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China and U.S Data Early and Important as Central Banks Fret

by with No Comment Behavioral SentimentCentral BanksFeatured Highlights

China and U.S Data Early and Important as Central Banks Fret

Monday, 17th July 2023, China GDP and Industrial Production – the economic numbers coming from China have shown steady signs of a downturn. Gross Domestic Product figures however are expected to increase this month, but some analysts may question transparency issues regarding the reported statistics. Industrial Production numbers are expected to fall, which on the surface may cause people to question any positive results from the GDP. Retail Sales will also be published on Monday. The housing market in China remains critically important in the nation and some borrowers appear to be suffering financial stress. While many global retail traders might not be invested in China, the nation serves as a good barometer for the world’s economy, particularly regarding consumer demand.

Monday, 17th July 2023, U.S Empire State Manufacturing Index – the New York based report is expected to have a negative reading. It should be noted June’s data came in stronger than expected. Another positive surprise outcome would continue to show economists are finding it difficult to gauge the U.S economy. Last Friday’s solid Consumer Sentiment reading from the University of Michigan highlighted the rather complex results from the U.S, weaker than expected inflation numbers are also factoring into a muddled sentiment. However, the Federal Reserve is still believed to be leaning towards another interest rate hike on the 26th of July. Day traders should remain alert.

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USD/CAD 3 Month Chart as of 17th July 2023

Tuesday, 18th July 2023, Canada Consumer Price Index – the inflation numbers from Canada are expected to show a slight decrease in the velocity of rising prices. The numbers are likely to affect the USD/CAD which is trading near lows last challenged in September of 2022.

Tuesday, 18th July 2023, U.S Retail Sales – considering last week’s improved Consumer Sentiment numbers recently from the States, demonstrating better retail results compared to last month will not be a surprise. Earnings season on Wall Street gets underway this coming week and solid Retail Sales numbers may help mid-term outlook regarding equities. However, behavioral sentiment is fragile.

Wednesday, 19th July 2023, U.K CPI – the inflation numbers from Britain are expected to show a slight decrease in the rate of price expansion, but any result above 8% via the broad data will not make many folks feel better. GBP/USD speculators should monitor the reports.

Thursday, 20th July 2023, U.S Existing Home Sales – the rising costs of mortgages in the States is having an effect on the marketplace. Signs of stress in housing is an intriguing barometer regarding the outlook for the American economy. Better Consumer Sentiment and Retail Sales mixed with less than glowing numbers from the housing sector could make for a troubling diet for traders to consider and act upon.

Friday, 21st July 2023, U.K Retail Sales – recessionary results are shadowing Britain. Poor results from the retail sector would not help behavioral sentiment, particularly if inflation numbers have continued to show they are unrelenting two days before. The Bank of England is in an uncomfortable spot, this as the GBP/USD trades near highs it last saw in April of 2022.

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Summertime Behavioral Sentiment Game: Who Do You Trust?

by with No Comment AMT MarketsBehavioral SentimentFeatured Highlights

Summertime Behavioral Sentiment Game: Who Do You Trust?

Have we started to reach a polite equilibrium within Forex, gold, equities and bonds for a moment? U.S CPI data just came in below expectations, the decrease of inflation pressures in the U.S will be welcomed. Price ranges are starting to show signs of polite trends in Forex and equities – there seems to be a recognition of basic ideas which are perhaps serving as factors that are ‘accepted’ in the broad markets. Please do not close your eyes for long, because conditions can change in a moments notice, but for the moment the USD is weaker.

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Gold One Month Chart as of 12th July 2023

The Federal Reserve could still raise its Federal Funds Rate at the end of July, though today’s CPI data outcome will create headwinds against that notion. There has been a wide voice given by folks who say the Fed shouldn’t raise rates again, and that real inflation will start to come down and that it is doing so now. The CPI has shown a decrease in U.S inflation – a larger drop than anticipated, which will certainly spur on USD weakness today. This confirms – momentarily – many analysts inflation outlooks who work in financial institutions not related to the U.S Federal Reserve and have been saying price pressures will recede. Yet, inflation is not dead yet and may still be heard. Stagflation is a genuine concern.

Tomorrow’s U.S Producer Price Index will be another opportunity to stir sentiment. Remember folks, outlooks are often adjusted according to facts. But what are facts? Can we really trust them. What are leading indicators, what is data that looks forward instead of backwards – numbers are often offered as evidence but randomness often rules interpretations of data. How do acceptable outlooks really develop when data management and outlooks can change within split seconds depending on the team looking over the quantified math. Humans are naturally optimistic, even when the data is negative, this can lead to bias.

We are in an age when trading software is doing a majority of the large volume transactions, and has been coded by algos processed by quant teams in financial institutions. Do retail traders even have a chance in this type of environment? Yes, retail traders can still manage to find opportunities, but they need to combine technical perceptions with fundamental knowledge of data, and combine the two into a behavioral sentiment outlook depending on their time horizons.

