Forex Trading

The EUR rose against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday, buoyed by successful bond auctions in Portugal and Poland that made the single currency's fall the prior session look overdone. The EUR rose 0.4% against the USD after an early fall as low as 1.2660.



USD - Dollar Drops against the Majors

The U.S. dollar fell against most of its major currencies on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve's Beige Book cited a slowing economy and limited inflation pressure, though stayed lower amid better news out of Canada and the U.K. As a result, by yesterday's close, the USD fell against the EUR, pushing the oft-traded currency pair to 1.2730. The dollar experienced similar behavior against the GBP and closed at 1.5470.

The greenback also remained under selling pressure on expectations that U.S. interest rates will stay at very low levels for some time. Low interest rates make the dollar less attractive to investors than higher-yielding currencies, stocks and commodities. In addition, economic recovery does not appear to be improving at the speed many investors were hoping for, and currencies appear to be tracing the movement of stocks as a result.

Looking ahead today, the two main news events that may have a very large impact on the greenback and its main currency pairs in today's trading are the Trade Balance and Unemployment Claims around 12:30 GMT. These reports are very important and likely to impact the dollar's volatility. Traders should pay close attention to the market as there is an opportunity for traders to capitalize on the fluctuations which are likely to follow this release.

EUR - EUR Gains on Successful Debt Auctions

The EUR rose against the dollar and Swiss franc on Wednesday, buoyed by successful bond auctions in Portugal and Poland that made the single currency's fall the prior session look overdone. By yesterday's close, the EUR rose against the USD, pushing the oft-traded currency pair to 1.2730. The 16-nation currency also rose against the CHF and closed around 1.2865.

The EUR also gained support after Ireland's finance ministry said nationalized lender, Anglo Irish Bank, would be split to wind down its assets. Concerns about how Ireland dealt with the troubled bank had weighed on investors recently.

The single euro zone currency tumbled 1.5% versus the dollar on Tuesday after a news report that recent stress tests of European banks sector underestimated some lenders' holdings of potentially risky government debt.

JPY - Yen Hits 15-Year High vs. the Dollar

The yen struck a fresh 15-year high against the dollar and edged closer to a 9-year peak against the EUR on early Wednesday on a flare-up in worries over euro zone banks, prompting market players to test the will of Japanese authorities to intervene. The USD/JPY fell as far as 83.35 before correcting itself. Currently the pair is trading around the 83.95 level.

Bank of Japan Governor Masaaki Shirakawa reiterated his reluctance to return to quantitative easing although he indicated the central bank was weighing its options on how to deal with the economic impact of the yen's strength.

Investors worry over a recent rise in the JPY as it makes Japanese products less competitive abroad and hurts the value of overseas sales when translated back into the Japanese currency. With steady gains primarily against the dollar, much of the yen's bullish movement could be contributed to the repatriation of overseas earnings by Japanese companies into the local economy. This has had a positive effect on major JPY currency pairings, as the rising turmoil in the market is leading to more investment in the Japanese currency.

Crude Oil - Crude Oil Inventories to be Released Today

Oil prices rose on Wednesday for the first time in three sessions to trade around $75 a barrel, bouncing with equities and supported by a weaker dollar as concerns over the European banking system eased and investors cautiously bought riskier assets.
A weaker U.S. dollar tends to boost the price of dollar-priced commodities as it lowers the price to holders of other currencies and reduces the value of the currency oil producers receive for their product.

Today, the release of crude oil inventories is likely to help determine the market's next direction for crude oil. Moreover, a release of a string of positive economic figures from the U.S. could help its bullishness. Therefore, traders are advised now to make some profits as the price of Crude Oil is set to remain volatile in the short-medium term.

Technical News

EUR/USD

The range-trading pattern on the hourly chart continues. The daily chart's Slow Stochastic is floating in neutral territory. However, the 4-hour chart's RSI is already floating in the over-sold territory, suggesting an upward correction may be imminent. When the upwards breach occurs, going long with tight stops appears to be a preferable strategy.

GBP/USD

The pair has been range-trading for a while now, with no specific direction. The daily chart's Slow Stochastic is providing us with mixed signals. The 4-hour chart does not provide a clear direction either. Waiting for a clearer sign on the hourlies chart might be a good strategy today.

USD/JPY

The pair has recorded much bearish behavior in the past several weeks. However, the technical data indicates that this trend may reverse anytime soon. For example, the weekly chart's RSI signals that a bullish reversal is imminent. An upward trend is also supported by the daily chart's RSI. Going long with tight stops may turn out to pay off today.

USD/CHF

The price of this pair appears to be floating in the over-sold territory on the daily chart's RSI, indicating an upward correction may be imminent. The upward direction on the weekly chart's Momentum oscillator also supports this notion. Going long might be a wise choice.

Gold

Gold prices rose significantly yesterday and peaked at $1,261 an ounce. However, the daily chart's RSI is floating in the over-bought territory suggesting that the recent upward trend is losing steam and a bearish correction may be impending. This might be a good opportunity for forex traders to enter a modest correction at a very early stage.

