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USD/INR: Narrow Price Range as Nervous Sentiment Exhibited

by with No Comment AMT MarketsBehavioral SentimentFeatured Highlights

USD/INR: Narrow Price Range as Nervous Sentiment Exhibited

The USD/INR has delivered a rather narrow price range the past four days of trading as the currency pair awaits impetus from crucial U.S risk events.

The USD/INR is trading near the 82.7000 ratio as of this writing. While the currency pair over the past month has seen a rather incremental climb higher, the past handful of days has seen rather sideways price range emerge. Talk about Reserve Bank of India intervention has been discussed widely and this has caused speculative caution too. However, risk events from the U.S which will be delivered soon are also a catalyst for conservative trading in the USD/INR and broad Forex markets globally.

Trading Tip Regarding Bias that Forex Speculators should try to Avoid

A very important aspect for USD/INR traders to consider is that they should remove any bias they may feel personally regarding the Indian Rupee. Traders closely connected to the currency they are trading, particularly if they are citizens of the nation; tend to believe their national currency should always be stronger no matter the circumstances. This notion of bias does not always work out well for traders with a nationalist leaning.

The Indian Rupee is no different regarding its ability to maneuver against the USD like many other major currencies. While the Indian Rupee certainly has its own financial capabilities, the USD remains the dominant currency on the block and affects most outcomes. If a trader can remove their bias and love of their nation from their trading sentiment, this often makes it easier to have a more realistic viewpoint about potential price direction in the short-term and long-term. The Indian Rupee is an important global currency, one that will grow in stature, but traders should remember current circumstances too.

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USD/INR Five Day Chart as of 24th May 2023

U.S Debt Ceiling Concerns and the Upwards Drift of the USD/INR Causing Problems

Concerns are being voiced regarding the failure of U.S debt ceiling talks, the inability to not find an agreement in the U.S Congress is problematic. June 1st is supposedly the date the U.S government must reach a conclusion. The past week has seen signs from Democrats and Republicans acknowledging the importance of finding a settlement, but political rancor still is making a mess of the situation. Trading institutions are certainly not happy about the loud debate and could ‘punish’ financial assets more over the short-term until a debt ceiling compromise is reached.

The move higher in the USD/INR has likely caught many speculators by surprise the past month. However, the drift upwards has correlated to the broad Forex markets the past couple of weeks, this as the USD has turned stronger against many major currencies. The USD/INR essentially went from 82.1200 to its current price since the 15th of May. The Forex pair was trading near 81.6000 on the 4th of May. The temptation to sell the USD/INR the past couple of weeks has likely been strong as traders flirted with the notion technically that the currency would have to reignite its downwards path, but that clearly has not happened.

Today and the remainder of the week, the U.S has important risk events on the calendar. U.S Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will be speaking and will certainly be asked to state her opinion on the debt ceiling talks. She will likely try to offer a neutral tone and not scare the financial markets. However, she can certainly be counted upon to say it is important to reach an agreement so the U.S can continue paying its financial obligations.

Perhaps more important than Treasury Yellen’s talk this afternoon, will be the U.S Federal Reserve’s FOMC Meeting Minutes publication later in the day. Financial institutions globally are nervous about the Fed’s interest rate outlook regarding its June Federal Funds Rate decision. Many analysts have predicted the U.S central bank will halt interest rate hikes and not increase on the 14th of June. Yet inflation data from the U.S remains problematic. Today’s FOMC Meeting Minutes text will provide insights regarding the Federal Reserve’s last meeting and give an inside look towards its leanings for a potential hike or pause.

USD/INR traders should also be aware that important Gross Domestic Product data will come tomorrow which will offer details regarding U.S growth. On Friday the U.S will release Core Personal Consumption Expenditure statistics and this will provide inflation results, and the outcome will certainly influence the U.S Federal Reserve’s June interest rate decision.

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AI Noise and Manipulation Feared as a Potential Threat

by with No Comment AI & Machine LearningBehavioral SentimentFeatured Highlights

AI Noise and Manipulation Feared as a Potential Threat

Yesterday’s AI generated graphic which claimed an explosion had happened around the Pentagon in Washington D.C. sent equity indices into a brief selloff mode. However, the graphic was soon proven to be false news as people in Washington confirmed there had been no explosion.

AI has the capacity to cause surprise storms if some people try to trigger manipulation in the financial world and elsewhere by using ‘false’ data and graphics. ‘Bad actors’ within A.I will likely be compared to ‘ransomware’ folks in the world of high-tech, and people and institutions will have to react quickly to distinguish between fact and fiction. The ability of AI to manipulate the markets yesterday is only the beginning and we need to be prepared for more stories like the Washington D.C fake.

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AI Mania is Building in the Media and People are Concerned about Wrong ‘Facts’

AI machine learning is coded by people and some of them are prone to bias, which raises the specter of bad input being used in systems that serve the public and clients in an ill-fated manner. Putting all of our trust into an AI system is wrong minded, just as we do not put all of our trust into Wikipedia information, and are aware facts should be checked on within a variety of sources.

