Hur blanka euron med ETFer

Hur blanka euron med ETFer

Euron är euroområdets officiella valuta och den näst största reservvalutan i världen efter USA-dollarn. För närvarande används valutan av Österrike, Belgien, Cypern, Estland, Finland, Frankrike, Tyskland, Grekland, Irland, Italien, Luxemburg, Malta, Nederländerna, Portugal, Slovakien, Spanien, Montenegro, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino och Vatikanstaten. Hur blanka euron med ETFer?

Investerare kan köpa euron som ett sätt att satsa på en förbättrad ekonomi i euroområdet, eftersom valutans värde är knutet till räntor som tenderar att stiga när ekonomin går bra. Däremot kan investerare kanske kort sälja euron som ett sätt att dra nytta av dess nedgång när räntorna faller och valutan blir värdelös. Investerare kan också vilja gå lång eller kort euron för att säkra sina portföljer mot valutarisker.

Hur fungerar blankning?

Kort försäljning av euron uppnås traditionellt genom att låna ett bestämt antal euro, med ett avtal om återköp av dem i framtiden och omedelbart byta ut dem för en annan valuta. När eurons värde faller i förhållande till den utbytta valutan är kostnaden för återköp av euro lägre och en vinst realiseras när handeln är stängd. I den här artikeln kommer vi att titta närmare på hur internationella investerare kan blanka euron för att dra nytta av en potentiell värdeminskning.

Skäl att blanka euron

Att blanka euron är i huvudsak en satsning på att eurons värde kommer att falla i förhållande till andra valutor runt om i världen. Värdet av valutor kan fluktuera på grund av olika ekonomiska och politiska faktorer. Men det finns några vanliga skäl som ofta leder till problem för ett land och dess valuta.

De vanligaste orsakerna till en nedgång i valuta värdering är:

  • Skulder och underskott. Länder som har stora underskott i bytesbalansen och har en hög skuldsats i förhållande till sin bruttonationalprodukt (BNP) är ofta mål för valutaavtagande.
  • Stigande inflation. Stigande inflation kan marginalisera en valutas värdering samtidigt som det föreslås att landets valuta kan vara instabil eller okontrollerbar.
  • Räntesatser. Fallande räntor har vanligen negativ effekt på valuta värdering, medan stigande räntor generellt ökar valuta värderingar.
  • Osäkerhet. Länder utan plan eller metod för att hantera ekonomiska problem kan möta en valutakris när näringsidkare och investerare förlorar förtroendet.

Hur man blankar euron med ETF: er

Det mest uppenbara sättet att kort sälja euron är på valutamarknaden genom att korta ett valutapar som EUR/USD. De tre vanligaste valutorna för att korta euron mot är amerikanska dollar (USD), japanska yenen (JPY) och schweiziska francen (CHF). Valutaparet EUR/USD är den mest populära handeln i världen, men den schweiziska francen och japanska yenen anses allmänt vara säkra hamnar.

Men den hävstång som krävs på valutamarknaden gör det svårt att bibehålla en långsiktig position. Som ett resultat är det bättre att internationella investerare med en långsiktig tidsram använder sig av börshandlade fonder (ETF) som har inbyggd hävstång och utgör mindre risk.

De två vanligaste ETF: erna för att korta euron är:

  • ProShares UltraShort Euro ETF (NYSE: EUO)
  • VanEck Vectors Double Short Euro ETN (NYSE: DDR)

Investerare kan även sälja eller köpa säljoptioner mot ETF med en lång position i euron. Liksom valutascenario innebär kortförsäljning en ETF att låna aktier och omedelbart sälja dem med avtalet om att återköpa dem (helst till ett lägre pris). Samtidigt ger säljoptioner rätt att sälja ETF som blir mer värdefullt när fondpriset minskar.

