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Market Volatility Concerns While Deflecting Noise From Afar

Market Volatility Concerns While Deflecting Noise From Afar

S&P 500 Six Month Chart as of 27th February 2025

The phrase if it bleed it leads is a fixture regarding the world of media. People and their companies want your attention. The addition of Donald Trump to the White House helps those that are content to see him in office, but it also helps those who oppose him because it gives his detractors a centerpiece to a lot of their ‘insights’. Perspectives abound and while watching the financial markets, we are bombarded with loud opinions formed by folks vying for our time. In many cases they are also trying to attract our money.

Wall Street has seen choppy results the past week, but speculators need to remain objective and not allow distractions to destroy their ability to gauge the marketplace. When looked upon with a mid-term reference it is rather easy to define the results upwards in the stock indices from the U.S have been rather good. There is no guarantee you are going to make money speculating. Losses occur and they do not only happen to speculators but they happen to investors too.

Timeframe speculative management and separating the noise from facts is difficult enough under normal circumstances. However, because of the notion if it ‘bleeds it leads’ which is dominating media for the moment, we are within a cycle when influencers can use headlines to catch our attention. Perhaps they believe what they say, perhaps they are trying to guide us towards a product, or perhaps they simply enjoy predicting misfortune.

EUR/USD Six Month Chart as of 27th February 2025

Yesterday during President Trump’s cabinet meeting when asked about the E.U, Trump stated a proclamation of love for Europe, but then added that the E.U was a special economic case and has been getting away with a lot of things like expensive tariffs on the import of U.S cars. He also said the E.U was created to compete with the U.S – though this needs to be taken into context and that Trump meant this only as a trade competitor.

Nearly as quickly as Trump made his statement, some began to use this loose remark as a narrative that the EUR/USD was struggling because of these new worries. Fears about a massive trade war were sounded from some legitimate but overly contrived media sources. Yet, a trade war between the U.S and E.U isn’t going to happen ladies and gentlemen.

The fact is that the EUR/USD has been struggling for a handful of months and is starting to show signs that support levels are durable. The greater likelihood is that financial institutions believe the EUR/USD is oversold and have a bullish perspective for the currency pair over the mid-term. Yes, Europe continues to produce lackluster economic data, but a lot of the value in the EUR/USD has had risk adverse concerns priced in already. Looking for upside from the currency pair around its current levels is not farfetched. Downside risks look limited compared to upside potential.

Once again the financial media who want your attention were given click bait material to get you to react. Day traders need to understand they are constantly being sold not only false narratives but false opportunities too. Speculators looking for profits with quick hitting trades can make money, but many times they lose money because they are working in conditions in which they do not have enough control of their emotions. Day traders should clearly understand they are operating within a gambling universe when they attempt to trade Forex, equities, Indices, commodities and needless to say cryptocurrency.

Traders must work on improving their decision making process. They need to take into consideration their perceptions of the financial landscape, but also understand what their counterparts are thinking too. Financial institutions certainly trade for short-term results, but they are also operating with mid-term outlooks. The likelihood that they are worried about an onslaught of tariffs from the Trump administration is contained by the realization that the current President of the U.S negotiates using tough methods. The bombastic hyperbole of President Trump’s business techniques are not loved by everyone, but they often get the job done regarding his intended desires.

So what should you do? First of all relax with a deep breath. The world is not coming to an end. The financial landscape is not facing a cataclysmic scenario. Many volatile financial events have been seen throughout time. Traders need to understand that the market action on the SP500, Dow30, and Nasdaq are vulnerable to selloffs occasionally that can last for unknown durations which makes daily speculative wagering prone to significant cash losses. This is why investors who have different perspectives regarding timeframes and take a slow and steady approach often come out better than folks who are merely gambling.

Day traders need to eliminate as much noise as possible. This is done with solid risk taking tactics using methods which involve knowledge gained through experience, and knowing that not everything they are hearing is meant to help. Practice a trading mantra by having realistic price targets, chosen timeframes, conservative leverage; using entry orders helps, adding stop loss and take profit orders to get out of positions are vital too.

The mid-term outlook for the EUR/USD and the stock markets likely remains bullish in the eyes of financial institutions. There are many factors in trading, and the virtues of patience and knowledge help considerably. Again, remain calm because while the financial markets often react to shortcomings via human fallibility, they frequently become optimistic once again.

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AMT Top Ten Miscellaneous Items on the 21st September 2024

AMT Top Ten Miscellaneous Items on the 21st September 2024

10. Shohei Ohtani: The slugger hit another home run last night bringing his total to 52 for the season. There is more than a week of regular season action remaining. Incredibly, if Ohtani pitches next season while also hitting, his current statistics could be outshined. The Dodgers pitching staff is in tatters as the MLB playoffs approach, and it has been opined that Ohtani could pitch in the postseason. However, this option is highly unlikely. Ohtani is an outstanding athlete and has surpassed many expectations.

9. Beep, Beep: The purchasing of technology, including their production and logistics sources are likely coming into question in many diverse places around the globe. The detonation of pagers and walkie talkies used by the terrorist group Hezbollah which is largely based in Lebanon has certainly created panic about vulnerabilities. Contemplation in many nations regarding the buying of equipment that could be prone to spyware and other harmful acts is a reality.

8. Michael J. Saylor: MicroStrategy led by its Executive Chairman has added to their Bitcoin holdings. MicroStrategy is reported to have around 252,220 Bitcoins. The current value of BTC/USD is around 63,000 as of this writing. Part of Saylor’s love for Bitcoin rests in his belief that value is due to scarcity, and secure durability as a store of value technologically. However, each Bitcoin holds 100 million Satoshis, the units each Bitcoin is divided by digitally as source code. Even if conservatively there are only 15 million Bitcoin in circulation in ten years time, 15 million times 100 million is 1.5e + 15, meaning more than a quadrillion Satoshis in circulation. That is not scarcity, particularly when quantum computers could create lightning quick digital trading via coding sources. The premise and concern for a major devaluation in Bitcoin is legitimate. Do you disagree?

