Europe stocks mixed as ECB rate move eyed; DAX up 0.23% – May 06, 2010

European stocks were mixed on Thursday, as traders awaited a key interest decision by the European Central Bank and a report on U.S. unemployment claims.

During early European trade, France’s CAC 40 was down 0.08% Germany’s DAX was up 0.23%; Spain’s IBEX 35 shed 0.24% and the EURO STOXX 50 was down 0.46%.

Britain’s FTSE 100 was up 0.22% as voters went to the polls at the end of one of the most tumultuous and tightly fought general election campaigns in a generation.

Read the rest of this entry »

EUR/USD Steps Lower Despite $150 Billion Package by Fast Brokers – May 03, 2010

The EUR/USD has taken a step lower to start off the week, testing its psychological 1.32 level despite an agreement being reached in which the EU and IMF will provide Greece with roughly $150 billion over 3 years so long as austerity measures are implemented.  Investors are reacting with speculation since some believe the plan is too little too late and won’t prevent contagion.  However, the aid package could prove helpful for the Euro over the near to medium term since it takes some of the pressure off of the EU region and it will take time to deduce whether the financial measures are sufficient in preventing a Greek tragedy.  Meanwhile, it will be interesting to see how bond yields behave not only in Greece, but the other PIIGS nations as well.  If bonds rise and yields head lower then downward pressure on the EUR/USD may ease.  Investors should keep in mind that EU data was fairly encouraging during the month of April and may otherwise have resulted in sufficient gains in the Euro if it wasn’t for Greece’s fiscal problems.  On the other hands should yields remain at an abnormally high level and the financial aid proves unsuccessful then the downtrend could take hold of the EUR/USD with a vengeance.  Although the data wire is relatively quiet today, activity should really pick up as the week progresses.  The ECB will have its monetary policy meeting on Thursday along with the UK’s parliamentary elections.  Investors will also receive key employment data from the U.S.  As usual, there also remains the potential for a psychological flare, meaning investors should stay on their toes.  Either way, this could prove to be a very eventful trading week.

Read the rest of this entry »

Losing faith in the euro zone? – May 01, 2010

(Reuters) – Whatever ultimately happens in the Greek debt crisis, investors are having to come to grips with an unstable euro zone they had not bargained for.

A knife-edge British election, a European Central Bank meeting and monthly U.S. jobs data would all be expected to dominate markets in more normal times. But it is the fate of Europe’s peripheral economies that still eclipses all else.

Markets are in what AXA Investment Managers calls “panic mode,” resulting in the European bond market being drained of liquidity and with some investors forced to sell because of sovereign debt downgrades.

Read the rest of this entry »

EURUSD Тechnical analysis By: Go Forex.com – Jan 15, 2010

EUR

The euro continues to be weakened by overall negative sentiment towards the Eurozone following debt downgrades at Greece and Spain. Unlike the rest of the market which has traded higher against the dollar, the EURUSD has been unable to gain continued momentum and its rallies have fizzled quickly. Case in point was Friday, when rumors of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s resignation led to a sharp selloff in the euro. Also, last week, was the ECB’s monthly rate announcement. During ECB President Trichet’s remarks, he voiced support for a strong dollar policy, and mentioned that Greece and other troubled Eurozone countries are not in danger of being kicked out of the Eurozone, but they must continue to implement fiscal responsible policies. Going forward, as long as uncertainty continues in the Eurozone, at Go Forex we believe the euro will underperform most of the major currencies.

Read the rest of this entry »

Overnight deposits at ECB total 162.1 bln euros

The European Central Bank reported the following daily data on liquidity provision, in millions of euros:

TODAY PREV DAY Use of overnight loan facility 1,290 44 Use of overnight deposit facility 162,117 162,774 Total covered bond purchases 28,812 28,620 (Reporting by Frankfurt newsroom)

–Reuters–

Dollar suffers on rate view after Fed comments – By Naomi Tajitsu

The dollar fell broadly on Monday, hitting a six-week low against the yen after dovish comments from a U.S. Federal Reserve official reinforced the view that U.S. interest rates would stay low for a long time.

Selling in the dollar came as gold prices hit a record high, underlining demand for higher-yielding assets. Expectations a low Fed funds rate would limit returns on many U.S. investments prompted some investors to diversify out of the currency.