Här är fyra ETF: er som är långa euron:

  • CurrencyShares Euro Trust (NYSE: FXE)
  • WisdomTree Dreyfus Euro (NYSE: EU)
  • Ultra Euro ProShares (NYSE: ULE)
  • VanEck Vectors Double Long Euro ETN (NYSE: URR)

Risker med blankningar

Blankningar innebär en hög risk för att det finns obegränsad potential för förluster. Medan valutans nacksida är begränsad till noll, har en valuta en potentiellt obegränsad uppsida som skapar potential för obegränsade förluster. Det innebär att du kan förlora mer än du investerar i första hand. Investerare bör hålla dessa risker i åtanke när de kortar den faktiska valutan samtidigt som de vet att ultra korta ETFs upplever motsvarande förstärkta förluster när valutan ökar i värde.

Key Takeaway Points

  • Det finns många anledningar att investerare kanske vill korta sälja euron, inklusive en satsning på valutans nedgång eller som ett sätt att säkra deras portfölj mot valutarisker.
  • Blankningar av euron uppnås traditionellt genom att låna ett bestämt antal euro och omedelbart byta ut dem till en annan valuta med målet att återköpa det till en lägre relativ värdering.
  • Det enklaste sättet att Blankningar euron är att använda ETF med inbyggd hävstångseffekt eftersom valutamarknaden kräver betydande hävstångseffekt och expertis.

Poised for further weakness?

Poised for further weakness?

ETF Securities Weekly Investment Insights USD Poised for further weakness?

Trade idea – LUSB LN & SUSB LN

Highlights

  • USD has fallen against its major currency counterparts as the US Federal Reserve (Fed) projections fell short of hawkish expectations.
  • The EUR/USD and GBP/USD are trading at the top of their respective ranges established after Trump’s election.
  • Further upside would require a significant catalyst, which could come in the form of a failed attempt to pass healthcare reform in US House of Representatives. In this scenario the GBP has potential to gain as shorts remain considerably elevated.
  • Otherwise, these pairs could retrace recent gains as the probability of rate hikes later in the year appear largely underpriced according to Federal Fund futures.

Last week, the failure of the Fed to raise its prospective interest rate trajectory put pressure on the US Dollar. The trade weighted value of the currency has fallen almost 2% in recent days tracing a 20 basis point (bp) drop in 10 year nominal US treasury yields. Despite raising the benchmark Federal funds rate by 25 bps as expected, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) kept its December projections for the benchmark rate virtually intact, defying market expectations of a more aggressive tightening plan.

US Dollar weakness has coincided with positive news for the Euro and Sterling sending both pairs higher. Moderating rate hike expectations surfaced as Emmanuel Macron delivered strong performances in the first series of live presidential debates and the UK released healthy retail sales data. The confluence of factors has prompted both pairs to break through both their respective 50 and 100 day moving averages but remain at the top of recent ranges.

From a technical standpoint, the EUR/USD and GBP/USD have both reached key resistance points that have emerged following the Trump election. Traditional momentum indicators have yet to signal that either pair is overbought but are approaching such levels. A move higher above these levels would likely trigger buying but would require a significant catalyst.

One such catalyst could emerge from the contentious vote on a healthcare reform bill that is scheduled to be held in the House of Representatives today (having been postponed from yesterday) and acts as a precursor to Trump’s ability to pass his sweeping fiscal reform program. Should Trump fail then the US Dollar could come under pressure as optimistic growth and tightening expectations are curbed. In the alternative case where the bill is passed, then prospects for the US Dollar would be more positive. The market is currently pricing in a probability of a June rate hike at 54%, which could rise in coming months and allow the currency to retrace recent losses.

In terms of speculative positioning, shorts against the US Dollar are 70% below their five year average while longs have been trimmed to more reasonable levels. Meanwhile, Euro longs are at record highs and GBP shorts at record lows. In this respect, any further weakness in the US Dollar could be best expressed through GBP. Poised for further weakness?

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This communication has been provided by ETF Securities (UK) Limited (”ETFS UK”) which is authorised and regulated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (the ”FCA”).

This communication is only targeted at qualified or professional investors.