7: Equity: Intel has apparently been made a sales offer by Qualcomm. Intel’s market cap is 93.19 billion USD, and Qualcomm’s is 188.18 billion USD. The biggest shareholders of Intel are Vanguard, Blackrock and State Street, interestingly enough Qualcomm’s three biggest shareholders are identical. So if the largest shareholders are practically alike, it comes down to a management question, can Qualcomm run Intel better?

6. Closer: The U.S election will be in a little over six weeks times. The race for the White House according to many polls is very close and the outcome will depend on important swing States. There is still enough time for Harris and Trump to pick up votes, but also enough time for each to unwittingly make an error which can cost votes. Not only is the White House up for grabs, but the House and Senate are at stake too for the Democrats and Republicans.

5. Europe’s ability to put on blinders as the Ukraine and Russia battle in a not so distant land, and bickering between E.U nations while finding no solutions for the conflict have many historical comparisons within the continent. The ability to look the other way as chaos grows and inflicts harm on neighbors has a long tradition in Europe. Since the Middle Ages into the present Europe has a significant track record of negotiating harmony and procuring tenuous treaties, which eventually lead to additional discord.

4. USD/JPY: The currency pair closed at nearly 143.850 yesterday. Analysts are trying to create narratives regarding the climb higher the past handful of days, this after the USD/JPY touched the 139.600 level approximately last Monday. Here’s the thing: financial institutions that trade the Japanese Yen had positioned for a more dovish Federal Reserve and more hawkish BoJ. The Fed delivered their end of the bargain on Wednesday, confirming actions which had already been factored into the currency pair. The USD/JPY ‘correction’ higher is within equilibrium that financial institutions have to recalibrate as they make their new mid-term outlooks and decide how to shift their cash forward positions incrementally. The move higher has not been massive and is a natural reaction as large players rearrange their commercial paper. Incremental is the key word.

3. Energy Calm: WTI Crude Oil and Brent Oil continue to trade slightly above their lower price realms, which saw long-term values in the second week of September tested. Current ratios are still flirting with technical considerations seen in the late spring of 2023. While hyperbole is communicated far and wide regarding potential Black Swan events in the Middle East which could cause Crude Oil to increase rapidly, the energy resources remain rather tranquil and seemingly transfixed on concerns about mid-term demand globally due to recessionary pressures.

2. All-Time Highs: Gold created new record values going into this weekend near 2,622.00. In September of 2022, gold was trading near 1,600.00 USD per ounce. The move higher in the precious metal has come on the heels of global inflation. Some also correctly point to a distrust of global central banks and fiscal concerns regarding the world’s largest economies. The bullish run upwards in gold has been significant and the commodity will remain an important store of value for investors. Speculatively, some short and mid-term traders are wondering about gold’s ability to maintain a trajectory skywards and if sideways price action and possible downturns will ensue for a while. Long-term investors remain serene.

1. Applause: The Federal Reserve issued an aggressive interest rate cut of 0.50%. The Fed seemingly is acting as if they are trying to please financial institutions because of past incompetence. The U.S central bank now needs economic data to behave according to their prescribed outlooks. What could go wrong? Another Federal Funds Rate cut is likely in November, after that a lot will depend on behavioral sentiment and data which may be affected by as of yet unknown leadership from the White House starting in early 2025. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell sounded almost too optimistic about the U.S economy during his Press Conference this past Wednesday. The U.S Final GDP numbers coming this Thursday will prove interesting, the growth numbers carry an expected gain of 2.9%.

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Fed Plays Catch Up and Sets a Calm Table for Day Traders

Fed Plays Catch Up and Sets a Calm Table for Day Traders

The Fed essentially played a game of catch up on Wednesday when they cut the Federal Funds Rate by 0.50%. The interest rate cut was bigger than AMT expected because of the Fed’s rather cautious stance the past handful of years. However, the move by the FOMC was certainly justified and welcomed, and now financial institutions have been given what most thought was bound to happen, a roadmap to at least a 0.75% Federal Funds Rate cut over the next six months. Longer term many believe the Fed will continue to be aggressively dovish if U.S economic conditions cooperate.

USD/JPY One Year Chart on the 20th of Sept. 2024

Traders certainly seem to be leaning into the notion another 0.25% will be trimmed by the Federal Reserve in November. And this sets the table for day traders to now face potentially calmer market conditions that react solely to economic data, geopolitical events and the occasional flashes of news. The U.S presidential election will certainly be a big event on the 5th of November. Long-term investors are likely feeling rather tranquil and have not been surprised. Behavioral sentiment over the next month should be easier to gauge.

USD Cash Index One Year Chart on the 20th of Sept. 2024

So what happens near-term? The Bank of Japan today, like the BoE yesterday, stood in place. The USD/JPY is trading near 142.300 as of this writing. The GBP/USD is near 1.32890. Gold is hovering near 2,600.00 and WTI Crude Oil is approximately 72.00 USD. Perhaps short-term traders should keep one eye on the Middle East this weekend, but for the moment it doesn’t appear a major escalation is about to ignite in the region. Yes, there is saber rattling, but composure may actually prevail. Those looking for a sudden emergence of a strong USD trend may find that headwinds keep the greenback within the lower realms of the USD Cash Index.

Gold One Year Chart on the 20th of Sept. 2024

Next week’s U.S GDP numbers on Thursday the 26th, and the Core PCE Price Index results on Friday the 27th will get plenty of attention. What the Fed and financial institutions would like to see are stable economic numbers which do not spark fears of a recession. The almighty ‘soft landing’ being pursued by the Federal Reserve is likely being hoped for too by financial institutions via their mid-term outlooks.

The Federal Reserve is supposed to be an independent entity not associated with the Executive Branch of the U.S government regarding oversight. There has been some bantering about the potential that the Fed cut by 0.50% before the U.S elections and Powell proclaimed the U.S economy is doing well to help the Democrats, but this is unlikely. Conspiracy thinking aside, the broad markets are now going to be a barometer regarding economic outlook based on data such as growth, jobs numbers and inflation; clarity regarding a more dovish Fed has been delivered in many respects, data has to justify their decision moving forward.