Market dynamics and situations change a lot in the broad markets. Assets move depending on the bias of incoming data. Preconceived notions being acted on and then changing according to need can be done in microseconds because of existing trading technology that financial institutions use. Larger players have an advantage and they are not about to give this up. Timeframes are also different for big trading houses compared to small speculators. It is also important to stress institutional traders could care less about day traders in Forex.

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GBP/USD One Month Chart as of 12th July 2023

We have finished nearly a month of summer trading and seem to be confronted by a question of who do we trust? Do we trust the U.S Federal Reserve and its decisions and outlooks? In my opinion, you shouldn’t. But you should also remember the old adage, do not fight the Fed. The U.S central bank is bigger than you and I.

Central banks work together and often coordinate their combined outlooks, while shadows cast from the ‘oversight’ of political leaders rhetoric are frequently given consideration by the Fed, BoE, ECB and BoJ officials even if they claim they are not listening. Inflation is not welcomed by central banks, but because they are largely reactive and not proactive the Fed and others sometimes look uncaring and like fools, while the public sometimes suffer.

Thus we sit and wait for central bank pronouncements, but for the moment we seem to have a good grasp regarding what they will say. And perhaps – for the moment, maybe that is why Forex, gold and equities are trading rather politely. We seem to think we know what is going to be said moving forward for the next few weeks and remainder of the summer – more of the same warnings and interest rate correlations sprinkled in via central bank diatribes.

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Ten More, OK, Now Twenty, Finish Thirty, Next Run the Hill

by with No Comment Behavioral SentimentBooksFeatured Highlights

Ten More, OK, Now Twenty, Finish Thirty, Next Run the Hill

Book Corner: Living with a Seal: 31 Days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet, written by Jesse Itzler

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Living with a seal | Jesse Itzler

We all have had days where we couldn’t get out of bed to exercise, whether it be going for a morning run or hitting the gym at opening time. What would you do if you had a former Navy SEAL living with you and training you twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week for an entire month? And with the agreement that you had to do everything he said – every gym rep, every run, push-up, pull-up and burpee?

In Living with a SEAL: 31 Days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet, a true story, that’s exactly what happened to author, former rapper, and entrepreneur (part owner of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks) Jesse Itzler.

Itzler met the SEAL at an ultramarathon where the latter dominated. Itzler refers to the man only as “SEAL” and never reveals his identity, although it has become known since the book’s publication and SEAL has become a well-known fitness celebrity and author in his own right. Impressed by his astonishing physical shape, steely-eyed grit and laconic demeanor, Itzler inked a deal for SEAL to move into the Manhattan apartment where he lived with his family and train him for one complete month in the only way that SEAL knows – hard and nasty – where your limits are constantly pushed to the maximum.

Despite being a fitness buff, Itzler is yanked out of his comfort zone and challenged from day one. This begins a month of exercise sessions on a level that Itzler previously never experienced, such as grueling runs in and around Central Park with endless hills and thigh-splitting sprints in the frigid NYC winter. Other times, SEAL would command Itzler to do endless sets of upper body work comprised of weights, machines, and military-style calisthenics, sometimes on a moment’s notice or little to no sleep. And with SEAL, failure was not an option.

Itzler kept a diary during this month and the book is formatted as such. Additionally, each chapter begins with a SEAL quote. One of my favorites was, “you can get through any workout because everything ends.” And then there are thoughts on people and interaction gems like, “I don’t like to talk to strangers. Actually, I don’t like to talk, period.”

Despite the tortuous sessions that he endured, Jesse Itzler relates it all with humor and of course pride: his fitness level improved tremendously. He treats SEAL with great respect and admiration, something that we, as readers will share. SEAL comes across as a man of integrity who is true to his word. And how can one not admire a man who talks little, eats little, needs very little to get by in life, and runs in five-degree Fahrenheit weather wearing only gym shorts and a T-shirt?

The book is quick, light, and enjoyable. It’s also quite motivating. After reading it, you’ll be laying out your running clothes and setting your alarm clock for five in the morning.

If you want to read another Book Corner article, please visit this review by Evan Rothfeld: https://www.angrymetatraders.com/post/the-despair-of-ice-and-ability-to-lead-people-through-storms

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Week Ahead: Inflation will be the Crucial Word for Investors

by with No Comment AMT MarketsBehavioral SentimentFeatured Highlights

Week Ahead: Inflation will be the Crucial Word for Investors

Last week finished with another reminder that inflation cannot be easily scoffed at by investors who continue to believe higher prices will eventually slowdown. Average Hourly Earnings last Friday came in above the expectation and this was enough to rattle Wall Street again, which saw the major equity indices decline and bond yields incrementally rise. Inflation ‘talk’ will remain important this week because of coming U.S data.

Real Estate including REITS becoming a Topic of Discussion as Mortgages Rise

Market watchers should also pay attention to news regarding mortgages on residential homes, and listen for troubles from the commercial real estate market, as these sectors deal with rising interest rates in the U.S and U.K. Increased nervousness within these markets could have an affect on behavioral sentiment. Let’s remember the catalyst for the financial crisis of 2007 was the real estate sector.