Yesterday’s deep fake AI graphic highlights the need for financial markets to discern in a timely fashion attempts to manipulate narrative. Certainly some traders got hurt during yesterday’s reaction to the false report of an explosion in Washington. The dishonest graphic made instant news globally, and social media gadflies raced to report ‘the explosion’ and then had to quickly say they had been tricked. Data bias in AI is just as problematic and perhaps more dangerous, because what is presented as facts will always have to be given critical consideration by its users.

The prospect of bias producing arrogant AI systems ‘tools’ full of hubris as they assert ‘truth’ could develop and create self-perpetuating machines full of wrong details. This could happen as AI searches the internet for information and relies on data that is poor, and uses statistics from its own system posted elsewhere which could manifest falsehoods. The prospect of AI using its own potentially bad coding, and previous input distributed into other information networks in theory could lead to stubborn ecosystems which insists that they are correct, when they are actually not accurate.

Middle of the Road Results will make Users Choose Direction Sometimes

Public AI systems tend to frequently deliver ‘middle of the road’ result aggregates so they do not offend, leaving the users with mixed insights and without a firm stance. Perhaps if users understand this circumstance it can be perceived as a good outcome, because the person will have to do their own critical thinking while choosing direction. There is a danger that politically correct thinking which is coded into AI could lead to more vanilla and less flavor. The fear of offending people with facts may become a danger for AI, and coders will have to decide how to program searches as they produce objective and subjective outcomes.

Learning has changed as the internet has grown more robust with ‘facts’. Students often do not feel it is necessary to master particulars by reading a range of books. Instead they tend to rely on their mobile phones and laptops for their knowledge, avoiding in depth study on their own which would offer more insights and create critical thinking. This can and does lead to the use of ‘expertise’ produced by the internet which is incorrect.

Let’s also consider the notion that public use of artificial intelligence has won a large amount of publicity in the past year, but machine learning capabilities have in fact been used for a long time. The media has done a fairly good job of stirring the masses into a furor, and solid marketing has led to AI being the center of conversation the past handful of months.

AI is far from perfect because it is being built by flawed humans. In 1952 IBM via Arthur Samuel built a program allowing a computer to play checkers and learn how to improve its outcomes through ‘play’. In 1997 an IBM system called Deep Blue beat world chess champion Gary Kasparov in a six game match. The 45 year gap should be noted as we contemplate how AI will develop in the future.

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FOMC Meeting Minutes and Key Growth Data Coming this Week

by with No Comment AMT MarketsBehavioral SentimentFeatured Highlights

FOMC Meeting Minutes and Key Growth Data Coming this Week

Monday the 22nd of May, Japan Core Machinery Orders – which will likely have very little impact on the markets – not even the USD/JPY should react too much. Although it should be noted last month’s figure was negative and this month’s result is expecting a better outcome.

Monday the 22nd of May, E.U Consumer Confidence – forecast to produce a negative number, but this statistic doesn’t usually get much of a response in the financial markets unless there is a shocking result.

Tuesday the 23rd of May, E.U French and German Manufacturing and Services PMI, along with the broad E.U results – the manufacturing statistics from France and Germany are expected to come in slightly better than last month’s results but remain in negative territory.

Tuesday the 23rd of May, U.K Manufacturing and Services PMI – traders will watch these results after the bad GDP numbers from Britain almost two weeks ago.

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GBP/USD Three Month Chart as of 21st of May 2023

Tuesday the 23rd of May, U.S Flash Manufacturing and Services PMI – the reports could prove of interest and cause a bit of a tremor in the market, but unless there is a big surprise investors will remain cautious as they anticipate the next day’s potentially big risk events.

Wednesday the 24th of May, U.K Bank of England Governor Bailey – will be speaking at two events and could stir the GBP/USD with his comments on the British economy and inflation.

Wednesday the 24th of May, U.S Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen – will be speaking at a Wall Street Journal event, where she will be listened to for any comments on the ‘U.S debt ceiling” crisis. Yellen is a ‘trained’ speaker and she will try not to scare financial institutions who will have some leaders in attendance.

Wednesday the 24th of May, U.S FOMC Meeting Minutes – the report which will outline the U.S Federal Reserve’s thinking regarding its recent interest rate hike and what it might be considering regarding June could impact the marketplace. The report is published late in the day, but financial institutions will certainly wait for the publication and react. While the FOMC paper is sometimes considered ‘noise’, this report will be important because of the nervous sentiment which exists in markets like Forex and equity indices as they deal with a lack of clarity.

Thursday the 25th of May, U.S Preliminary Gross Domestic Product – the growth (or lack of growth) numbers from the States will be watched intently. A muted projected gain of 1.1% is anticipated by some analysts.

Thursday the 25th of May, U.S Preliminary GDP Price Index – this report will deliver insights regarding inflation in the U.S and should be given some attention by traders.

Friday the 26th of May, Core PCE Price Index – the inflation numbers should be watched. Any surprise above the anticipated 0.3% forecast could cause an affect in the financial markets.