Day traders may have the ability to follow their technical charts and gather behavioral sentiment perspectives over the next month serenely by watching barometers like gold and U.S Treasury yields. As the U.S election draws closer financial institutions may start to position for potential outcomes, but with polls indicating a tight race currently they would be foolish to bet on one particular outcome. Meaning the broad markets including equity indices, Forex, U.S Treasury yields and even commodities may be moving within fairly priced equilibriums for the moment.

As the Dow 30 and S&P 500 move within record heights, the Nasdaq 100 is slightly below its all-time highs. Yet, it should be remembered the Nasdaq 100 still has done remarkably well the past year and although not at an apex level has the potential to scale upwards quickly. Optimism for the moment seems to be driving the financial markets and day traders should keep this in mind. However, speculators should remember risk management is essential, not over leveraging ideal, and keeping realistic price targets remains always important.

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Summer Optimism as Forex and Equities Focus on Fall Outlooks

Summer Optimism as Forex and Equities Focus on Fall Outlooks

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell admitted the obvious at the Kansas City’s Fed’s Jackson Hole Symposium last Friday. The realization the U.S Federal Reserve is going to cut interest rates confirmed what many financial institutions had positioned their trading desks for via forward cash Forex contracts over the past month.

USD Cash Index One Year Chart on the 27th August 2024

The USD has been expected to grow weaker by many people because most knew the Fed would have to state a September rate cut would be delivered. The question that was also somewhat answered is the notion if the Fed will also cut in November. Though Powell certainly did not say a rate cut would happen in November, his rhetoric made it clear the Federal Reserve is considering a dovish perspective which could translate into additional cuts down the road.

The Fed has been criticized for being too passive and while Powell can be congratulated for his rather unemotional Federal Reserve leadership, he and the Fed can certainly be faulted for not reacting quickly enough to ‘transitory’ inflation and then not responding until this past weekend to the need for cutting interest rates with dovish rhetoric. Let’s also remember the U.S Treasury (government) is on the line to pay exorbitant costs for debt repayments because of bad U.S fiscal policy.

As an interesting related side note, the head of the Brazilian Central Bank, Roberto Campos Neto, made a strong appeal for governments to be fiscally responsible while speaking at the Jackson Hole Symposium this past weekend. While he could have been talking to any number of nations regarding spending, his points were obviously meant to highlight his disagreements with the Brazilian government led by Lula da Silva and the Workers Party. Roberto Campos-Neto stated that approximately 50,000,000 (yes, million) people in Brazil receive government allowances, while only about 43,000,000 people are earning money via employment and business enterprises. Traders who want to keep an eye on the USD/BRL this week may be entertained by the potential volatility within the currency pair which is trading a hair below 5.5000 before it opens today. The USD/BRL has certainly not been correlating to broad Forex USD centric weakness, and demonstrates the internal domestic fight between Lula da Silva and the Brazilian Central Bank regarding fiscal policy.

Jobs data from the U.S has continued to turn negative, particularly via revised reports which are being published rather ‘quietly’ as election season approaches. Yet, financial institutions have been aware of the weaker jobs numbers. While the poor jobs numbers combined with eroding inflation is good for USD centric weakness due to the knowledge the Fed will have to reverse from its rather high interest rates, the question becomes how much per the financial institutions selling of the USD has been acted upon in Forex. Is the USD oversold for the time being? It depends on trading timeframes certainly.

Weaker USD centric positions will need more impetus for further bearish trajectories to be seen near-term. Financial institutions may believe equilibrium is being approached, this because it appears interest rate cuts equaling a 0.50% decline seem to have been factored into Forex. Will the Federal Reserve be put into a position in which they will be able to cut by a full basis point (-1.00%) over the next six months?

Gold Six Month Chart on the 27th of August 2024

Gold is trading near 2,500.00 plus at the time of this writing. Gold has touched higher levels in the past week and is getting a round of applause from its throngs of believers who proclaim the precious metal the ultimate safe haven against inflation and erosion fears via fiat currencies – including the USD. As a reminder, Bitcoin is highly speculative and doesn’t have the historical (thousands of years) track record that gold has acquired.

GBP/USD Five Year Chart on the 27th of August 2024

The EUR and GBP are traversing higher territories not seen in a while. The EUR/USD is near the 1.11700 level, which was last traded in July of 2023, and it has been since 2022 that sustained prices above this current realm have been traded. The GBP/USD is near 1.32000 and is within a value ratio last seen in March of 2022. Central banks will remain in focus as summer ends and the fall trading season gets underway. The ECB will release their Main Refinancing Rate on the 12th of September, the Fed will present the Federal Funds Rate on the 18th, and the BoE will follow suit with the Official Bank Rate on the 19th.

However, those September dates are still a few weeks away and financial institutions do have data this week which could stir Forex, equity indices and U.S Treasuries in the near-term. Day traders often do not have the ability to rely upon mid and long-term outlooks, and instead have to be content with trying to ride the momentum trends being caused by larger players. While the USD weaker outlook is tempting to rely upon, speculators who are looking for quick hitting wagers need to judge technical charts and try to grasp existing behavioral sentiment which can shift rapidly depending on lengths of time.

Traders should remember the U.S will celebrate its Labor Day holiday next Monday, which sets the stage for potential sudden volatility to flourish before big financial institutions in the States leave for their long weekend. The last week of August should be rather tranquil. Certainly most long-term investors feel as if they have more clarity regarding interest rates and will be able to relax. The hope is that the current calm is not the quiet before the storm due to lingering political issues in the U.S, France and elsewhere. And that escalation of the Ukrainian and Russia war, and the Middle East conflict do not cause sudden surges of bedlam.

