases helped reverse some of the losses on major global equity bourses. The Q2 earnings season added further momentum as 60% and 70% of the companies that reported earnings so far beat estimates in Europe and US, respectively. Central bank comments in the US and UK echoed the possibility for a rate rise on the back of improving economic data. While in Europe ECB president Draghi confirmed the asset purchase program was proceeding smoothly and helped allay investor concerns over Greece’s exit.

Currencies

Declining commodity currencies underscore growth path divergence within major developed economies. The Canadian dollar declined nearly 2.5 per cent against its US counterpart on the back of rate cut by the Bank of Canada and downward revisions in its growth forecasts. The Pound advanced to its highest level against the Euro since 2008 although there was no change in policy underlined in this week’s Bank of England monetary policy meeting except the Bank of England governor Mark Carney’s warning of a possible rate rise to reflect economic momentum. Looking ahead weaker dairy prices and lower CPI reading in June lead us to expect a rate cut by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand by 25bps to 3.00% this week. Antipodean currencies, AUD &NZD, are likely to remain under pressure as long as negative sentiment pervades the outlook for China.

For more information contact:

ETF Securities Research team
ETF Securities (UK) Limited
T +44 (0) 207 448 4336
E  info@etfsecurities.com

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This communication has been issued and approved for the purpose of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 by ETF Securities (UK) Limited (”ETFS UK”) which is authorised and regulated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (”FCA”).

Investments may go up or down in value and you may lose some or all of the amount invested.  Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance. You should consult an independent investment adviser prior to making any investment in order to determine its suitability to your circumstances.

The information contained in this communication is for your general information only and is neither an offer for sale nor a solicitation of an offer to buy securities. This communication should not be used as the basis for any investment decision. Historical performance is not an indication of future performance and any investments may go down in value.

This communication may contain independent market commentary prepared by ETFS UK based on publicly available information. Although ETFS UK endeavours to ensure the accuracy of the content in this communication, ETFS UK does not warrant or guarantee its accuracy or correctness. Any third party data providers used to source the information in this communication make no warranties or representation of any kind relating to such data. Where ETFS UK has expressed its own opinions related to product or market activity, these views may change. Neither ETFS UK, nor any affiliate, nor any of their respective, officers, directors, partners, or employees accepts any liability whatsoever for any direct or consequential loss arising from any use of this publication or its contents.

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Markets Cheer Quantitative Easing

Markets Cheer Quantitative Easing

ETFS Multi-Asset Weekly Markets Cheer Quantitative Easing

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Highlights

Chinese GDP and ECB’S QE provide a lift to cyclical commodities.

European bourses cheer on a bolder-than-expected QE programme.

Draghi comes to QE party, as focus moves to Greek election result.

Although the announcement of quantitative easing (QE) by the European Central Bank (ECB) was widely anticipated, the overall size was larger than expected. At EUR60bn a month until September 2016, the ECB will purchase more than a EUR1trn over the course of the programme. The ECB clearly wants the Euro area to move out of a deflationary mindset. Cyclical assets moved decisively higher, while gold, often seen as an alternative currency also gained on Fear of a further slump in the Euro as the ECB’s looks to boost its balance sheet. Today’s Greek Election outcome will no doubt bolster demand for haven assets as Europe contends with another period of uncertainty.

Commodities

Chinese GDP and ECB’S QE provide a lift to cyclical commodities. Chinese 2014 GDP was better than expected, warding off some of the gloom that has beset industrial metals lately. China is the world’s largest consumer of industrial metals and therefore its economic performance has a large bearing on the demand for these metals. The ECB’s moves to drag the laggard euro area economy out of a deflationary rut also acted as a catalyst to both industrial and precious metal gains. A growing euro area will bode well for industrial metal demand while fears that the euro currency will be debased by the ECB’s balance sheet expansion drove demand for gold and silver higher. With the gold to silver ratio having hit multi-year highs at the end of 2014, many investors see silver as a relatively cheaper way to gain exposure to hard assets. Arabica coffee fell 9.5% on the back of cooler weather easing stress on coffee bushes in Brazil this week. Natural gas fell 9.4% on the back of a return to milder weather conditions in US.

Equities

European bourses cheer on a bolder-than-expected QE programme. The bold and decisive move by the ECB, was met by equity market optimism, as market participants felt that the central bank had left its reticent past behind it and is willing to tackle its deflationary problems head-on. The DAX was marginally down on the day of the announcement, probably reflecting some of the German cynicism toward the risk-sharing elements of the expanded programme. Meanwhile gold miners traced the gold price higher with the DAXGlobal Goldmining Index gaining 5.9% in the week. China A-Shares had a volatile week, with the MSCI China A-Share Index falling 7.2% on Monday on the announcement of tighter regulations on margin lending and then rising 4.1% on Wednesday when better-than-expected GDP data was released. This week, US GDP figures will likely be the focal point for a market assessing the Federal Reserve’s capacity to raise interest rates.