Which brings us back to inflation and the growing acceptance among investors the U.S Federal Reserve may be ‘forced’ to hike the Federal Funds Rate on the 26th of July, if price data continues to come in ‘hot’. Some investors will likely be heard saying an increase of 0.25% has already been factored into marketplace, but the prospect of another hike in late 2023 could be problematic. Forex, gold and bonds dynamics will tell us a lot when this week concludes regarding outlooks.

BNB/USD Price Should be Monitored as Binance Trembles

An outside source of financial and speculative news is likely to come from cryptocurrency. If you are gambling on this asset class (or should we say commodity based on hot air) and like the adventure of wagering, please continue to pay attention to Binance which is showing signs of duress. If the Binance cryptocurrency exchange shows additional signs of pressure on its BNB (Binance Coin), trading waters within the world of crypto could trigger additional drowning victims. If you thought the Sam Bankman-Fried story made interesting news last year regarding fraud and other criminal activity, the FTX saga could prove to be only the tip of the iceberg.

Data Events Ahead to Watch

Monday, 10th of July, China CPI and PPI – the inflation data could prove important for investors who correlate economic statistics from China into their global forecasts. Traders within India should pay attention to these Chinese price reports, because global investors are starting to shift their assets into the Nifty 50 and other NSE equities because of risk and reward equations.

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GBP/USD One Month Chart as of 9th July 2023

Tuesday, 11th of July, U.K Claimant Count Change and Average Earnings Index – the numbers need to be watched by GBP/USD speculators. The results from the U.K will be intriguing because of employment results, but more importantly for inflation concerns and the knock-on effects. Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey is speaking a few times this week, and this includes Wednesday the 12th of July, when he will talk about the Financial Stability Report. The GBP/USD has moved towards monthly highs recently.

Wednesday, 12th of July, New Zealand RBNZ Official Bank Rate – NZD/USD day traders will want to pay attention to the central bank’s Rate Statement. While no increase of interest rates is predicted, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand at a minimum will likely have to admit inflation remains a concern.

Wednesday, 12th of July, U.S Consumer Price Index – the inflation reports from the States will have all eyes on the outcomes of the monthly and annual comparisons, including the Core numbers. The results from these inflation statistics will certainly cause momentary volatility within Forex with the USD as the focal point.

Wednesday, 12th of July, Canada BoC Overnight Rate – the Bank of Canada is expected to hike its interest rate by 0.25% to the 5.00% mark. USD/CAD will react to the BoC Rate Statement based on its outlook.

Thursday, 13th of July, U.K Gross Domestic Product – the ‘growth’ numbers are not expected to be positive. A drop of minus -0.3% is the expectation. Talk of recessionary pressures in Great Britain will be heard. Unfortunately, the discussion about a struggling economy, mixed with stubborn higher prices for consumers and mortgage rates that are rising will not make for calm stomachs. U.K equity results via the FTSE 100 Index should be monitored.

Thursday, 13th of July, U.S PPI – the Producer Price Index figures will be the last cog within the important inflation data for the week. Stubborn prices for wholesale goods are a concern, because the costs to consumers becomes more expensive when there are higher price pressures.

Friday, 14th of July, U.S Consumer Sentiment via the University of Michigan – if the Consumer Sentiment readings from the UofM report improves, and the U.S inflation data which was released earlier this week has proven stubborn, this could become a source of pain for investors who may be forced to consider the Fed will not only raise the Federal Funds Rate late July, but later in 2023 also. Short-term traders should monitor this report accordingly.

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USD/INR: Bounce Higher Ignites a Return to High Water Values

by with No Comment AMT MarketsBehavioral SentimentFeatured Highlights

USD/INR: Bounce Higher Ignites a Return to High Water Values

The USD/INR is trading near 82.4350 as of this writing, which is a value the currency pair has not touched since the second week of June. While some analysts may say the move to higher ground yesterday and early this morning is based on the U.S FOMC Meeting Minutes, Wednesday’s report from the Federal Reserve likely only reinforced the bullish momentum which started earlier this week. The world of Forex can feel fickle, particularly when so many of the internal dynamics are hidden from a large segment of people who are trying to speculate on the results.

If the mechanics of the move higher which started on Monday are examined a couple of points should be considered closely, the low of the USD/INR was around 81.7300 on the 3rd of July. This low took place as most U.S financial institutions were on holiday in preparation for Tuesday’s 4th of July celebrations.

Fears of U.S Economic Prospects: Behavioral Sentiment and Stagflation Potential

The reversal higher since the 3rd of July has been pronounced, but before going into last weekend the USD/INR was largely trading within a consolidated manner near the 82.0000 level with a test of this mark having been displayed forcefully since the middle of June. A range of nearly 81.8500 to about 82.1500 largely has played out the past three weeks of Forex trading.

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USD/INR One Month Chart as of 6th July 2023

Monday’s dip in value to lows around 81.7300 took place when there was very little volume in the USD/INR market. The depths challenged marks not seen since the first week of May.