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. 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 FCA 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

Trade Idea Dollar downside

Trade Idea Dollar downside

Trade Idea – Foreign Exchange – Dollar downside

Talked lower

Next Friday, 2017’s first US nonfarm payroll report will be released and could determine the near term fate of the US Dollar. The widely monitored DXY dollar basket has moved 2.9% lower over the month, retracing a portion of the sharp 7.1% rally experienced in the fourth quarter of last year. A strong payroll figure could re-ignite rate hike expectations and put the US Federal Reserve’s (Fed) March meeting back into play (rate hike currently priced at around 20%*), while a weak slate could confirm predictions that the Fed will adopt a more dovish stance than is currently being suggested. We believe it is likely that the US Dollar has further room to run lower in the coming months as the Fed remains on the side-lines (i.e. does not hike rates in March) and extended speculative positioning unwinds. This is most likely to be witnessed against the GBP and EUR, as the JPY has already experienced a considerable correction and oil-related currencies remain subject to supply concerns. Rhetoric from Trump’s administration, specifically him and his Treasury secretary nominee, Steven Mnuchin, also has potential to weigh on the US Dollar from a sentiment perspective. Both figures have emphasised the detrimental effect of an “excessively strong US Dollar” on the wider American economy and further comments could add to bearish momentum currently surrounding the currency.

Overstretched and overdone

Speculative futures positioning data suggests that net long US Dollar positions have moderated somewhat in recent weeks. However, gross long US Dollar positions remain considerably elevated and short positing near record lows (see Figure 1), so further correction potential remains. Technically speaking, while momentum indicators turned lower for the US Dollar at the start of the year, they remain on an established downward trend and some way from bottoming. The EUR/USD is trading near its 38.2% Fibonacci retracement at 1.07, and any break could see it head towards its 100 daily moving average (DMA) of 1.082. Meanwhile, the GBP/USD recently broke through its 50 DMA and has potential to head towards its own 38.2% Fibonacci retracement at 1.28. Investors wishing to express the investment views outlined above may consider using the following ETF Securities ETPs:

Currency ETPs

GBP Base ETFS Long EUR Short GBP (GBUR) ETFS Short EUR Long GBP (URGB) ETFS Long USD Short GBP (GBUS) ETFS Short USD Long GBP (USGB) USD Base ETFS Long GBP Short USD (LGBP) ETFS Short GBP Long USD (SGBP) ETFS Long EUR Short USD (LEUR) ETFS Short EUR Long USD (SEUR) EUR Base ETFS Long USD Short EUR (XBJP) ETFS Short USD Long EUR (XBJQ) ETFS Long GBP Short EUR (EUGB) ETFS Short GBP Long EUR (GBEU) 3x ETFS 3x Long USD Short EUR (EUS3) ETFS 3x Short USD Long EUR (USE3) ETFS 3x Long GBP Short EUR (EGB3) ETFS 3x Short GBP Long EUR (GBE3) ETFS 3x Long GBP Short USD (LGB3) ETFS 3x Short GBP Long USD (SGB3) ETFS 3x Long EUR Short USD (LEU3) ETFS 3x Short EUR Long USD (SEU3) ETFS 3x Long USD Short GBP (USP3) ETFS 3x Short USD Long GBP (PUS3) ETFS 3x Long EUR Short GBP (EUP3) ETFS 3x Short EUR Long GBP (SUP3) 5x ETFS 5x Long GBP Short EUR (EGB5) ETFS 5x Short GBP Long EUR (GBE5) ETFS 5x Long USD Short EUR (5CH5) ETFS 5x Short USD Long EUR (5CH6) ETFS 5x Long USD Short GBP (USP5) ETFS 5x Short USD Long GBP (PUS5) Basket ETFS Bullish GBP vs G10 Currency Basket Securities (LGBB) ETFS Bearish GBP vs G10 Currency Basket Securities (SGBB) ETFS Bullish USD vs G10 Currency Basket Securities (LUSB) ETFS Bearish USD vs G10 Currency Basket Securities (SUSB) ETFS Bullish EUR vs G10 Currency Basket Securities (LEUB) ETFS Bearish EUR vs G10 Currency Basket Securities (SEUB) The complete ETF Securities product list can be found here.