Currencies

Draghi comes to QE party, as focus moves to Greek election result. The moves in the Euro suggest that the ECB’s new QE program surprised the market somewhat with its magnitude and timeframe. The open ended nature of the programme indicates a real commitment to doing ‘whatever it takes’, and the self determination of the balance sheet target makes the 2012 target level within easy reach. Last week’s announcement was a sharp contrast from its previous strategy which was characterised by reticence to undertake bold action. We expect that the ECB QE programme will lead to flatter yield curves across the Eurozone and that widening rate differentials will continue to weigh on the Euro against major currencies. The Greek election is the markets crosshairs this week and the Euro is likely to continue lower as concerns over Greece’s willingness to repay debtors linger ahead of the Feb 28th deadline for the expiry of its ECB funding programme.

For more information contact:

ETF Securities Research team
ETF Securities (UK) Limited
T +44 (0) 207 448 4336
E  info@etfsecurities.com

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General

This communication has been issued and approved for the purpose of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 by ETF Securities (UK) Limited (”ETFS UK”) which is authorised and regulated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (”FCA”).

Investments may go up or down in value and you may lose some or all of the amount invested.  Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance. You should consult an independent investment adviser prior to making any investment in order to determine its suitability to your circumstances.

The information contained in this communication is for your general information only and is neither an offer for sale nor a solicitation of an offer to buy securities. This communication should not be used as the basis for any investment decision. Historical performance is not an indication of future performance and any investments may go down in value.

This communication may contain independent market commentary prepared by ETFS UK based on publicly available information. Although ETFS UK endeavours to ensure the accuracy of the content in this communication, ETFS UK does not warrant or guarantee its accuracy or correctness. Any third party data providers used to source the information in this communication make no warranties or representation of any kind relating to such data. Where ETFS UK has expressed its own opinions related to product or market activity, these views may change. Neither ETFS UK, nor any affiliate, nor any of their respective, officers, directors, partners, or employees accepts any liability whatsoever for any direct or consequential loss arising from any use of this publication or its contents.

ETFS UK is required by the FSA to clarify that it is not acting for you in any way in relation to the investment or investment activity to which this communication relates. In particular, ETFS UK will not provide any investment services to you and or advise you on the merits of, or make any recommendation to you in relation to, the terms of any transaction.  No representative of ETFS UK is authorised to behave in any way which would lead you to believe otherwise. ETFS UK is not, therefore, responsible for providing you with the protections afforded to its clients and you should seek your own independent legal, investment and tax or other advice as you see fit.

This document is not, and under no circumstances is to be construed as, an advertisement or any other step in furtherance of a public offering of shares or securities in the United States or any province or territory thereof. Neither this document nor any copy hereof should be taken, transmitted or distributed (directly or indirectly) into the United States.

Other than as set out above, investors may contact ETFS UK at +44 (0)20 7448 4330 or at retail@etfsecurities.com to obtain copies of prospectuses and related regulatory documentation, including annual reports. Other than as separately indicated, this communication is being made on a ”private placement” basis and is intended solely for the professional / institutional recipient to which it is delivered.

Third Parties

Securities issued by each of the Issuers are direct, limited recourse obligations of the relevant Issuer alone and are not obligations of or guaranteed by any of UBS AG, Merrill Lynch Commodities Inc. (”MLCI”), Bank of America Corporation (”BAC) or any of their affiliates. UBS AG, MLCI and BAC, Shell Trading Switzerland, Shell Treasury, HSBC Bank USA N.A., JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., Deutsche Bank AG any of their affiliates or anyone else or any of their affiliates. Each of UBS AG, Merrill Lynch Commodities Inc. (”MLCI”), Bank of America Corporation (”BAC) or any of their affiliates. UBS AG, MLCI and BAC, Shell Trading Switzerland, Shell Treasury, HSBC Bank USA N.A., JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. and Deutsche Bank AG disclaims all and any liability whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise (save as referred to above) which it might have in respect of this document or its contents otherwise arising in connection herewith.

”Dow Jones,” ”UBS”, DJ-UBS CISM,”, ”DJ-UBS CI-F3SM,” and any related indices or sub-indices are service marks of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (”Dow Jones”), CME Group Index Services LLC (”CME Indexes”), UBS AG (”UBS”) or UBS Securities LLC (”UBS Securities”), as the case may be, and have been licensed for use by the Issuer. The securities issued by CSL although based on components of the Dow Jones UBS Commodity Index 3 month ForwardSM are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Dow Jones, CME Indexes, UBS, UBS Securities or any of their respective subsidiaries or affiliates, and none of Dow Jones, CME Indexes, UBS, UBS Securities, or any of their respective subsidiaries or affiliates, makes any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such product.