Economic data events the remainder of this week that should be given consideration includes the U.S CB Consumer Sentiment reading today. Yesterday’s U.S Durable Goods Orders came in with mixed results as the Core number fell by minus -0.2%, but the broad number came in with a substantial gain of 9.9%.

USD/JPY Three Month Chart on the 27th of August 2024

The Bank of Japan has published their Core CPI data today and the outcome came in below expectations with a gain of 1.8% compared to the estimate of 2.1%. The USD/JPY is trading near 144.790 at the time of this writing as it continues to show bearish tendencies. The Bank of Japan which was heavily criticized in many circles may actually be achieving what they have planned, this as they have tried to stimulate stronger export and confront inflation. Their battle is not over yet.

Australian CPI data will be published on Wednesday. And on Thursday, German Preliminary Consumer Price Index numbers will be released. The EUR/USD could react to this report, but the European Single Currency remains highly USD centric. Which sets the table for the U.S Prelim Gross Domestic Product report also on Thursday. The growth number from the U.S could diminish selling considerations for the USD if the report comes in stronger than expected. However, the GDP Price Index and weekly Unemployment Claims from the U.S could also impact short-term behavioral sentiment and cause a bit of turbulence if negative results are published.

Friday will see more CPI numbers from Japan, CPI and GDP numbers from France, and GDP data from Canada. But before going into the long holiday weekend the U.S will present one more major report with its Core PCE Price Index and the monthly statistic is expected to show a slight gain of 0.2%.

China watchers will get Manufacturing PMI numbers early on Saturday. Recent China data continues to show signs of economic stress regarding foreign investment, domestic consumer spending, and deflationary results. Buyers beware.

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Telling Someone to Not Trade Works Like Reverse Psychology

Telling Someone to Not Trade Works Like Reverse Psychology

From the strange but true file, comes the realization after working within risk analysis for a long time that telling a speculator to avoid a particular market because I believe it is going to be volatile often has the opposite effect. Perhaps the best thing to do is to remain silent and allow inexperienced day traders to lose their money, convincing them to walk away from speculative endeavors forever. But I prefer to constantly teach and warn, while providing help for those who have made the firm decision they want to pursue the financial markets.

It is rather well documented that 90% of retail traders lose their money. And as pointed out within AMT since our inception most brokerage institutions are counting on you to lose money. This because many platforms are letting you trade via CFD assets and virtual Forex wagering, meaning the brokers take the risks that you may actually make money and are willing to pay out your winning bet, because they know most of the time you are going to lose. If not today then tomorrow, because casinos always believe the gamblers will lose.

People ask why I refer to wagers and bets when I write about Forex, commodities and equity CFDs. The answer is because I feel the need to remind speculators constantly they are entering a domain that is akin to gambling. I have come to learn that I cannot stop inexperienced day traders from making costly mistakes by telling them not to trade. New retail speculators can be helped by providing them risk management via basic knowledge and expanding upon the theme. Angry Meta Traders intends to always make risk management and analysis of the markets its core foundation.

Yes, we also provide our insights about potential directions in particular assets constantly, and try to contribute our thoughts on the thinking of the large players within the marketplace. We would like AMT to become a membership pass into the temple for retail traders and the occasional institutional participant that reads our material. Temples are usually the domain for philosophies which have been gained through years of experience and contemplation about the human condition.

While it may sound absurd to discuss temples, experienced traders unless they have been merely lucky their entire careers, know the psychology of financial institutions is always important. Understanding the behavioral sentiment of large players and the quantitative engineering they use to make decisions is crucial. The keys to the inner workings of the financial temples is a metaphor, hopefully allowing day traders to feel like they have been given the ability to look inside and understand the decision making process of large institutions that can move the markets.

Angry Meta Traders is not always right, our analysis and predicted movements about assets are sometimes wrong. Yet, by stressing risk management via limited leverage, stop losses when appropriate (they almost always are), and telling traders to not be overly ambitious, we hope AMT delivers constant reinforcement and needed learning.

The noise of the market can be quite intense, false narratives, and misguided analysis are dangers all traders face, even the most experienced large players and financial institutions understand they will not always be correct. And this takes us back to the notion that trading for inexperienced people is not easy. But I know telling you not to trade works in the wrong way. So what I tell you now is to be patient, learn, gather wisdom as you trade and hopefully you will attain some of the tools needed to make your speculative life easier. Knowing that 90% of traders lose money, we hope that via our efforts to inform that we can put you within the small percentage of people who actually profit.

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AMT Top Ten Miscellaneous Tastings for the 10th of May 2024

AMT Top Ten Miscellaneous Tastings for the 10th of May 2024

10. Word of the day: Ultracrepidarian is a person who speaks assertively about subjects that are beyond their level of knowledge. The world is full of many suspects ladies and gentlemen.

9. Steve Albini: The musician and production sound engineer passed away earlier this week in Chicago. Albini was a pioneer and leader in ‘alternative’ music and battled homogenized corporate music for nearly 40 years. Nirvana, Fugazi, Jimmy Page, the Pixies, P.J Harvey are some of the many that worked with Albini.

8. Bitcoin: BTC/USD continues to hover around the 63,000.00 realm per a three month technical chart perspective. Bitcoin’s higher values via one year results are being maintained. BNB/USD is lurking near 600.00 per a three month glance.

7. Commodities: Cocoa and Coffee prices remain elevated. After touching a low around the 7,250.00 USD mark last week per metric ton, Cocoa is now within sight of 9,000.00 USD again. Retail speculators who like to wager via CFDs on commodities need to remember their bets have no influence on the markets, which are in complete control by the largest players in the commodities sector.

6. Wayve Technologies: A U.K based company specializing in autonomous driving software has announced they have raised more than 1 billion USD in investments recently via the likes of Softbank, Nvidia and Microsoft. The U.K government has highlighted Wayve, proclaiming it shows Britain will be a major force in AI development. Wayve was established in 2017 and is still a privately held company.