Important Information

This communication has been provided by ETF Securities (UK) Limited (“ETFS UK”) which is authorised and regulated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (the “FCA”). The products discussed in this document are issued by ETFS Foreign Exchange Limited (“FXL”). FXL is regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission. This communication is only targeted at professional investors. In Switzerland, this communication is only targeted at Regulated Qualified Investors. 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. 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 FCA 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. Short and/or leveraged exchange-traded products are only intended for investors who understand the risks involved in investing in a product with short and/or leveraged exposure and who intend to invest on a short term basis. Potential losses from short and leveraged exchange-traded products may be magnified in comparison to products that provide an unleveraged exposure. Please refer to the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the relevant prospectus for further details of these and other risks. Securities issued by FXL are direct, limited recourse obligations of FXL alone and are not obligations of or guaranteed by any of Morgan Stanley & Co International plc, Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, any of their affiliates or anyone else or any of their affiliates. Each of Morgan Stanley & Co International plc and Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated 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. The Morgan Stanley Indices are the exclusive property of Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated (”Morgan Stanley”). Morgan Stanley and the Morgan Stanley index names are service mark(s) of Morgan Stanley or its affiliates and have been licensed for use for certain purposes by ETF Securities Limited in respect of the securities issued by FXL. The securities issued by FXL are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by Morgan Stanley, and Morgan Stanley bears no liability with respect to any such financial securities. The prospectus of FXL contains a more detailed description of the limited relationship Morgan Stanley has with FXL and any related financial securities. No purchaser, seller or holder of securities issued by FXL, or any other person or entity, should use or refer to any Morgan Stanley trade name, trademark or service mark to sponsor, endorse, market or promote this product without first contacting Morgan Stanley to determine whether Morgan Stanley’s permission is required. Under no circumstances may any person or entity claim any affiliation with Morgan Stanley without the prior written permission of Morgan Stanley.

Promises to plans

Promises to plans

FX Weekly – Promises to plans

Trade Idea – Foreign Exchange  – Promises to plans

Highlights

  • Focus on the EUR/USD will intensify next week as Trump is inaugurated and the ECB meet for the first time in 2017.
  • Longer term risks to the EUR/USD remain skewed to the downside as inflationary pressures mount in the US.
  • The EUR/GBP appears increasingly overvalued and a downward correction could be in store.

Time for action

In 2017, the investment landscape will be dominated by the ability of politicians in the US and Europe to deliver on promises of change made last year. Next week, President Elect Trump will be inaugurated as the 45th president of the US and his landmark speech will be scrutinised by market participants for signs of what proposed policy measures will take priority at the start of his four year term. Meanwhile, the European Central Bank (ECB) will meet for the first time in 2017, placing market focus on the EUR/USD exchange rate which has recently rebounded from fifteen year lows. Our view is that in the short term the EUR/USD could tick modestly higher but will face technical resistance and in the longer term risks remain skewed to the downside. A better short term opportunity involving the EUR exists against the GBP, where negative sentiment has pushed the pair to expensive levels and a downward correction could be looming.

Inflation risks

The USD has lost ground so far this year as US treasury yields have moderated (down approximately 30bps*) and the market pricing of interest rate rises for 2017 has fallen from three to two. The EUR/USD has accordingly risen to around 1.064 (see Figure 1), which is near its 23.6% Fibonacci retracement level*, a resistance established in December last year. With Trump expected to enact considerable fiscal stimulus measures, wage growth at the fastest rate since the recession and climbing energy prices, the risks to inflation are skewed to the upside. Over the next quarter, higher inflation risks have the potential to prompt the US Federal Reserve to pursue a more hawkish interest rate tightening cycle than is currently being expected which could see the EUR/USD fall back again towards the 1.04 level and potentially beyond.