The reversal higher the past few days is certainly part of more transactional volume starting to be pumped into the USD/INR as U.S financial institutions have returned, but they are also likely being caused by an underlying nervousness within the Forex markets which may be factoring in the notion the U.S Federal Reserve seems to be on a path which will increase the Federal Funds Rate on the 26th of July.

The behavioral sentiment being generated regarding a Federal Reserve which stays in an aggressive stance started before yesterday’s release of the FOMC Meeting Minutes. Nervous conditions have been on the surface of the broad markets because U.S inflation remains rather resilient – but also importantly because last week’s Gross Domestic Product numbers published on the 29th of June, came in stronger than anticipated. From a troubling perspective some analysts could point to the moderately improved growth and combination of stubborn inflation as a sign stagflation is starting to shadow the U.S, which would certainly be a troubling predicament.

USD/INR Move to New Highs this Morning could Ignite more Nervous Reactions

USD/INR speculators may believe the move higher in the currency pair is overdone and that values need to be lower. However, the current price of the USD/INR is one that has been experienced quite a bit since October of 2022. A look at a one year chart shows the USD/INR has returned to higher ratios of its price range which it has experienced since breaking upwards in the middle of September 2022. And to make things more interesting for technical traders, the USD/INR has actually produced a rather stable range between 81.6000 and 82.9000 since February of this year.

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USD/INR One Year Chart as of 6th July 2023

While traders are certainly trying to anticipate what will happen next in the USD/INR to gain an advantage, they should remember the currency markets are almost impossible to time on a daily basis, but a look at mid-term prices does offer plenty of insights. If the USD/INR climbs too high, perhaps to the 82.5000 level the Reserve Bank of India could get a bit nervous and consider some type of intervention which it supposedly has done a few times over the past handful of months – but perhaps at higher price ratios.

USD/INR Mid-Term Considerations and the Current Price Range

However it is more cost efficient and reputably less damaging for central banks to not intervene if they do not have to, and simply let market dynamics effectively create a price for the USD/INR based on supply and demand. Meaning the current prices of the USD/INR look to be rather high, but taking into consideration the range of the Forex pair the past five months the values are not new. The prices in fact have been rather established, meaning the USD/INR may trade slightly higher, but then a lower wave of downward momentum could be anticipated.

Day traders who are gamblers may be tempted to sell the USD/INR if the currency pair finds more upwards mobility in the near-term. Trading volumes should be back to normal now that U.S financial institutions have returned from their holidays, and traders should be ready for the potential of fast price velocity developing. Risk management on wagers regarding the USD/INR are essential as always.

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Risk Events and Questioning the Hyperbole of ‘Bad Actors’

by with No Comment AMT MarketsBehavioral SentimentFeatured Highlights

Risk Events and Questioning the Hyperbole of 'Bad Actors'

The week in a way has already started for financial institutions and traders because of the developing news from Russia. Due to yesterday’s events surrounding the ‘noise’ caused by the Wagner Group’s leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, let there be no doubt that energy sector traders became nervous and fragile behavioral sentiment was being anticipated for Monday’s openings. However, like a well staged drama (perhaps this is giving too much credit to the actors) the Russian saga seems to have come to an odd conclusion. Leaving the possibility for a Part Two to develop. Stay tuned ladies and gentlemen.

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EUR/USD One Month Chart as of 25th June 2023

Monday, the 26th of June, Germany ifo Business Climate – the reading is forecast to come in worse than the previous month. Germany has turned in rather troubling economic data and the E.U as a whole is struggling under the weight of inflation and lackluster growth. The EUR/USD could be affected from the business climate survey.

Monday, the 26th of June, E.U ECB Forum on Central Banking – the annual event which is a bit like the Fed’s Jackson Hole Symposium will be attended by the leading central bank officials from around the globe. This year’s event in Sintra, Portugal will focus on inflation. ECB President Christine Legarde will kick off the event, which will end on Wednesday the 28th of June with speeches from Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, BoE Governor Andrew Bailey and others.

Tuesday, the 27th of June, Canada Consumer Price Index – a slew of inflation reports will be delivered. The forecast anticipates a slight drop in price pressure, but will that actually be the result? The USD/CAD could move based on the outcomes.

Tuesday, the 27th of June, U.S Consumer Confidence via the Conference Board – this survey is expected to show a slight improvement in the outlook of American consumers.

Wednesday, the 28th of June, E.U ECB Forum on Central Banking – the event will conclude with speeches from the heads of the ECB, Bank of Japan, Bank of England and Federal Reserve. The event is not supposed to stir up the dust, but Forex traders should monitor the rhetoric generated.

Thursday, the 28th of June, Germany Preliminary Consumer Price Index – the data is expected to show an increase in prices and underscore the ECB’s aggressive rhetoric regarding inflation.

Thursday, the 28th of June, U.S Final Gross Domestic Product – the growth numbers are projected to show a gain of 1.4% compared to last month’s 1.3%. The results will move the financial markets if they are surprising. Traders should be on the lookout for revisions to the previous month’s numbers.