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Nervous Contradictory Trading Winds for Behavioral Sentiment

by with No Comment AMT MarketsAssetsFeatured Highlights

Nervous Contradictory Trading Winds for Behavioral Sentiment

Behavioral sentiment in the broad financial markets is nervous, and mixed results in the major asset classes are likely causing retail traders to feel uneasy. Most day traders try to perceive which direction they should lean based on price momentum while looking for fast profits. The current state of the broad markets are making decisions difficult for retail traders.

A healthy dose of nervousness at this moment might be a good thing for speculators and keep them conservative. Swirling results in Forex and commodities are causing plenty of problems for traders who instinctively like to pursue buying positions because of the human tendency to be optimistic.

Federal Reserve Causing Headaches for Smaller Banks and Forex

Forex markets have been choppy since the beginning of February 2023, when the U.S Federal Reserve surprised many people with continued aggressive rhetoric. The U.S central bank has backed up its ‘tough’ talk as it ‘fights’ inflation with more interest rate hikes. Clarity regarding a potential June hike from the Fed remains problematic with no certain answer yet. For the moment there seems to be a belief there will be a genuine pause, which may be fueling better returns for U.S equity indices, but there are no guarantees. Behavioral sentiment remains fragile.

The detrimental effect from higher interest rates on mid and small size banks in the U.S remains harmful. Mid and smaller corporate banks continue to struggle with the increased Federal Funds Rate. Bad business decisions within these banks have made it difficult to make profits in an environment when money is no longer ‘free’, this as many of their depositors look for better returns.

A six month chart of the EUR/USD below shows how the EUR started to climb in the fall of 2022, but then began to run into headwinds when financial institutions started to reconsider the seriousness of U.S Federal Reserve policy earlier this year. Analysis regarding the timing of the Federal Funds Rate forecast to actually start becoming dovish has proven problematic.

While the EUR/USD still maintains plenty of its gains, the current price of the the currency pair is below early February highs. The EUR/USD was trading near 0.95700 in late September of 2022, and the price as of today near 1.07800 is a vast improvement for the EUR. However, the choppiness of the Forex market the past few months has not been easy for day traders who have suffered from sudden reversals frequently in many of the major currency pairs.

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EUR/USD Six Month Chart as of 19th May 2023

The KRE regional bank index below shows the dramatic drop in value of the mid and small size banks in the U.S the past year, and the sector certainly still has financial concerns and shadows which are causing pressure on their corporate share values. Stubborn inflation remains and the desire of the U.S Federal Reserve to attack rising costs with higher interest rates remains a serious concern.

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KRE Regional Banking Index One Year Chart as of 19th May 2023

Stock Markets Suddenly at One Year Highs as Investors Seem to Return

Is the S&P 500 a harbinger of things to come or are investors in the index being too optimistic? Day traders likely stay away from the S&P 500 many times because they are mostly trading the index via CFD’s and this can prove expensive regarding transactions, they are not long-term investors – meaning they do not like to make bets that take awhile to materialize. The results from the past year and a half in the stock markets have made speculators nervous regarding bets on equities.

However, institutions and long-term investors buy and hold the S&P with a vision towards the future; they also reap the rewards of its dividends. The ability of the S&P to be trading at nearly one year highs is curious. The improvement in equity values in the indices may be a sign that ‘smart money’ continues to invest in the stock market for the long-term, even during what is perceived as a fragile period of behavioral sentiment. Financial institutions may also be betting on the U.S Federal Reserve having to become more dovish regarding interest rate policy in June and looking forward.

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S&P 500 Index One Year Chart as of 19th May 2023

Results on the NASDAQ 100 may be surprising to many and the index is trading at one year highs, and though like the S&P it is still under all-time highs from late 2021 and early 2022, investors have shown a taste for investing in the ‘hi-tech’ index again. While this may contradict the behavioral sentiment of Forex and the results in the mid and small size banking sector, the NASDAQ 100 does point out money is still being invested and might be an indication that day traders need to be more patient, more optimistic about the coming months and year.

While a recession might be looming, large companies have started to lay off workers and scale back on bonuses in an effort to fight against reduced profits. The narrative from the media may be negative in many cases, but many long-term investors tend to look at more conservative fiscal policy in companies as a good practice and a sign they should invest.

Perhaps the market is going through a needed case of the jitters and the U.S indices are showing that brighter days are ahead, even if there are storm clouds that still must be dealt with regarding inflation and possible recession.The long-term horizon tends to always be more optimistic. Day traders may not be able to take advantage of quick hitting trades, but what about changing perspective and looking for more patient results by being more conservative as a speculator? Or maybe investors in the stock market are wrong and another violent selling surge will return into equities, but what if it doesn’t.