5. U.S Foreign Policy: Election concerns appear to be a prime motivator for the U.S executive branch as its attempts to walk a fine line regarding diplomacy and saber-rattling in the Middle East. Polling from a variety of sources indicate Joe Biden is in jeopardy of not being reelected.

4. USD/CNY: China will release its Consumer Price Index and Producer Price Index numbers early on Saturday. The USD/CNY is trading around the 7.2245 mark as of this writing. Some analysts have expressed concerns about the China Yuan weakening via attempts by the Chinese government to boost exports. The USD/CNY certainly remains within the higher elements of its range, but is below marks seen in early September 2023 which were around the 7.3425 ratio.

3. Data Warning: While day traders may be inclined to look at the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment reading today, they should remember to pay attention to the Inflation Expectations statistics. Last month’s inflation report produced a result of 3.2%, which delivered a solid dose of volatility to financial assets.
2. Forex: Behavioral sentiment appears to be leaning towards a weaker outlook for the USD as major currencies like the EUR, GBP (solid GDP numbers also helped this morning in Britain) and others have gained. However, its should be pointed out that the USD/JPY has seen an incremental climb since touching a low of nearly 151.880 last Friday. As of this writing the USD/JPY is around the 155.650 level.

1. Equity Indices: Bullish optimism has been seen in the S&P 500, Dow 30 and Nasdaq as all three major indices are ready to start the day near highs for the week. The burst of upwards momentum which started last Thursday, has ignited the major U.S indices within sight of their apex realms achieved in late March and early April.

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AMT Top Ten Miscellaneous Tastings for the 10th of May 2024

AMT Top Ten Miscellaneous Tastings for the 10th of May 2024

10. Word of the day: Ultracrepidarian is a person who speaks assertively about subjects that are beyond their level of knowledge. The world is full of many suspects ladies and gentlemen.

9. Steve Albini: The musician and production sound engineer passed away earlier this week in Chicago. Albini was a pioneer and leader in ‘alternative’ music and battled homogenized corporate music for nearly 40 years. Nirvana, Fugazi, Jimmy Page, the Pixies, P.J Harvey are some of the many that worked with Albini.

8. Bitcoin: BTC/USD continues to hover around the 63,000.00 realm per a three month technical chart perspective. Bitcoin’s higher values via one year results are being maintained. BNB/USD is lurking near 600.00 per a three month glance.

7. Commodities: Cocoa and Coffee prices remain elevated. After touching a low around the 7,250.00 USD mark last week per metric ton, Cocoa is now within sight of 9,000.00 USD again. Retail speculators who like to wager via CFDs on commodities need to remember their bets have no influence on the markets, which are in complete control by the largest players in the commodities sector.

6. Wayve Technologies: A U.K based company specializing in autonomous driving software has announced they have raised more than 1 billion USD in investments recently via the likes of Softbank, Nvidia and Microsoft. The U.K government has highlighted Wayve, proclaiming it shows Britain will be a major force in AI development. Wayve was established in 2017 and is still a privately held company.

5. U.S Foreign Policy: Election concerns appear to be a prime motivator for the U.S executive branch as its attempts to walk a fine line regarding diplomacy and saber-rattling in the Middle East. Polling from a variety of sources indicate Joe Biden is in jeopardy of not being reelected.

4. USD/CNY: China will release its Consumer Price Index and Producer Price Index numbers early on Saturday. The USD/CNY is trading around the 7.2245 mark as of this writing. Some analysts have expressed concerns about the China Yuan weakening via attempts by the Chinese government to boost exports. The USD/CNY certainly remains within the higher elements of its range, but is below marks seen in early September 2023 which were around the 7.3425 ratio.

3. Data Warning: While day traders may be inclined to look at the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment reading today, they should remember to pay attention to the Inflation Expectations statistics. Last month’s inflation report produced a result of 3.2%, which delivered a solid dose of volatility to financial assets.

2. Forex: Behavioral sentiment appears to be leaning towards a weaker outlook for the USD as major currencies like the EUR, GBP (solid GDP numbers also helped this morning in Britain) and others have gained. However, its should be pointed out that the USD/JPY has seen an incremental climb since touching a low of nearly 151.880 last Friday. As of this writing the USD/JPY is around the 155.650 level.

1. Equity Indices: Bullish optimism has been seen in the S&P 500, Dow 30 and Nasdaq as all three major indices are ready to start the day near highs for the week. The burst of upwards momentum which started last Thursday, has ignited the major U.S indices within sight of their apex realms achieved in late March and early April.

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BoJ and Fed are today’s Forex Bogeymen, and Job Numbers Lurk

BoJ and Fed are today's Forex Bogeymen, and Job Numbers Lurk

While the Showa holiday is being observed in Japan, the BoJ has apparently reacted with an intervention after seeing the USD/JPY race to new highs in the wake of the central bank’s decision to hold its Policy Rate at 0.10% on Friday. If in fact the Bank of Japan has acted when most Japanese financial institutions are celebrating a long holiday weekend, the reaction to the intervention will be noteworthy when Japanese currency traders return to their desks tomorrow. The question obviously becomes whether large players in the JPY will continue to wager against the Bank of Japan’s current monetary policy or if the apparent intervention will make them cautious.

USD/JPY One Day Chart as of 29th April 2024

U.S data this past Thursday turned in rather clumsy statistics starting with the Advance Gross Domestic Product growth results which showed the American economy is slowing. However, the GDP Price Index came in slightly higher than anticipated. This caused some tremors in Forex. Friday was followed by additionally troublesome readings when the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment outcome was weaker than expected, but the U of M Inflation Expectations gauge was higher than the previous month’s report.

USD Cash Index Five Day Chart as of 29th April 2024

The USD began to show signs of weakness in many major currency pairs last week. Perhaps the expectation that the worst of Federal Reserve outlook has now been absorbed is playing into the Forex results. However, the past four months of trading have produced a continuous choppy wagering landscape for speculators and clarity still does not exist.