Figure 1: US rates have moderated for now

(click to enlarge)

Brexit clarity

The EUR/GBP has recently climbed as Sterling has shown vulnerability to speculation over whether Brexit will entail an exit from the single market. Theresa May’s recent interview with Sky paid testament to this and highlighted the volatility we could expect from the currency in the coming two and a half months. However, the EUR is not insulated from its own political threats as elections in France, Netherlands and Germany this year raise the risks of a Eurozone break-up. In the near term, we believe the GBP could climb from current levels as negative speculation proves overdone and resilient economic performance continues. This dynamic could see the EUR/GBP fall back to its 50 daily moving average of 0.85, a fall of 2.8%*. Investors wishing to express the investment views outlined above may consider using the following ETF Securities ETPs: Currency ETPs GBP Base ETFS Long EUR Short GBP (GBUR) ETFS Short EUR Long GBP (URGB) ETFS Long USD Short GBP (GBUS) ETFS Short USD Long GBP (USGB) USD Base ETFS Long GBP Short USD (LGBP) ETFS Short GBP Long USD (SGBP) ETFS Long EUR Short USD (LEUR) ETFS Short EUR Long USD (SEUR) EUR Base ETFS Long USD Short EUR (XBJP) ETFS Short USD Long EUR (XBJQ) ETFS Long GBP Short EUR (EUGB) ETFS Short GBP Long EUR (GBEU) 3x ETFS 3x Long USD Short EUR (EUS3) ETFS 3x Short USD Long EUR (USE3) ETFS 3x Long GBP Short EUR (EGB3) ETFS 3x Short GBP Long EUR (GBE3) ETFS 3x Long GBP Short USD (LGB3) ETFS 3x Short GBP Long USD (SGB3) ETFS 3x Long EUR Short USD (LEU3) ETFS 3x Short EUR Long USD (SEU3) ETFS 3x Long USD Short GBP (USP3) ETFS 3x Short USD Long GBP (PUS3) ETFS 3x Long EUR Short GBP (EUP3) ETFS 3x Short EUR Long GBP (SUP3) 5x ETFS 5x Long GBP Short EUR (EGB5) ETFS 5x Short GBP Long EUR (GBE5) ETFS 5x Long USD Short EUR (5CH5) ETFS 5x Short USD Long EUR (5CH6) ETFS 5x Long USD Short GBP (USP5) ETFS 5x Short USD Long GBP (PUS5) Basket ETFS Bullish GBP vs G10 Currency Basket Securities (LGBB) ETFS Bearish GBP vs G10 Currency Basket Securities (SGBB) ETFS Bullish USD vs G10 Currency Basket Securities (LUSB) ETFS Bearish USD vs G10 Currency Basket Securities (SUSB) ETFS Bullish EUR vs G10 Currency Basket Securities (LEUB) ETFS Bearish EUR vs G10 Currency Basket Securities (SEUB) The complete ETF Securities product list can be found here.

Important Information

This communication has been provided by ETF Securities (UK) Limited (“ETFS UK”) which is authorised and regulated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (the “FCA”). The products discussed in this document are issued by ETFS Foreign Exchange Limited (“FXL”). FXL is regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission. This communication is only targeted at professional investors. In Switzerland, this communication is only targeted at Regulated Qualified Investors. 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. 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 FCA 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. Short and/or leveraged exchange-traded products are only intended for investors who understand the risks involved in investing in a product with short and/or leveraged exposure and who intend to invest on a short term basis. Potential losses from short and leveraged exchange-traded products may be magnified in comparison to products that provide an unleveraged exposure. Please refer to the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the relevant prospectus for further details of these and other risks. Securities issued by FXL are direct, limited recourse obligations of FXL alone and are not obligations of or guaranteed by any of Morgan Stanley & Co International plc, Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, any of their affiliates or anyone else or any of their affiliates. Each of Morgan Stanley & Co International plc and Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated 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. The Morgan Stanley Indices are the exclusive property of Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated (”Morgan Stanley”). Morgan Stanley and the Morgan Stanley index names are service mark(s) of Morgan Stanley or its affiliates and have been licensed for use for certain purposes by ETF Securities Limited in respect of the securities issued by FXL. The securities issued by FXL are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by Morgan Stanley, and Morgan Stanley bears no liability with respect to any such financial securities. The prospectus of FXL contains a more detailed description of the limited relationship Morgan Stanley has with FXL and any related financial securities. No purchaser, seller or holder of securities issued by FXL, or any other person or entity, should use or refer to any Morgan Stanley trade name, trademark or service mark to sponsor, endorse, market or promote this product without first contacting Morgan Stanley to determine whether Morgan Stanley’s permission is required. Under no circumstances may any person or entity claim any affiliation with Morgan Stanley without the prior written permission of Morgan Stanley.