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NASDAQ 100 Index Five Year Chart as of 19th May 2023

There is a fear among mid-size brokers that trading volumes in many sectors are dropping. Showing cautious investor sentiment on the retail front – which may be a healthy reaction in many respects because it is hard to read momentum right now. Day traders tend to get killed by the daily gyrations of Forex and equities in choppy markets because they are using too much leverage. However, historically when retail traders have turned cautious, this is when institutional trading houses have tended to do remarkably well. Investment houses can take on more risks in markets that are perceived as nervous and fragile, because they have a longer time horizon and more cash to absorb momentary losses.

Commodity prices are also intriguing because after hitting highs nearly one year ago in May and June of 2022, the ratios of many broad commodity indices have come down and values are traversing near late 2021 levels. Which brings us to the consideration that global demand for physical resources are limited because corporations are not making large purchases of commodities, this as they wait on better manufacturing demand for their products. This may appear contradictory and create nervous behavioral sentiment for traders, but cautious business practices are a way to make sure there is enough money for the future when conditions turn optimistic again.

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Wemby to the Spurs, but is VW 1st Round in Fantasy Basketball

by with No Comment BasketballFeatured HighlightsGaming

Wemby to the Spurs, but is VW 1st Round in Fantasy Basketball

The San Antonio Spurs landed the top NBA Draft pick which will be held on the 22nd of June. The top pick will be Victor Wembanyama. There will be no drama regarding the choice. After Wembanyama is named at the Barclays Center in New York, the audience could get a surprise regarding the selection of the number two pick which seems to a decision between Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller.

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When the San Antonio Spurs took David Robinson in the 1987 NBA Draft they improved by 35 wins in his first season, this after only winning 28 games in the 86-87 season. When the Spurs drafted Tim Duncan in the 1997 NBA Draft, their win total during an injury plagued year for Robinson in the 96-97 campaign was 20 wins. The Spurs won 56 games in Duncan’s first year and made it to the Conference Semi-Finals when they lost to the Utah Jazz.

The Spurs have had amazing luck being able to draft Robinson, Duncan and now Wembanyama. The question is how many games will they improve by during the 23-24 NBA campaign? San Antonio won 22 games this past season. A surge of 25 additional wins would not be shocking. Can the Spurs win 50?

An other interesting question many folks who play fantasy basketball are starting to ask is, will you be willing to take Victor Wembanyama in the first round of your fantasy league? Will he be good enough to make an immediate impact?

VW is certainly going to be entertaining, but are you bold enough to take him in the first round? You might be inclined to take Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic and Antetokounmpo before Wembanyama, but will you let him slide much past those fellows? It is likely VW will go in many first rounds of fantasy basketball this coming season, selected by fans who have been following his development in Europe. Folks who want to say Victor Wembanyama is only 19 years old should remember he has already played three years of professional basketball in Europe.

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Sudden Bullish Momentum of Indian Rupee Raises Questions

by with No Comment AMT MarketsCentral BanksFeatured Highlights

Sudden Bullish Momentum of Indian Rupee Raises Questions

The past week of trading within the USD/INR has seen a bullish trend emerge, this while many speculators were likely starting to believe lower price realms and targets were possible.

The USD/INR is trading near the 82.2200 mark as of this writing, which is within the higher elements of its one month price range. Volatility within the USD/INR has been abundant the past week and has likely proven expensive for speculators who were pursuing the currency pair with visions of more bearish price action to target. Early May values of the USD/INR certainly tested lows and likely fueled the appeal of selling positions. However, the early May lows within the Forex pair tested the 81.6260 mark, while never actually hitting April’s lowest values which tested the 81.5500 ratio on a couple of occasions.

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USD/INR One Month Chart as of 16th May 2023

One of the dangers of trading is always the potential for a sudden change in behavioral sentiment. The lows in the USD/INR seen on the 8th of May, which is only a little bit more than a week ago, highlights the price velocity the currency pair has demonstrated. While many speculators are trying to understand why the sudden shift in dynamics has taken place, it is important to remember the USD/INR was actually trading above its current values in February, March and early April of this year.

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USD/INR Five Day Chart as of 16th of May 2023

The Difference between Day Traders and Financial Institutions

The outlook of speculators within the USD/INR is totally different than financial institutions. This is because most speculators are short and near-term traders. They do not have deep pockets like financial institutions – which can hold the USD/INR in a chosen direction for a long period of time and simply allow the currency pair to trade until they want to cash out of a position. Day traders are also using leverage a lot of the time, and the combination of leverage with limited available trading funds makes the daily gyrations of trading volatile and frequently dangerous.

Short-term traders look at the USD/INR with a technical viewpoint much of the time, financial institutions are likely maneuvering in the Forex pair with fundamental perspectives and inside knowledge based on known transactions they have to accomplish.

Many financial houses believe the U.S Federal Reserve will have to become less aggressive regarding its hawkish interest rate stance it has maintained the past year and a half. However there is enough nervousness within the broad Forex markets to make things very difficult for day traders, this as the potential for risk adverse trading based on economic data results move currency pairs including the USD/INR constantly, particularly if a financial institution needs to react quickly.