Friday, the 29th of June, U.K Final Gross Domestic Product – an expected ‘growth’ number of 0.1% is anticipated, which would match last month’s lackluster outcome. The U.K is hovering under recessionary pressures and this GDP result will be watched by GBP/USD day traders.

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USD/INR: Correlation to Broad Forex Market Intriguing Signal

by with No Comment AMT MarketsBehavioral SentimentFeatured Highlights

USD/INR: Correlation to Broad Forex Market Intriguing Signal

The USD/INR is near the 82.1200 price as of this writing. On Friday the USD/INR hit a low near the 81.8000 ratio. The ability to touch depths in the USD/INR before going into the weekend correlated well with the broad Forex markets, as the USD was showing signs of weakness globally. Yesterday’s trading volumes were weak because of a U.S banking holiday being observed and only in the next handful of hours will U.S financial institutions return from their long weekend, meaning an increase in volatility could arise.

The lows seen in the USD/INR on Friday challenged values not seen since the 10th and 11th of May. Interestingly support seems to have held technically, and the USD/INR was not able to test lower values seen in the middle of April and the first week of May. However, the trading conditions in the USD/INR appear to be healthy and performing in a manner that can be compared to the broad currency markets, and that is important because it may be a sign that interventions have not been necessary from the Reserve Bank of India the past few weeks.

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USD/INR One Month Chart as of 20th of June

Was the Federal Reserve Decision a Pause or a Skip Regarding Interest Rates?

While the U.S Federal Reserve behaved as anticipated last Wednesday and did not raise its Federal Funds Rate, the central bank is still rattling its ‘inflation’ sword and has let it be known it can raise interest rates in July. The decision to not hike borrowing rates in June has been described widely as a pause by U.S Federal Reserve watchers, but if the Fed were to raise interest rates in July the pause would then have to be described as mere ‘skip’.

However, if broad Forex market price action is being interpreted correctly, it does appear many financial institutions are seemingly betting on a less aggressive Federal Reserve over the long-term. The question is if this is the correct outlook. Inflation remains problematic and until consistently solid drops in the costs of goods takes place, the Federal Reserve will remain rather unclear regarding its rhetoric and will likely bang on its higher interest rates ‘drum’ as a warning.

Here Comes More U.S Federal Reserve Rhetoric: Today and Tomorrow

Something USD/INR traders should pay attention to later today and tomorrow are the spoken words and gestures from Federal Reserve officials. New York Fed President John William will be speaking later today and he will certainly be asked about his outlook regarding interest rates. Because he is in charge of the New York Federal Reserve Bank, Williams remarks are watched carefully by the financial markets and his comments will certainly affect Forex and equity indices.

And then leaning into the microphone tomorrow will be Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. He will present his viewpoints and be asked questions regarding monetary policy in the House of Representatives by the Financial Services Committee on Wednesday. On Thursday, Powell will remain in Washington and perform the same show for the Senate Banking Committee. The Fed Chairman is a trained D.C insider and he will try not to inflame the financial markets with any surprises.

Outlook for the USD/INR is Choppy in the Near-Term

A reversal higher in the USD/INR early this morning has also correlated to the broad Forex market. It is likely the USD has been viewed as potentially oversold in the short-term. However, the slight moves higher might also be a natural cautious reaction to the coming rhetoric from John Williams and Jerome Powell. Because of this USD/INR traders should expect rather choppy conditions to flourish near-term.

Friday’s trading for the USD/INR will get important U.S economic data via the Flash Manufacturing and Services PMI reports. If the USD/INR remains below resistance levels of 82.1500 and 82.2000 consistently over the next few days leading into Friday’s trading, this could mean the broad Forex market remains bearish regarding its outlook for the USD. Speculators should be careful over the next 24 hours. It should also be mentioned that if Jerome Powell doesn’t surprise the marketplace tomorrow, he will not be likely to offer any new information the following day in Washington, meaning tomorrow’s comments from the Fed Chairman are the words likely to cause volatility if this happens.

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Tether’s Wobbling Should Set off Alarms for Crypto Traders

by with No Comment AMT MarketsBehavioral SentimentFeatured Highlights

Tether's Wobbling Should Set off Alarms for Crypto Traders

Tether is wobbling and this should not come as a surprise to cryptocurrency traders. While many speculators likely do not carry USDT in wallets or day trade the cryptocurrency, it does serve as a barometer in the digital asset world regarding behavioral sentiment. A sustained drop below the 1.00000 USD price tag should raise eyebrows and increase nervousness.

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Tether (USDT/USD) 5 Day Price Chart as of 15th June 2022

This morning’s drop in value in USDT/USD comes on the heels of trouble with Binanace and Coinbase via civil suits brought forth by U.S government agencies that accuse both exchanges of wrongdoing.

Tether’s accounting practices have been under suspicion for a long time and transparency has been lacking. While influencers within the crypto world can came claim all they want the Tether ‘stablecoin’ has nothing to hide – just like Binance and Coinbase – plenty of suspicion remains. And in fact a lawsuit brought against Tether’s parent company which was settled with a payment of nearly 41 million USD in 2021 to the U.S government via CFTC charges should serve as a caution sign.