Gold One Month Chart as of 29th April 2024

Suspicion of the Bank of Japan’s intervention this morning and the creeping shadow from the U.S Federal Reserve which is scheduled to deliver their FOMC Statement this Wednesday have created trading bogeymen in many financial assets. The strains in the major equity indices, Treasuries and Forex are prime examples. While day traders try to find fair market value technically and financial institutions seek equilibrium, most observers likely have nervous behavioral sentiment as they consider mid-term prospects. The past month of speculative trading in Gold has produced record highs, but ran into resistance the past week as questions arise about USD inverse correlations not being technically efficient recently.

Monday, 29th April, Germany – Consumer Price Index – the inflation results from Germany should be given attention. The number will certainly affect sentiment surrounding the ECB and the EUR/USD, however the report should not cause an earthquake.

USD/CNY One Month Chart as of 29th April 2024

Tuesday, 30th April, China Manufacturing PMI – the nation has been making claims via government officials the economy is showing signs of a rebound. Yet, disturbing consumer data continues to be seen. The manufacturing statistics from China though will also reflect demand in what is generally accepted as a recessionary period for many global spheres. Traders of the USD/CNY should pay attention to the outcome, the currency pair has incrementally climbed and there are rampant whispers about China undertaking a policy to weaken the Chinese Yuan to spur economic growth.

Wednesday, 1st May, U.S Federal Reserve Funds Rate and FOMC Statement – the Fed will not change its interest rate this week. What will be noteworthy is how Fed Chairman Powell presents this month’s FOMC Statement rhetorically as he is asked questions during his Press Conference. We are certain to hear words mentioned like ‘lagging data and positive signs regarding the potential of weakening inflation’. The question financial institutions want to know is how long will they have to wait for a change to the Federal Funds Rate. The Fed is likely to try sounding cautiously optimistic, but will it be believed? Forex will react to the Fed’s policy meeting pronouncements, but no major surprises should be expected. Some observers may find interesting evidence regarding the future for Fed’s policy via the price of WTI Crude Oil which is hovering near 83.00 USD per barrel as of this writing, because stable energy prices are a key factor regarding inflation.

Thursday, 2nd May, U.S Weekly Unemployment Claims – the jobs data which will start to be delivered late this week will get attention. Forex traders however will be swimming within the riptides already created by the Federal Reserve’s policy.

Friday, 3rd May, U.S Non-Farm Employment Change Numbers and Average Hourly Earnings – these reports will cause a reaction. What financial institutions will be on the hunt for is weaker than anticipated hiring. The inflation numbers from the wages report will be a factor too. The USD traded with a slight decline in Forex last week, those who believe the greenback has been too strong and are inclined to remain sellers should pay attention to the U.S jobs numbers. If the headline hiring number is stronger than anticipated, analysts will rush to the back pages of the statistics to see if part-time hiring is still outpacing full-time employment.

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USD/ZAR Celebratory Parade Should be Put on Hold Awhile

USD/ZAR Celebratory Parade Should be Put on Hold Awhile

The USD/ZAR has produced a solid downward turn since the 1st of April when the currency pair was trading above 19.00000.

The value of the USD/ZAR as of this writing is near the 18.48000 mark as the currency pair fluctuates within Forex. The currency pair has produced a solid downturn since the start of April when it was above the 19.00000 level. The ability of the USD/ZAR to suddenly create a streak of bearish trading and make support levels look vulnerable is intriguing, particularly considering USD centric sentiment against many other major currencies the past week and a half has produced very choppy results in the broad Forex market.

The USD/ZAR is now trading at its monthly low via a technical perspective and the currency pair is testing values last seen at the start of January. The ability of the USD/ZAR to suddenly spark selling may be able to be explained because of the higher value of Gold which is trading at record prices while traversing near 2,360.00 USD currently. Mining makes up roughly 8% of the Gross Domestic Product value for South Africa.

USD/ZAR One Month Chart as of 9th April 2024

However, before a party is launched to start celebrating the reemergence of the South Africa Rand, traders should note the USD/ZAR was trading within its current value range on the 14th of December. Thus the South African Rand is simply taking up residence like many other major currencies including the GBP and EUR within known prices they were valued, when the U.S Federal Reserve ‘changed’ its monetary policy stance on the 13th of December to a more dovish outlook.

The choppiness within the USD/ZAR has been rather extreme over the past few months. On the 28th of December the USD/ZAR was trading near the 18.26000 ratio briefly, on the 23rd of February the currency pair was near the 19.40000 mark and testing values which had been last seen in October of 2023. While the price of Gold is at record values now, the worth of the precious metal might be a false correlation to the USD/ZAR, and technical traders may want to watch the currency pair’s support levels below as a place that reversals higher could be sparked.

U.S Data and Concerns in South Africa Regarding the Election

The U.S will release important inflation data on Wednesday and Thursday. Last month’s Producer Price Index numbers from the States sparked a wave of volatility in Forex and the USD/ZAR was not immune. The bearish cycle in the USD/ZAR has been noteworthy, but fundamental doubt exists regarding its ability to sustain lower price momentum. The U.S Federal Reserve does not appear any closer to cutting its Federal Funds Rate.

There is also a political shadow regarding South Africa elections. The nation’s vote will take place on the 29th of May. The results potentially could create instability and the need for a coalition government which may be difficult to attain without signing off on more costly social policies which the South African government cannot easily afford fiscally.

USD/ZAR Short Term Thoughts:

·         The 18.46000/18.47000 support levels in the short-term may cause reactions if challenged.

·         Traders are urged not to be overly ambitious, particularly if they still want to pursue downside in the USD/ZAR, the use of take profit and stop loss orders is appropriate.

·         Current price levels may spark volatility if financial institutions feel the price of the USD/ZAR has become unbalanced.

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AMT Top Ten Miscellaneous Entries for the 22nd of March 2024

AMT Top Ten Miscellaneous Entries for the 22nd of March 2024

10: Jefferson: Jon Meacham’s Thomas Jefferson The Art of Power provides well written historical and psychological insights concerning one of the U.S Founding Fathers.