The ability of the USD/INR to move downward and hit support depths at the beginning of last week, may indeed be a sign that financial institutions have a belief the currency pair should be lower. However, the recent strength of the USD the past handful of days may have been brought on by the simple notion that financial houses grew momentarily nervous. There is also the possibility that large corporations made transactions in the USD/INR that moved the price higher. Day traders must understand there are forces within the USD/INR that are much stronger than their opinions. The USD/INR is not a widely traded currency pair in the open markets, it is difficult for instance to trade the currency pair in a speculative manner within India and traders in the nation face restrictions, which forces many Indian speculators who want to wager on the USD/INR to seek foreign brokers abroad.

Data and Rumors Can Sometimes be False Flags for USD/INR Traders

Some analysts have claimed the recent move higher in the USD/INR has taken place because of factors like a fear of the U.S debt ceiling not being raised in time and causing chaos in the financial markets, however this if true is likely only a short-term worry. It is very unlikely the U.S government is ‘idiotic’ enough to allow the U.S debt ceiling to not be taken care of within Congress. It would be very problematic for the U.S Federal Reserve and Treasury to have to explain why U.S bonds are suddenly difficult to repay. In other words, the U.S debt ceiling is likely to be taken care of and many financial institutions with a long-term view know this, although it is a possibility they could ‘punish’ the financial markets and act in a risk adverse manner in the short-term.

Data from the U.S yesterday highlighted another important aspect again regarding behavioral sentiment. The U.S Empire State Manufacturing Index reading came in with a negative number of minus -31.8. The expected result was -3.7, the report shows that New York business activity and outlook is worse than forecasted. This doesn’t mean the entire U.S manufacturing sector will have the same results, but it underscores the potential for a U.S recession to possibly occur. Today the U.S will release Retail Sales numbers. If these numbers come in with a negative result this could spur on bearish sentiment within the USD/INR in the near-term, particularly if financial institutions feel the results are more evidence the U.S Federal Reserve will have to pause interest rate hikes in June. USD/INR day traders should be ready for more choppiness. But there is reason to suspect resistance above in the currency pair may start to prove durable from a speculative point of view considering the trading results the past month in the USD/INR.

Traders wishing to pursue the USD/INR need to use solid risk management. Entry price orders will help traders get a ‘fill’ they are expecting and the use of stop loss and take profit tactics are highly encouraged. The past week of trading in the USD/INR has likely tested the nerves of many speculators and the assault on highs is alarming, but downside price action may be ready to reignite if U.S economic data continues to falter in the near-term.

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Economic Data and Underlying Factors this Week

by with No Comment AMT MarketsAssetsFeatured Highlights

Economic Data and Underlying Factors this Week

Monday 15th of May, U.S Empire State Manufacturing – N.Y manufacturing sector report regarding business conditions, which serves as a sentiment reading. A lackluster outcome could put a bit more pressure on the Federal Reserve to lessen their aggressive stance, and certainly point out nervousness among U.S corporations regarding profits.

Monday 15th of May, U.S TIC Long-Term Purchases – report shows results from between domestic and international purchases of U.S Treasuries. While not considered a major data release, this one could give an impetus to investors in U.S banking sector who may find intriguing potential correlations. An increase in the number of domestic purchases compared to international buyers would be of interest. Large dark shadows on the U.S mid and small size banking sector still exists, pressures boil as depositors are still considering parking their money elsewhere, and corporate share values remain fragile.

Tuesday 16th of May, China Industrial Production and Retail Sales – China economic results are a barometer of global health due to the fact the nation is a large supplier of worldwide products. Industrial Production results if they are lagging in China, would indicate decreasing demand and global economic weakness. Retail Sales figures from China is an indicator of consumer sentiment within the nation.

Tuesday 16th of May, U.S Retail Sales – results indicate buying power and confidence among U.S consumers. Underlying numbers also focus on how Americans are spending, in other words – are they paying the full price being asked or are they looking for discounted goods as inflation continues to hit wallets.

Wednesday 17th of May, Japan Preliminary Gross Domestic Product – No real surprises expected from Japan’s growth numbers, but the results are always appealing to economists who debate the nation’s ability to remain among the wealthiest without any truly outstanding GDP numbers produced in years. In other words a lot of noise for traders without much real impact.

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WTI Crude Oil – One Month Chart as of 14th May 2023

Wednesday 17th of May, U.S Crude Oil Inventories – another report that seems important for commodities traders, but without any real surprises has limited impact. Many times even among WTI Crude Oil speculators, they are often looking at other data they have gathered like production numbers from OPEC, Mexico and Canada. And also oil tanker movements around the globe.

Thursday 18th of May, Australia Employment Change and Unemployment Rate – outcome from these numbers could factor into AUD/USD momentarily, but without a major surprise will likely have little impact on global speculators for more than a couple of hours.

Thursday 18th of May, U.S Existing Home Sales – housing numbers are under some scrutiny as they reflect behavior of current U.S home owners as they react to growing interest rate pressures on mortgages and stay within their current homes to avoid higher borrowing costs.