A simple look at a five day chart of USDT/USD above shows the ‘stablecoin’ has incrementally suffered selling the past handful of days (this before today’s storm lower). Yes, folks may claim this has happened before and recoveries invariably have always developed higher, and they may be proven correct again. Perhaps today’s selling has been a mere reaction to the ‘public’ finding out about recent Binance transactions which are being reported, but maybe it is something more important – like a lose of confidence.

Until now the cryptocurrency world hasn’t really seen a strong reaction to the allegations brought forth from the U.S against Binance and Coinbase yet, and the question that should be asked is when is confidence going to crack again in the cryptocurrency world. Because as sure as the sun comes up and sets, the cryptocurrency world is going to suffer another major crisis, perhaps not today, but one will occur.

If the price of Tether starts to stumble badly and shows signs of not recovering that would spark a major downturn in the value of cryptocurrencies across the board. The darling of the ‘stablecoin’ world certainly has its detractors and there are certainly folks lurking who have been making long-term bets against Tether.

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Binance Coin (BNB/USD) One Month Chart as of 15th June 2023

Speculators in the digital asset world will be watching Bitcoin and Tether values closely. It has been reported that by many crypto media sources that Binance has recently made large trades involving USDT in an effort to boost their liquidity. What should concern traders in the cryptocurrency space is the ability of noise in the sector to turn into actual thunder which causes dramatic reactions to cryptocurrency prices.

Because while some people try to claim there are reasonable ways to value cryptocurrencies, in fact behavioral sentiment rules the jungle and a loss of confidence in the sector remains an extinction level threat for nearly every digital asset at anytime. The entire cryptocurrency space is vulnerable to fragility.

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Anticipated Federal Reserve Shop Talk to be Delivered Today

by with No Comment AMT MarketsBehavioral SentimentFeatured Highlights

Anticipated Federal Reserve Shop Talk to be Delivered Today

For what it’s worth, here is my prediction regarding what the Federal Reserve will do today. The Federal Funds Rate will remain unchanged in my opinion. The FOMC Statement may show that the vote actually was debated and not unanimous. The statement is likely to warn that inflation remains stubborn and potentially problematic, meaning the Federal Reserve continues to believe it may have to raise the Federal Funds Rate over the mid-term and again before the end of 2023.

The Forex market has seen the USD get weaker against many major currencies since late May. While financial institutions have seemingly positioned for no increase from the Federal Reserve today, this move has also likely been priced into Forex. Day traders need to understand institutional traders will not be betting on what took place the last three weeks, but are trying to anticipate what will happen into early July and beyond regarding their Forex positions.

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GBP/USD One Month Chart as of the 14th June 2023

Many financial institutions may still be betting the Fed will remain more dovish than the U.S central bank wants to admit, but this is a dangerous perception and could prove costly. Financial institutions are concerned about the Fed because they know the central bank has painted itself into a corner it may not be able to maneuver freely within. The battle to conquer inflation while trying to fuel economic growth is not an easy one. Mixed sentiment abounds regarding the U.S economy depending on who is asked.

Talk of a soft landing and a small recession continues to be heard, this while some analysts warn about a hard drop and darker days ahead. Folks, it is all about timelines and their interpretations, experts warning about brighter or darker days ahead have a tendency to be vague regarding exact moments in time. Everyone has an opinion, and people often have more than one.

In my opinion – my one opinion, the Fed is likely to say that it is not going to raise rates today, but may have to do so in the mid-term. If these were normal times and economic conditions were not suffering from huge spending running amok in Washington and the corporate banking sector wasn’t fragile, the Fed may actually have raised the Federal Funds Rate today to continue to battle inflation deliberately. However, a pause for the moment seems like the logical choice, this while ‘hoping’ inflation continues to diminish. And hope is a key word here. Everyone seems to be hoping. The question financial houses and traders need to decide after the FOMC Statement takes place today is how seriously do they consider the Fed’s remarks.

If they believe the Fed will have to continue to remain neutral regarding its mid and long-term interest rate policy, the USD may soften and incremental selling might be demonstrated. Human instinct tends to be optimistic, which means financial institutions and maybe even the Fed wants to believe inflation will ebb lower. If this happens the USD would weaken further. However, the Fed may have to sound more aggressive than people want, but that would damper the mood of financial institutions – so look for optimistic interpretations to abound with rose colored glasses, even if they are wrong in the long-term.

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Gold One Month Chart as of the 14th June 2023

For evidence of outside barometers, traders may want to look at Gold which has essentially traded between 1940.00 and 1975.00 with a few outliers since the last week in May. The price of Gold has seemingly situated within a consolidated framework the past few weeks. The precious metal may produce a strong move if the Fed shows more dovish behavior today, particularly if financial institutions show more optimism via behavioral sentiment in Forex – meaning if a weaker USD trend continues momentarily Gold could traverse higher.

