Currency Updates:
U.S. Dollar Trading (USD) the market opened sharply higher on Monday morning after weekend news that China had cuts its RRR by 0.5% and EU ministers had good chance of approving the next loan package to Greece at their Monday meeting. US Dow jones futures pushed above 13000 for the first time in 3 years and most risk assets gapped higher including OIL/USD which is above $105 at time of printing.
The Euro (EUR) EUR/USD rally extended on Friday to 1.3200 but lacked the Greek confirmation to push above the level and closed at 1.3150. The Asian open saw a break above 1.3200 and consolidation ahead of the European session. The EU finance ministers are meeting today and announcements are expected in regards to the Greece at some point today. Looking ahead, US holiday for President’s Day.
The Japanese Yen (JPY) opened on the back foot with the safe haven sold across the board and USD/JPY hitting post intervention highs near Y80. The recent rally has caught many by surprise as the usually quiet pair reversing most analysts expectations and is beginning to form an uptrend. A break of Y80 would confirm this and may cause more traders to come back to 2nd largest pair in the market.
The Sterling (GBP) traded in line with the EUR/USD rallying but then consolidating on Friday and soaring back to 1.5900 highs on Monday. The 1.6000 level now looms to the topside as the major resistance/target for the resurgent GBP bulls.
Australian Dollar (AUD) roared back to the topside testing 1.0800 on Monday morning and looking to test year highs at 1.0840 and then onto all time highs above 1.1000. The RBA may try to slow the rise with jawboning and small scale selling from the central bank which they call smoothing operations if the AUD/USD moves too quickly.
Oil & Gold (XAU) is retesting the recent highs above $1734 and threatening to break to recent rally highs near $1763. OIL/USD is one way topside action as Middle East tensions continue to escalate and Iran sanctions draw closer to enforcement and effect.