Weaker US dollar boosts precious metals

Weaker US dollar boosts precious metals

ETF Securities Weekly Flows Analysis – Weaker US dollar boosts precious metals

  • Mixed economic data and minutes from the Federal Reserve’s December meeting weighed on the US dollar, prompting US$69mn of inflows into precious metals.
  • Investors reduced exposure to ETPs tracking long EUR/USD positions by US$95.7mn last week.
  • Energy prices ticked down last week due to a massive increase of US oil inventory and milder temperatures in the US.

The gold price rose 1.4% on the week after the US dollar weakened following a somewhat dovish Fed minutes. Gold ETPs saw US$40.5mn of inflows last week. The minutes of the FOMC December meeting revealed that the Fed is optimistic about growth prospects for the US economy, giving more scope for rising interest rates. However, the FOMC continues to see risks to this outlook, notably regarding fiscal policy and the negative consequences of a stronger dollar. Overall, market participants revised rate hike expectations downward, suggesting the next rate hike would take place in June. The weaker dollar coupled with stronger US and Chinese manufacturing data also boosted platinum and palladium prices, which have gained 5.7% and 10.2% respectively last week.

Investors reduced positions in ETPs tracking long EUR/USD. The US employment report showed wage growth rising 0.4% over December – the strongest since 2009, despite the disappointing 156k job gains on the month. The mixed December US jobs report and Fed minutes halted the US dollar rise that started in November, prompting some investors to pull back their bullish bets. Short USD long EUR ETPs saw US$95.7mn outflows last week.

Crude oil ETPs experienced a US$17.9mn withdrawal after the US Department of Energy reported a massive rise of distillate inventories. The oil price moved slightly upward on the news that Saudi Arabia cut its crude oil production by at least 486k barrels a day since October. However, the oil price pared gains after the US inventory data showed an extra 18mn barrels to gasoline and diesel stockpiles last week. In addition, US natural gas and carbon prices both collapsed by 10.8% and 23%, respectively last week. The price declines were triggered by predictions of milder temperatures in the US, and a drop of EU carbon allowances in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS).

What to watch this week. Investors will closely watch the industrial production data and employment figures for the Eurozone to gauge the effectiveness of the ECB’s monetary stimulus. Inflation data in China and US retail sales will also be monitored by market participants.

Video Presentation

Morgane Delledonne, Fixed Income Strategist at ETF Securities provides an analysis of last week’s performance, flow and trading activity in commodity exchange traded products and a look at the week ahead.

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 Warnings

Any products referenced in this document are generally aimed at sophisticated, professional and institutional investors. Any decision to invest should be based on the information contained in the prospectus (and any supplements thereto) of the relevant product issue. The price of any securities may go up or down and an investor may not get back the amount invested. Securities may valued in currencies other than those in which there are priced and will be affected by exchange rate movements. Investments in the securities which provide a short and/or leveraged exposure are only suitable for sophisticated, professional and institutional investors who understand leveraged and compounded daily returns and are willing to magnify potential losses by comparison to investments which do not incorporate these strategies. Over periods of greater than one day, investments with a short and/or leveraged exposure do not necessarily provide investors with a return equivalent to a return from the unleveraged long or unleveraged short investments multiplied by the relevant leverage factor. Investors should refer to the section entitled ”Risk Factors” in the relevant prospectus for further details of these and other risks associated with an investment in any securities referenced in this communication. If you have any questions please contact ETFS UK at +44 20 7448 4330 or info@etfsecurities.com for more information.