My prediction and $1.00 USD may get you on a bus. As always caution will be needed if you are trading immediately before and after the U.S Federal Reserve’s rate decision. I advise using a seat belt today consisting of entry price, stop loss and take profit orders via solid risk management, but then again these cautious attitudes should always be practiced by day traders.

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Week Ahead: Inflation Followed by the U.S Federal Reserve

by with No Comment AMT MarketsBehavioral SentimentFeatured Highlights

Week Ahead: Inflation Followed by the U.S Federal Reserve

Monday, 12th of June, U.S Federal Budget Balance – hold down the laughter and snickers please as you wonder why you should care, this as the report shows monthly income versus spending from the month before. Yes, the U.S ‘Debt Ceiling’ bill was passed recently. Very few people are going to pay attention to Budget Balance report, except economists and traders who have ‘skin in the game’ via hedge funds as an example – that make long-term bets, and U.S politicians who want to hoot and holler…….while nothing really gets done to limit wasteful spending in Washington D.C.

Tuesday, 13th of June, U.S Consumer Price Index reports – yes, this inflation data will be important per the monthly numbers showing what consumers are spending. A slight uptick is expected with an outcome of plus 0.2% via the broad statistics – last month’s number showed a gain of 0.4%. The outcome of the broad and core CPI statistics will give the Federal Reserve a sounding board for what will take place on Wednesday via the Federal Funds Rate announcement. Stronger than expected inflation numbers could cause a rupture and nervousness. A weaker result would calm Forex and perhaps make the USD slightly weaker.

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EUR/USD One Month Chart as of 11th June 2023

Wednesday, 14th of June, U.S Producer Price Index – these numbers will be released early in the day and will be followed by the Federal Reserve five and half hours later. The inflation outcome via the PPI if stronger than anticipated would cause some caution before the Federal Reserve takes the stage.

Wednesday, 14th of June, U.S Federal Funds Rate, FOMC Statement and FOMC Press Conference – while many analysts seem convinced the Fed will not hike the interest rate this week, there are obviously no guarantees. The FOMC Statement will indicate the U.S central bank’s outlook. Traders who are intent on trading before the official interest rate announcement and statement are playing with fire. Speculators should keep in mind that other central banks have surprised folks with increases recently including Canada and Australia. A hike from the U.S Federal Reserve would surprise a lot of people and financial institutions, but stranger things have happened.

Thursday, 15th of June, New Zealand Gross Domestic Product – the growth numbers which will come out a handful of hours after the U.S Fed leaves the stage will be intriguing and provide NZD/USD traders more impetus into what will likely already be a volatile trading session taking place.

Thursday, 15th of June, China Industrial Production and Retail Sales – these two reports from the economic giant will be watched closely. China’s economy is struggling a bit, and weakness in the housing sector via values are starting to cause a reaction in domestic spending. Industrial Production numbers will give some insights regarding global demand. Economic problems in Europe and North America are certainly not helping matters in China because demand for goods are restrained and hurting the manufacturing sector.

Thursday, 15th of June, U.S Retail Sales – consumers in the U.S have been expected to start producing negative numbers via these statistics, will they begin to do it? A stronger number would be of interest to some, but after Wednesdays’ FOMC Statement and news that will be generated, it is questionable who will give full attention to this report and what affect it could have.

Thursday, 15th of June, E.U ECB Press Conference – this question and answer session could prove to be interesting depending on what the U.S Fed does the day before. Certainly the European Central Bank will give their opinions on monetary policy and economic circumstances in the European Union and abroad. The EUR/USD could be affected.

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USD/JPY One Month Chart as of 11th June 2023

Friday, 16th of June, Japan BoJ Policy Rate and Monetary Policy Statement – no major changes are expected from the Bank of Japan. This is the one central bank unwilling to change its attitude regarding monetary policy because of the whims of others. Perhaps if the U.S Federal Reserve surprised everyone on Wednesday with a hike, this could change the quiet rhetoric from the BoJ – but even that is doubtful. USD/JPY traders should pay attention to the BoJ Press Conference just in case.

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Determination and Success: Integrity of the Catcher’s Mitt

by with No Comment Behavioral SentimentBusinessFeatured Highlights

Determination and Success: Integrity of the Catcher's Mitt

In the Long Run’ mused Maynard Keynes ‘we are all dead’ or as someone else once said, ‘Don’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands, throw something back’. The author of that line is unknown but we can assume that he knew something about baseball and the cut and thrust of business and life. It seems to me that the two are inseparable… In the consumer society of the developed world in which we live, the lifestyle we enjoy is largely shaped by the extent to which we buy and sell.

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A market without anything to sell will be just as ineffective as a market full of merchandise with no one to buy. When we have real financial wealth, we are able to indulge many of our fantasies or dreams. That’s one of the reasons for aspiring to wealth and the independence it brings. For example once you have travelled around the globe staying in the world’s most luxurious hotels it’s not necessary to have the 5 star penthouse suite, something more modest will do. Once you’ve tasted the grape it’s not necessary to taste it with every meal.