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Spiral Downward of South African Rand as Confidence Weakens

by with No Comment AMT MarketsBehavioral SentimentFeatured Highlights

Spiral Downward of South African Rand as Confidence Weakens

The USD/ZAR has hit a bad milestone today as the bullish trend of the currency pair has toppled the 19.00000 mark momentarily, this as the USD has shown weakness against many other major currencies in the past week because financial institutions are positioning for a more dovish tone from the U.S Federal Reserve as they wager the U.S central bank may pause its interest rate hikes. In other words, the South Africa Rand is trading in the wrong direction.

The USD/ZAR is now languishing near the 19.00000 ratio as behavioral sentiment continues to show signs of nervous exhaustion regarding the perceived political ineptness of the South African government. Nearly one month ago on the 14th of April, the USD/ZAR was slightly below 18.00000.

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USD/ZAR One Month Chart as of 11th May 2023

South African Government is Perceived as Corrupt and Ineffective and this Hurts the USD/ZAR

The non-correlation of the USD/ZAR to the broader Forex market is not happening because financial institutions believe in the overall long-term strength of the USD, it is happening because dark shadows loom over the South African Rand. The darkness hovering over the Rand is occurring because of mismanagement within the South African political system, and it’s inability to deliver a reliable electricity supply to citizens and businesses domestically due to a combination of corruption and criminal activity.

The people of South Africa have plenty to be proud of because their country is one of the most beautiful in the world geographically, and it has abundant natural resources. The nation has been a pioneer regarding science and commercial enterprise in the past. However, political opportunism and neglect have led to a quagmire that has muddled the nation’s infrastructure into a nightmarish state. Loadshedding – which is the South Africa government’s term for rolling blackouts, continues to get worse and winter is approaching. Outages of electricity have steadily hit Stage 6 lately with worse loadshedding feared on the horizon. There looks to be little respite coming as electrical stoppages are happening two to three times a day, and communities are going without electrical power for up to four hours during each halt of energy. These rolling blackouts also happen daily, it is not like they are only happening once a week. Businesses of all sizes are being hurt because of a lack of production. Businesses that burn diesel via generators to power their enterprises are suffering financially due to the high costs and a dramatic loss of profits.

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USD/ZAR One Year Chart as of 11th May 2023

Long-Term Outlook is in Question as USD/ZAR suffers from Political Peril

The loss of value in the USD/ZAR has been going on for a long time and no technical charts are inspiring confidence. The South African Rand which used to be considered among the best currencies within developing nations is now compared unfavorably. Mismanagement of the economy within South Africa has led the Rand to be associated to the likes of the Turkish Lira. Financial institutions have little reason to trust the effectiveness and long-term value of the South African Rand until concrete political changes are made, which end alleged corruption and cronyism and that seemingly look blindly on criminal activity within crucial infrastructures.

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USD/ZAR Five Year Chart as of 11th May 2023

The South African Rand is not the Argentine Peso in terms of misdeeds and mismanagement, but there is a growing fear that political ineffectiveness, a lack of transparency and a poor reputation are making economic conditions worse. The last and only time the USD/ZAR traded above the 19.00000 level before was at the height of coronavirus. Yes, the value of the USD/ZAR improved from that apex of late March 2020, and the currency pair touched the 13.45000 ratio in late May of 2021. However, nearly two years later the USD/ZAR has returned to a value that shows a supreme lack of confidence exists regarding the outlook for the South Africa economy, this as Gold trades above 2000.00 USD per ounce.

 
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NBA Draft Lottery and Victor Wembanyama #1

by with No Comment BasketballCultureFeatured Highlights

NBA Draft Lottery and Victor Wembanyama #1

You have likely heard plenty of talk about Victor Wembanyama if you are a basketball fan. Perhaps you still do not believe the potential talent the youngster may bring to the NBA for the 2023-2024 season, but rest assured NBA teams with the capability of landing the ‘definite’ number one pick in this year’s draft are paying attention.

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Whoever finishes with the Top Pick in this Year’s Draft will be Celebrating

The NBA lottery will be held on the 16th of May, and there are a handful of teams that have the potential to land VW with reasonable odds. Detroit, Houston, San Antonio, Charlotte and Portland have the best chance of landing the first pick in the lottery due to their respective finishes. There are an additional handful of teams with a very limited chance of miraculously coming out on top and winding up with the number one pick after those teams, but their respective odds are slim.

No one is going to consider trading the rights to this year’s NBA top pick. The team that is lucky enough to land the rights to Victor Wembanyama is going to become a more valuable franchise instantly when the lottery order is known. Likely by an extra half a billion USD, because television, merchandise and advertising rights will increase demand immediately in all facets of business for the lucky team. And Victor Wembanyama knows his financial value too.

The run up to the LeBron James draft in 2003 was special and teams anticipated the results nervously. Somehow and ‘magically’ the Cleveland Cavaliers finished first in the draft lottery. However, the Cavaliers did have a 22.50% chance of landing the top pick, even though conspiracy minded NBA fans still find it more than coincidental that the Ohio native found his way to the Cavaliers so easily while ‘fresh’ out of high school.