9. Shohei Ohtani: Major League Baseball has a gambling scandal. Claims that Ohtani’s interpreter ‘stole’ over 4 million USD from the player to pay off gambling debts beg for questions.

8. Saudi Arabia: The nation has announced it plans on investing 40 billion USD into Artificial Intelligence sector companies via its Public Investment Fund (sovereign wealth fund) and potential business partners.

7. Steve Jobs: Apple’s innovation and tech leadership appears to be weakening as the absence of its deceased leader fades into memory, and competitors grow.

6. Bank of Japan: Monetary policy was finally shifted on Tuesday, an interest rate of 0.10% was instituted, today’s National Core CPI data came in at 2.8%. USD/JPY is currently around 151.400 suggesting financial institutions believe the BoJ Policy Rate may have to be raised again.

5. Gold & Forex: The precious metal challenged 2223.00 USD on Wednesday after the Fed’s FOMC rhetoric but is trading near 2165.00 as of this morning, this as the USD has gotten stronger again producing FX volatility.

4. Hot Chocolate: Cocoa finished yesterday at 8477.0 USD per metric ton, the commodity cost 2880.0 USD one year ago. What and who are manipulating the market?

3. China: Official Foreign Direct Investment statistics are supposed to be released soon. China argues that the fall of foreign investment capital is being reported with bias and not taking into consideration the impact of coronavirus, global monetary policy changes, and cyclical investment fluctuations. However, the FDI numbers remain troublesome and should be watched.

2. Risk Appetite: Major U.S equity indices including the S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite, and Dow Jones 30 are challenging record highs as behavioral sentiment remains exuberant, along with Japan’s Nikkei 225.

1. Interest Rates: The Federal Reserve has hinted three interest rate cuts ‘could’ happen this year, this while inflation in housing, transportation and food remain significant for U.S consumers. The Fed seems to be indicating it believes U.S jobs data will get worse. Political shadows hover over the central bank as the presidential election draws closer. The Fed only has 6 FOMC meetings left and appears to be playing with fire.

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AMT’s Dubious Dozen Forex March 2024 Sentiment Outlook

AMT's Dubious Dozen Forex March 2024 Sentiment Outlook

The Dubious Dozen is comprised of nations who are wealthy or should be, and face criticism because of domestic and sometimes international policies. As the reader you are free to differ from the AMT opinions, which are admittedly subjective. The ratings and outlooks are not delivered as trading advice, but as a viewpoint to inform. The work presented is a living document. The nations and currencies listed, and data and critiques shall change monthly according to points deemed important.

AMT Dubious Dozen March 2024 Forex Sentiment Outlook

AMT’s Dubious Dozen Monthly Forex Sentiment Outlook has a scaled ratings table, listing nations and currencies that are judged to have concerns regarding outlooks due to behavioral sentiment factors within financial institutions and among citizens, based on economics, transparency, and risk concerns about government fiscal policy, and ‘leanings’ toward autocracy. Metrics like inflation, gross domestic product, direct foreign investment information, debts and budgets, and foreign currency holdings which are gathered from various public sources will sometimes be presented.

AMT also tries to judge the trust level the citizens of the nations have in their domestic currencies via exchange rates, black market FX factors, and alternative assets held to guard against potential risks – like digital assets, cryptocurrencies, and gold.

A lack of credibility in a ‘fiat’ currency is dangerous and often leads to black markets for Forex in search of safe-haven currencies like the USD. The lack of a credible domestic currency also leads to price inflation because people selling goods fear the value of the domestic currency is losing value rapidly. Rampant inflation also leads to a desire to sidestep taxation on occasion.

Problematic inflation and inability to collect taxes may open the door for certain countries to contemplate and potentially initiate Central Bank Digital Currencies in order to control domestic economic activity. It is not a coincidence that China, Iran, among others are considering implementation of CBDC’s. The potential of CBDC’s by governments could allow for draconian laws for citizens of certain nations. The ability for a government to check on how all money is used via a centralized blockchain could lead to a more authoritarian landscape.

Quick Insights of the Dubious Dozen Nations Listed:

Argentine Peso (ARS): The election of President Javier Milei has started to ignite changes within fiscal policy and has created hope among international observers of a less corrupt Argentina. However, many obstacles still must be overcome by the newly elected leader and the government, and many economic issues will take patience from the public to improve. Patience has not been a classic virtue in Argentina, unless one considers the ability to accept massive corruption and go on with everyday life as a supreme power.

Brazilian Real (BRL):  Concerns regarding potential fiscal policy changes hover over the existing government which leans towards a socialistic bent and has shown a tendency to align itself with some of the most autocratic governments. Some businesses and investors are anxious about the potential of government mismanagement to develop under President Lula da Silva. The listing of Brazil will create catcalls from some, but the fear in some circles is what might happen if fiscal policy which is led by a socialistic government becomes too populist. For the moment the BRL appears to be under control, which is a good thing. However, the Brazilian Real should be kept in sight for any signs of nervousness.

Chinese Yuan (CNY): The domestic economy remains troubling and fragile. Deflation abounds. Manufacturing, electrical usage, real estate, export numbers should be monitored by observers. Government policy, and transparency reliability due to political control by the Communist Party is problematic. Concerns are causing a backlash among many foreign investors who are looking elsewhere for long-term business endeavors, when they have the ability to divest. Stats: IMF expected GDP for China in 2024 is 4.6% for 2024. China is suffering from current monthly deflation around minus – 0.80%.

Egyptian Pound (EGP): Corruption is problematic within national institutions, bureaucracy issues plague businesses due to interference. Central bank independence is in question as the government faces a litany of fiscal problems. Worries persist about a devaluation for the EGP in order to try and get inflation under control which is currently near 26.5%. The Egyptian Pound is viewed as highly vulnerable.