Success in anything comes at a price and business is no exception. The ability to be disciplined and to persevere no matter what, is possibly the single greatest attribute to be successful in business. As Calvin Coolidge put it ‘Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not. Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men and women with talent. Genius will not. Unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not. The world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent’.

But perhaps there is another price to which, in a sense, it is not obvious until it hurts and that is the price of integrity. The lack of ability for individual companies and institutions to police themselves, has led to a plethora of regulatory bodies for professions and businesses. We have created a “blame and shame” culture in which so often we prefer to abrogate responsibility and seek litigation, rather than facing up to the challenge ourselves. Integrity perhaps is best summed up as acting in a responsible, honest and fair way no matter what the cost to the individual or company.

We have been given a shocking example by many in authority on how to be economical with the truth, once a civil offence now a well-­honed practice is to ‘spin’ the facts to suit a particular agenda of self interest.

Philanthropy, no longer the preserve of the rich and famous, often anonymous, through centuries has made a contribution to the good of many of the underprivileged, as well as aiding education research and science, from which we all have benefited in some way. Many of the wealthy have historically helped the poor and those needier than themselves. Two of the world’s current incurable illnesses are AIDS and cancer, the major problem facing the developing nations is AIDS. Hardest hit are the children with an increasing numbers of orphans born with AIDS. In contrast, the problem facing the developed nations, is one of cancer, and in particular breast cancer. Drug addiction and alcoholism, particularly amongst the young is increasing at an alarming rate in both the most affluent areas of society and amongst the desperately poor, like the street children on Seventh Avenue in Guatemala City.

Huge wealth has been created over the past two decades, not least amongst City of London financiers, many of whom became millionaires on the strength of their bonus payments alone. That we should try and help those less fortunate than ourselves is a desire common to most people. We also know that charity begins at home. The stock market is the barometer of the economy, and the economy is driven by business, and business is the powerhouse that can make a real difference by making a positive contribution to the society in which we all find ourselves. Working with integrity is perhaps not just about the way we treat our employees, colleagues and competitors but also about how we use the wealth that we create. Whilst financial wealth will mean different things to different people, having more than we need gives us an opportunity to make a difference for others, however small we may think the contribution is, and speaks more about us than the what we are able to give.

Taking off the catcher’s mitt and throwing something back is at the heart of charitable giving and philanthropy and in doing so helping the weakest and most vulnerable in society. ‘ For it is more blessed to give than to receive’. After all, in the long run, we are dead.

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Risks Ahead: Tranquil Data Mixed with Loud Nervous Chatter

by with No Comment AMT MarketsBehavioral SentimentFeatured Highlights

Risks Ahead: Tranquil Data Mixed with Loud Nervous Chatter

Last Friday finished with stronger than expected Non-Farm Employment Change numbers, which essentially collided with dovish rhetoric via two U.S Federal Reserve FOMC members from the middle of the week; this while inflation clearly remains stubborn in the U.S.

All of which sets up this coming week for nervous trading results and until the 14th of June, when the Federal Reserve’s Federal Funds Rate pronouncements will be brought forth. Plenty of talk about interest rates will be heard in the days ahead and traders should expect to hear debates as the chatter grows louder.

Commodity traders may be interested in the outcome of the OPEC+ meetings taking place this weekend. The cartel’s decisions regarding oil production will affect not only prices of Crude Oil futures, but is a direct reflection regarding global demand, which also tells us about the organization’s viewpoints regarding global economic conditions.

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WTI Crude Oil Three Month Chart as of 4th of June 2023

Monday, the 5th of June, European Services PMI – Germany, France and Italy and will release their Purchasing Managers Index readings. The German outcome could prove interesting because the nation is suffering from recessionary pressures. The PMI results could affect the EUR/USD a bit. The U.K will also release their data too.

Monday, the 5th of June, U.S ISM Services PMI – this report will be of interest because some are expecting a better outcome compared to May’s results. A potentially strong reading could prove problematic and put more pressure on the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates next week.

Tuesday, the 6th of June, Australia RBA Rate Statement – the Reserve Bank of Australia surprised people with an increase of their Cash Rate last month. No increase is expected now, but the RBA’s rhetoric should be listened to as they comment about domestic and global economic conditions.

Wednesday, the 7th of June, Canada BoC Overnight Rate – Bank of Canada is expected to hold its borrowing costs in place, but inflation is still creeping into prices and the BoC’s Rate Statement may prove intriguing.

Thursday, the 8th of June, U.S Weekly Unemployment Claims – following in the footsteps of the stronger than expected jobs numbers last week, this report could get some media fanfare. However, it also may prove to be a lot of noise and have little real affect on market direction.

Friday, the 9th of June, China CPI and PPI – the inflation reports from China could prove interesting in wake of recent lackluster economic data from the nation. Last Thursday’s Caixin Manufacturing PMI results came in slightly better than expected, but data from China the week before was negative. The data from China gives investors and traders insights because of its importance as a global supplier of consumer products.