This year’s top three teams have a 14.0% chance each, Charlotte the number four team has a 12.5% opportunity, and the Portland Trailblazers have a 10.5% ability. Victor Wembanyama is from France and he has expressed no desire to play for a specific team in the NBA. Outside of the top five teams who could somehow have a ‘lucky star’ strike and land Victor Wembanyama next season are Orlando, Indiana, Washington, Utah, Dallas and a few others with a limited and dwindling chance in the lottery sweepstakes.

Victor Wembanyama’s Draft Rights will Not be Traded to Anyone

If you want hyperbole regarding how good Victor Wembanyama’s NBA ceiling could be, consider that there is likely no NBA player currently playing who could be traded for VW one for one. I am not kidding, this includes Giannis, KD, Steph Curry, Jokic and Joel Embiid. You might scoff and laugh at what has been written with derision, but I am willing to bet the team that lands the top pick for Wembanyama would not be willing to trade his rights, unless not only a Tier 1 top 5 player was offered, but an assortment of draft choices and other players were included too, besides a lot of cash.

Perhaps Wembanyama will fail miserably, perhaps he will get hurt in the future, but his ability to be productive in the NBA is hypothetically off the charts. I believe he will be one of the most productive NBA players of all-time and I have watched a ‘bit’ of basketball. A plausible combination of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Kevin Durant as the hybrid is the amount of potential to consider. Wembanyama is a legitimate 7’4″ inches, he can dribble, shoot, run, cut, react quickly – twitch movement, moves his feet well and is balanced. He also plays defense while looking a bit like a praying mantis and possesses a ‘killer’ mentality. There is no doubt Victor Wembanyama will go first in the draft which will be held on the 22nd of June. The real story is who will land his rights next week on Tuesday, the 16th of May. You will hear the city that lands the top pick roar.

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Economic Data that needs Attention this Week

by with No Comment Central BanksDataFeatured Highlights

Economic Data that needs Attention this Week

Tuesday 8th of May, U.S FOMC Member Speaks – N.Y Federal Reserve President John Williams will talk at the New York Economic Club. N.Y Fed is important regarding monetary policy particularly for financial institutions. Williams words should be given merit. Williams will also be likely listened to for any comments regarding U.S corporate banking health regarding mid-size and smaller institutions.

Wednesday 9th of May, U.S Consumer Price Index reports – three key inflation consumer price statistics will be published including monthly, annual and core monthly changes. The results will be important taking into consideration the manner the U.S Federal Reserve conducted its ‘sitting on the fence’ rhetoric last week, as if looking for an accuse to continue to raise interest rates if inflation remains stubborn or worse continues to climb.

Thursday 10th of May, U.K BoE Monetary Policy Summary and Official Bank Rate – which is expected to produce another increase of 0.25%.

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GBP/USD One Month Chart as of 7th of May 2023

Friday 11th of May, U.K Gross Domestic Product – growth numbers from the U.K are expected to demonstrate economic conditions remain challenging.

Friday 11th of May, U.S Preliminary University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment – a rise in consumer sentiment from this report could add to the confusion and ‘concern’ that financial institutions have regarding the U.S Federal Reserve’s short term monetary policy regarding the prospects for a June increase to the Federal Funds Rate. If the number is weaker than expected this could help ‘pause’ outlooks.

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Pay Attention to Mid-Size Banking Noise

by with No Comment AMT MarketsFeatured HighlightsRisk Analysis

Pay Attention to Mid-Size Banking Noise

About a week and a half ago the U.S Federal Reserve ‘admitted’ they made a mistake regarding their oversight of Silicon Valley Bank. In essence, the Fed used the sports phrase that sprung to life in the early 2000’s by baseball players who said, “my bad”, as if by admitting when they made a mental error on the field it would soon be forgiven. “What a good guy”, some folks would say as a player took responsibility, but their team would lose the game.

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Gold 3 month chart as of 5th May 2023

The question for the Fed is what will they say when other so-called mid-size and smaller banks start to crumble from duress? The Federal Funds Rate was increased again this week by an expected 0.25% and the corporate banking sector in the U.S is under strain. Many banks are seeing share values on Wall Street disappear as they watch their trading screens with alarm.

Let’s not get caught up in hyperbole, or scare mongering, but these banks and the Federal Reserve have simply proven again they have no real grasp regarding risk analysis and what to do when the proverbial ‘fluff’ hits the fan. It is easy to point fingers now, yes, but the writing has been on the wall. It is much easier to make money for a bank when money is cheap. Little to no interest rates allowed banks to be speculative – compared to an environment when the lending rate is high and folks do not borrow, or pay back slowly. Deposits are also dwindling because bonds and other assets have become attractive for ‘clients’ who want to park their money elsewhere to earn better returns. The middle class and lower class are under pressure and small businesses are too as mid-size banks get nervous.