Iranian Rial (IRR): The nation remains mired under international sanctions. The government practices a heavy hand regarding domestic policies which carry the threat of prison and worse because of the ability to oppress the general population. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard which has several branches of ‘service’ helps the ruling government dominate and benefits monetarily, which makes the Iranian leadership and its ability to rule comparable to a mafia. The current inflation rate in Iran is estimated to be around 32.5%. Unemployment in Iran is estimated to be above 10% and 60% of the total economy is believed to be centralized by the government.

Nigerian Naira (NGN): Corruption remains a troubling part of Nigeria. Although it is a massive exporter of commodities including ‘energy’, and has a dynamic demographic, government policy is highly questionable. Nigeria’s GDP is estimated to be around 3.46% as of December 2023. A problem for Nigeria is its shadow/informal market economy, which is estimated to be nearly 58.2%. Corruption and an inability to legitimately collect taxes hurts the government’s finances and its citizens. The Nigerian Naira is weak and is losing credibility.

Pakistani Rupee (PKR): Economic concerns regarding export and import disparities are a major factor in the lack of foreign currency reserves. A new government has been elected in Pakistan which has been able to form a ruling coalition. Issues regarding corruption remain troubling. Pakistan has also formed a stronger relationship with China, particularly as they search for strong economic partnerships, but this may leave them vulnerable politically. The IMF is a large factor in the current valuation of the PKR. The currency has been stable for a handful of months but needs monitoring.

Russian Ruble (RUB): Although the war with the Ukraine battles on, Russia has found a way to continue to create growth within its economy even in the midst of sanctions. The nation has found other ways to trade and acquire products from abroad via ‘new’ trading channels largely coming from Central and Eastern Asian routes. Russia’s government is seen as highly one dimensional and rules with an iron fist.  Russia’s economy appears to have grown at a remarkable rate of 3.6% during 2023. Core Consumer Prices were about 7.15% higher as of January 2024 per annum. Vladimir Putin has played a rather impressive game of economic poker with the ‘West’ in light of the Ukrainian war, much to the chagrin of his critics.

South African Rand (ZAR): The African National Congress has been in power nearly 30 years. Concerns about mismanagement and corruption abound which are believed to influence questionable fiscal policy. The South African economic outlook is weak due to problems regarding reliable electrical supply, logistical problems at ports, and bureaucratic interference led by government policy which leans towards central controls.  A large amount of immigrants from other African nations are still coming to South Africa as a cheap labor source, but professionally trained people are still unfortunately leaving South Africa via emigration in large numbers. The South African Rand has been within the grips a long-term trend of losing value, and while not entirely vulnerable its credibility is becoming shakier.

Turkish Lira (TRY): A thriving business and manufacturing base exists in the nation. However, inflation due to fiscal policy in Turkey remains an impediment for corporations which are forced to deal with a currency that many within the nation are worried about because of its incrementally weaker outlook which has been noteworthy for a handful of years. There are concerns about current government leadership regarding transparency and a tendency to interfere in Turkish Central Bank decisions. Financial institutions and their corporate clients have a difficult path as they try to mitigate the constant threat of high inflation in Turkey due to questionable fiscal policy.

Venezuelan Boliver Soberano (VES): The failed socialistic nightmare continues to cause squalor in Venezuela. If you want to see the potential of where the VES is headed look to Zimbabwe and the years that a combination of despotic rule under the guise of socialism has delivered. Venezuela should be a rich and successful country due to its natural resources, but it is led by a band of thieves. The black market rate of exchange if it can be found in cities like Caracas is much higher than the ‘official’ listed rate of the government. The VES has little to no credibility.

Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWD/ZWL): The nation is still trying to fix the problems caused by government mismanagement under the authoritarian leadership of Robert Mugabe which led to hyper-inflation and the destruction of the economy. Zimbabwe has a long way to go and issues to overcome to achieve the reintroduction of a domestic currency which does not suffer from a lack of faith from its citizens, which have led to a wide abandonment of the Zimbabwean Dollar and demonetization.

A national currency that is tradable internationally does not exist, the government is aiming for another attempt at monetization in 2025 if economic stability is created. The Botswana Pula (BWP), USD, and ZAR are among other currencies that are used and accepted by the population to transact business. The government tries to monitor all FX exchanges after years of misrule, but this does not stop a vigorous black market. There is an accepted perception the current leadership is trying to fix the massive problems which have created havoc in the nation for a few decades, but the road back to normality is still perilous.  

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AMT Top Ten Miscellaneous Pre-Xmas Thoughts for 22nd of Dec.

AMT Top Ten Miscellaneous Pre-Xmas Thoughts for 22nd of Dec.

10. Music: The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky via Simon Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker.

9. Book: Zhou Enlai: The Last Perfect Revolutionary by Gao Wenqian.

8. Mobile Gaming: Revenues from ‘gaming on the go’ in 2023, via an Electronics Weekly article, is estimated to be 92.6 billion USD worldwide. Honor of Kings via Tencent leads the pack.

7. Data: U.S Final GDP quarterly numbers came in at 4.9%, missing its estimate of 5.2%. Final GDP Price Index quarterly results were 3.3%, below the anticipated mark of 3.6%. Canada will release its GDP numbers today for those paying attention.

6. USD: The greenback continues to produce incremental declines. Yesterday’s ‘weaker’ U.S GDP numbers helped solidify a bearish USD outlook mid-term.

5. Trading Volumes: Speculators who insist on wagering today need to understand many financial institutions are closing early. ‘Thin’ holiday markets can be extremely quiet and then become volatile without warning.

4. Global Risk: As traders relax during their holiday break, they should monitor news about the Red Sea for potential problems caused by the Houthis rebels from Yemen.

3. China: Economic concerns are mounting for the nation. The Shanghai Composite is approaching lows last seen in October of 2022.

2. Holiday Markets: U.S equity indices continue to show solid risk appetite. S&P 500 is now approaching all-time highs seen in 2022. Dow Jones 30 is at a record level. Nasdaq Composite trend still bullish.

1. Thank you: We wish all readers who are celebrating Christmas a fantastic holiday.