The euro was supported after a key survey showed the euro zone’s service sector grew at its fastest pace in two years in November, suggesting an economic recovery will continue in the fourth quarter, albeit at a slower rate.

St. Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard said on Sunday the Fed should keep alive its mortgage-related assets purchase program beyond a planned end date to help stimulate the economy.

Read the rest of this entry »

EUR/USD By: Forexpros – Oct 08, 2009

First we would like to draw your kind attention to the ECB rate decision that will come out later today, and to president Trichet’s news conference that will follow. The Euro advanced to 1.4761 before retreating back to 1.4682. And with that, 1.4776 became the most important resistance for the short-term, and the key to reach new tops. If broken, the Euro will be able to reach areas above 1.48 within 24 hours after the break, first of which is 1.4824, then new highs above the tops of September 22nd & 23rd, the most attractive of which is 1.4901. On the other hand the most important support for the short-term is Fibonacci 61.8% at 1.4695, holding above it is crucial for the upward movement. But if it’s broken, we expect a test of one of the important support levels in the 1.46 & 1.45 areas such as 1.4645, 1.4613, 1.4575, down to 1.4509.

Read the rest of this entry »

ECB set to hold rates, caution on economy

By Nigel Tutt

The European Central Bank is expected to keep interest rates at a record-low 1.0 percent on Thursday and its head Jean-Claude Trichet will probably caution against high hopes of a speedy economic recovery.

The 16-country bloc is likely to have exited the worst recession since World War Two in the third quarter of the year but all 82 economists in a Reuters poll said they see no move in interest rates for the fifth month running, with most expecting them to stay unchanged until late next year.

The meeting, now underway in Venice, Italy, is the second of the two rate meetings held annually outside the ECB’s Frankfurt base, and marks the first anniversary of coordinated rate cuts by major central banks in the aftermath of the Lehman Brothers collapse.

The Reserve Bank of Australia on Tuesday became the first Group of 20 central bank to raise rates after the global recession, but the ECB is not expected to follow suit for some time.

Read the rest of this entry »

Forex Snapshots: European Session: Waiting on the ECB

Market Brief

The Greenback fell yesterday despite stocks continued falling for the fourth consecutive day on concerns that economy still under big pressure, as reports from U.S. on job losses and factory orders came worse than expected. The Yen was higher against most major currencies closing almost on a seven weeks high against the dollar and euro, as Nikkei Index dropped for a second day, boosting demand for the safe haven currency, and could be also supported by indication the new government would not worry on appreciating yen, and would not intervene in currency markets.

The Aussie gained against the Dollar and Yen, supported by GDP report, which showed economic growth for Q2 came higher than expected at 0.6% QoQ from 0.4% in Q1. Canadian Dollar still weak as crude oil prices remained below $70 per barrel. The Pound was able to find support at 1.61 levels, to rally more than 150 pips closing at 1.6264.

Read the rest of this entry »

Forex News – Shanghai Rallies While Markets Wait on the ECB

Forex News and Events:

Markets were generally quiet in Asia, as they await the ECB rate decision and then the payroll figures tomorrow. Asia was mixed, but the scrutinized Shanghai index rallied back 4.79% after a tought few days. A nice boost for equity bulls and a potential indicator that risk appetite will be healthy today. However, USDJPY remains weak, briefly penetrating the 92.00 support, before rumors of option barriers scared traders off. European indexes were able to hold on to China’s positive moment and are broadly higher. Gold prices continued to drive higher after yesterday’s massive $20 plus surge (breaching a 6 month high of $980oz). The metals move will have traders eyeing EURCHF, now approaching to 1.5100 and hiding SNB. From yesterday US session, markets are digesting the August FOMC minutes and subsequent Philadelphia Fed President Plosser comments and ADP report. The Fed minutes overall failed to surprise, but did sound slightly more optimistic than July’s meeting. In an interview with CNBC, Plosser stated that the Fed must carefully examine exit strategies from unprecedented quantitative easing program, including raising interest rates. ADP estimate of the change in private payrolls was -298k, slightly worse than expected. As always, we caution traders on making too much of this figure, since ADP has a sporadic correlation to actual BLS numbers. Australia showed the worst reading since mid 2008, as July trade deficit widened by more than expected to AUD1.56bn, but exports were resilient and import showed a healthy growth in domestic demand. Despite the slightly negative reading, the AUD gained on its correlation to rising China stocks (improving risk appetite).

Read the rest of this entry »