In the FOMC Statement this week which was somehow a unanimous decision – no dissension is a bad sign ladies and gentlemen – the Fed stated “The U.S. banking system is sound and resilient. Tighter credit conditions for households and businesses are likely to weigh on economic activity, hiring, and inflation…..” However, they also pointed out that inflation remains ‘elevated’. And let’s dissect the banking is sound statement, the Federal Reserve did not elaborate. They surely cannot mean the mid-size and smaller banking sector which is losing value almost daily because of struggling corporate share values are sturdy. Financial houses of various types are clearly betting these banks will come under immense weight because interest rates remain high.

Oh, and borrowing costs can still go higher, because let’s face it, inflation is not going away soon. The Fed has helped ramp up inflation by creating ‘import inflation’ as they have ‘killed’ foreign currencies values. If you are a fan of body language watch Fed Chairman Jerome Powell answer questions during the Fed Press Conference from this Wednesday the 3rd of May, when pushed on details regarding the mid-size banking sector and the future of interest rates. He didn’t put his hand up in the air and say, “my bad”, but it would not have been surprising, however it did look like he wanted to walk off of the field. The stadium packed with depositors within mid-sized and smaller banks should be prepared to show their disdain. Middle America should be unwilling to take this loss.

No historical events are exactly similar, but the Fed and its continued ability to put on ‘blinders’ as the corporate mid-size banking sector in the U.S potentially cracks, smells eerily similar to what happened during the financial crisis of 2007 and 2008 when rumors became strong whispers and then turned into a nightmare. Please say hello to the possibility of another massive bailout from the U.S government, because J.P Morgan, BlackRock and other ‘banking’ mammoths do not have enough capital to keep everyone liquid and safe.

Nervous behavioral sentiment is rising its head and looking out over a dangerous landscape. Middle America should be prepared to react to the potential that their neighborhood banks might be in trouble. And the U.S had also better get ready for the very ugly word ‘stagflation’.

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Gut Feeling about Fed June Hike, Perhaps Wrong

by with No Comment AMT MarketsCentral BanksFeatured Highlights

Gut Feeling about Fed June Hike, Perhaps Wrong

I have a distinct feeling the U.S Federal Reserve is going to suggest via their FOMC Statement tomorrow that another increase of the Federal Funds Rate is likely going to happen in June. I could definitely be wrong, but my gut instinct is rumbling.

Inflation Remains a Sincere Problem Per the Fed’s Thinking

Wage data demonstrated last Friday via U.S Personal Income that inflation remains stronger than expected. Yesterday’s ISM Manufacturing Prices reading also spiked to 53.2 versus the expectation of only 49.4. The increases shown within these economic reports will not please the Federal Reserve.

While a hike tomorrow is nearly a certainty, the Forex market remains rather unimpressed with the potential for an increase on the 14th of June. Behavioral sentiment has shown a rather polite USD actually losing momentum the past few days. Caution has seeped into the USD today, but are financial institutions too relaxed regarding a potential hike by the Fed in June?

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USD/AUD 5 Day Chart as of the 2nd May 2023

Reserve Bank of Australia’s Hike Earlier Today Caught Many Folks Unready

The Reserve Bank of Australia’s hike today, may be another sign the U.S Fed will not only hike tomorrow, but in June as well. What are the chances the Federal Reserve hinted strongly to the RBA, that if they wanted to protect the value of the AUD that an increase would be justified in order to guard against the Fed’s rhetoric to come? The Australian hike caught a lot of financial houses and day traders unprepared as the USD/AUD spiked lower this morning, for proof of the surprise simply look at the gap created downward today on the five day chart of the currency pair.

The RBA hiked their Cash Rate by 0.25% from 3.60% to 3.85% while sighting stubborn inflation as a main cause. Nothing is certain, but if the Federal Reserve’s FOMC Statement is rather strong tomorrow and says it will still consider a June increase perhaps we should not be shocked. Central banks do share information with one another.

Early February’s Rhetoric from the Fed wasn’t Treated Seriously at First Glance

Coincidentally, the Fed’s increase in early February was two days before the Non-Farm Employment Change and Average Hourly Earnings were reported on the 3rd of February. On the 1st of February the Federal Reserve warned that inflation remained stubborn, but the market didn’t take their words too seriously as the USD traded rather politely following the anticipated interest rate hike.

However, the USD gained violently the day after when Fed officials began to reiterate the strong tone from Fed Chairman Jerome Powell from the day before. And then stronger than expected jobs numbers followed on Friday. Note, that the Non-Farm Employment Change and Average Hourly Earnings will be published this coming Friday.

The Federal Reserve remains in a difficult position, a hike tomorrow will bring the Federal Funds Rate up to 5.25%, a June hike may not be welcomed by the broad financial markets, particularly equities in the near-term, but people may want to consider the possibility of it happening. Day traders should brace for strong price velocity developing. Tomorrow’s Forex action will be violent for speculators who are not ready, and if the Fed suggests a potential hike to 5.50% in June perhaps we should not be stunned.