Article Source - EUR Gains on Successful Portugal and Poland Debt Auctions

Less than expected German factory orders and worries over the Irish fiscal situation ‎had traders bidding equities lower and buying into safe haven assets as USD/JPY and ‎the EUR/CHF fell to new lows.‎



USD - Greenback Rises on Safe Haven Buying

The dollar put in a strong showing for a second day versus most of the major ‎currencies. Traders were quick to buy the dollar following a Wall Street Journal article ‎that highlighted European banks' exposure to risky government bonds that were ‎previously not reported in this summer's European banking stress tests. While the ‎article did not bring to light any new information that was not previously known in ‎the FX market, it did refocus the spotlight on weakness in the European financial ‎system.‎

Less than expected German factory orders hurt risk sentiment in the market. The ‎change in the in the total value of new purchase orders from manufactures fell by ‎‎2.2% over the previous month. Expectations were for an increase of 0.6%.‎

The lone data release from the US will be the Fed's Beige Book, set to be released at ‎‎18:00 GMT. The Fed's analysis of the markets helps the central bank set policy ‎decisions and interest rate levels. ‎

The EUR/USD has declined for the past two days, pulling back into the symmetrical ‎triangle pattern that had formed. Support is found at the rising lower leg of the ‎triangle pattern at a price of 1.2660 followed by 1.2580.‎

EUR - European Banking Fears Drops Euro

A lack of economic data from the US had traders looking to Europe for signals on the ‎direction of the major currencies. A Wall Street Journal article influenced traders and ‎reignited fears of the European fiscal crisis. Also weak German factory orders did ‎little to calm traders' nerves about the state of the euro zone economy. ‎

Fiscal troubles in Ireland also hurt the euro. The Irish Finance Minister said he does ‎not expect Ireland to seek emergency loans from the EU and Ireland will resume its ‎regular capital raising activities from the public debt markets. However, the market ‎reaction did not emphasize this statement. The spread between Irish government debt ‎and safe haven German debt rose to an all-time high.‎

Further signs of traders' aversion to risky assets were apparent as the DAX was down ‎‎0.6% and the euro was lower versus the major currencies. The EUR/USD fell to ‎‎1.2680, from an opening day price of 1.2806. The EUR/CHF fell to a fresh all-time ‎low at 1.2808. ‎

Significant data releases are on the British economic calendar for today. Traders will ‎be looking at the Halifax HPI and the monthly manufacturing production numbers. ‎Better than expected data may help support the weakening pound. Support and ‎resistance levels for the GBP/USD are found at 1.5320 and 1.5490.‎

JPY - Interest Rate Decisions from Japan and Australia

As expected, both the Bank of Japan (BOJ) and the Royal Bank of Australia (RBA) ‎left interest rates steady at 0.10% and 4.50% respectively. ‎

The BOJ stated the bank is continually monitoring the outlook for economic activity ‎and did not change its economic forecasts. The BOJ also sees a continued moderate ‎economic recovery in the Japanese economy.‎

The RBA also held its base rate steady while the accompanying rate statement ‎indicated that policy is appropriate for the time being but it did highlight some ‎uncertainty in the market. Also newly elected Prime Minister Julia Gillard successfully ‎formed a minority government. ‎

Continued European banking worries touched off a bout of safe haven buying. The ‎yen was one of the benefactors in yesterday's trading. The USD/JPY dropped to a 15-‎year low at 83.50 before finally closing at 83.79. Should safe haven buying continue, ‎the USD/JPY could push its all-time low at 79.70.‎

OIL - Recovery Fears Weaken Spot Crude Oil

The price of spot crude oil fell during yesterday's trading following renewed concerns ‎over the global economic recovery. This time around it was Europe that sparked fears ‎of a weakened banking system and fiscal concerns in Ireland. ‎

Spot crude oil prices fell to $73.80, after opening the day at $74.04.‎

Also affecting the price of spot crude oil was a strengthening dollar. As the dollar ‎appreciates, this makes it more expensive for holders of foreign currencies to by crude ‎oil. ‎

Traders may have been influenced by an explosion at a Mexican government owned ‎oil refinery near the US Mexico border. This sparked worries over short term supplies ‎and helped to reduce the overall drop in spot crude oil prices.‎

The weekly crude oil inventories release from the US Department of Energy ‎Administration is scheduled for Thursday due to the shortened holiday week in the ‎US. Expectations are for an increase of 300K barrels.‎
Support and resistance for spot crude oil prices come in at $71 and $75.70‎

Technical News

EUR/USD

The pair has recorded much bearish behavior in the last 2 days. However, the technical ‎data indicates that this trend may reverse anytime soon. For example, the daily chart's ‎Stochastic Slow signals that a bullish reversal is imminent. An upward trend today is ‎also supported by the RSI. Going long with tight stops may turn out to pay off today. ‎

GBP/USD

The cross has been dropping for the past month now, as it now stands at the 1.5380 ‎level. However, the daily chart's RSI is already floating in the oversold territory ‎indicating that a bullish correction might take place in the nearest future. Going long ‎with tight stops may turn out to be the right choice today.

USD/JPY

The USD/JPY has gone increasingly bearish yesterday, and currently stands at the ‎‎83.47 level. The daily chart's Slow Stochastic supports this currency cross to fall ‎further today. However, the hourly chart's Stochastic Slow signals that a bullish ‎reversal will take place today. Entering the pair when the signs are clearer seems to be ‎the wise choice today.‎

USD/CHF

This pair's sustained downward movement has finally pushed its price into the over-‎sold territory on the daily chart's RSI. Not only that, but there actually appears to be a ‎bullish cross on the Slow Stochastic pointing to an imminent downward correction. ‎Forex traders have the opportunity to wait for the upwardward breach on the hourlies ‎and go long in order to ride out the impending wave‎

Oil

Crude Oil is displaying significant bearish signals after yesterday's failed breach of the ‎‎$75 price level. The hourly chart has the pair trading in the overbought zone on the ‎pair's Relative Strength Index, indicating a possible move lower. The chart also shows ‎a bearish cross has formed on the Slow Stochastic Oscillator that may support this ‎downward move. Forex and commodity traders may want to be short on Crude Oil ‎today as a significant price move may be in the making.

Article Source - Dollar Rallies on Weak German Data