bullish bias

For short positions on EUR/USD: Sellers capitulated, and today their hopes are dwindling. The divergent policies of the Fed and the ECB, as well as aggressive statements from European officials regarding further inflation fighting measures, maintain demand for the euro, which is used by the big players. The only thing the bears do is to protect the new resistance level at 1.0997. I will go short on this mark after a rise and a false breakout. It may give a sell signal, pushing EUR/USD to a major support level at 1.0956, formed yesterday.   A decline below this level as well as an upward retest could trigger a downward movement to 1.0911. A more distant target will be the 1.0862 level where I recommend locking in profits. If EUR/USD rises during the European session and bears fail to protect 1.0997, the bullish trend will continue. In this case, I would advise you to postpone short positions until a false breakout of the resistance level of 1.1029. You could sell EUR/USD at a bounce from 1.1029, keeping in mind a downward intraday correction of 30-35 pips.   COT report: According to the COT report (Commitment of Traders) for June 13, there was a drop in long and short positions. However, this report was released even before the Federal Reserve's decision on the interest rate. The regulator decided to skip a rate hike in June this year, which significantly affected market sentiment. For this reason, one should not pay too much attention to the report. Demand for the euro remains high as the ECB remains committed to aggressive tightening. The euro is likely to maintain a bullish bias. The best medium-term strategy is to go long on the decline. The COT report showed that long non-commercial positions decreased by 9,922 to 226,138, while short non-commercial positions fell by 3,323 to 74,316. At the end of the week, the total non-commercial net position dropped and amounted to 151 822 against 158 224. The weekly closing price increased and amounted to 1.0794 against 1.0702.  

The price has not been able to rise above the resistance level of 144.73 for the fourth session. The Marlin oscillator has grown tired of waiting and has essentially formed a full reversal divergence with the price. A corrective decline to the nearest price channel line (142.65) is possible.     An attempt to overcome this can push the price to hit the 142.30 level. If, by any chance, the price consolidates above 144.73, then the price can overcome the 145.68 level and it will continue to rise towards the strategic target of 147.40.   On the 4-hour chart, the price still maintains a bullish bias, but it gets weaker with every candlestick, because if the consolidation continues, the price will end up below the MACD line (blue, 144.22). The Marlin oscillator is already in the red. We await further developments.  

1H chart of GBP/USD In the 1-hour chart, GBP/USD maintains a bullish bias, although it is correcting at the moment. The ascending trend line serves as a buy signal. However, we still believe that the British currency is overvalued and should fall in the medium term. The pair overcame the downward trend line, so the pound has an opportunity to show another round of the uptrend. So far, it has not crossed the Senkou Span B line, but it is the last line of defense on the way to a new uptrend. On July 5, trading levels are seen at 1.2349, 1.2429-1.2445, 1.2520, 1.2598-1.2605, 1.2693, 1.2762, 1.2863, 1.2981-1.2987. The Senkou Span B (1.2726) and Kijun-sen (1.2662) may also generate signals when the price either breaks or bounces off them.   A Stop Loss should be placed at the breakeven point when the price goes 20 pips in the right direction. Ichimoku indicator lines can move intraday, which should be taken into account when determining trading signals. There are also support and resistance which can be used for locking in profits. On Wednesday, services PMI numbers for the UK in the second estimate for June will be released. Not the most significant indicator. We have the FOMC minutes for release in the US, which rarely contains important information. The pair will likely go through low volatility, but as we can see, the lack of news does not prevent the pound from continuing to rise against the USD.       Indicators on charts: Resistance/support - thick red lines, near which the trend may stop. They do not make trading signals. The Kijun-sen and Senkou Span B lines are the Ichimoku indicator lines moved to the hourly timeframe from the 4-hour timeframe. They are also strong lines. Extreme levels are thin red lines, from which the price used to bounce earlier. They can produce trading signals. Yellow lines are trend lines, trend channels, and other technical patterns. Indicator 1 on the COT chart is the size of the net position of each trader category. Indicator 2 on the COT chart is the size of the net position for the Non-commercial group of traders.  

5M chart of GBP/USD   The GBP/USD jumped solidly upwards on Monday, with volatility exceeding the 100-point mark. A speech by Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey was scheduled in the UK yesterday, but it was planned for the evening, so it couldn't have any influence on the pair's movement during the day. Nevertheless, in the second half of the day, the dollar slumped, which we can associate with the upcoming US inflation report, which already suggests a sharp slowdown to 3.1%. If the forecasts come true, then this report is already accounted for, and the likelihood of two more rate hikes in 2023 will drastically decrease. Theoretically, the broad US dollar weakness is logical, but let's also remember that this pattern is not always observed.   The market still uses any excuse to buy the pair. The momentum persists. There was only one entry point yesterday. At the beginning of the US session, the pair bounced off the 1.2762 level and the Kijun-sen line of the Ichimoku indicator, afterwards it rose to the 1.2863 level. The long position should have been closed manually closer to the evening, so the profit on it was about 70 points. An excellent trading day!   COT report:     The GBP/USD jumped solidly upwards on Monday, with volatility exceeding the 100-point mark. A speech by Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey was scheduled in the UK yesterday, but it was planned for the evening, so it couldn't have any influence on the pair's movement during the day. Nevertheless, in the second half of the day, the dollar slumped, which we can associate with the upcoming US inflation report, which already suggests a sharp slowdown to 3.1%.   If the forecasts come true, then this report is already accounted for, and the likelihood of two more rate hikes in 2023 will drastically decrease. Theoretically, the broad US dollar weakness is logical, but let's also remember that this pattern is not always observed. The market still uses any excuse to buy the pair. The momentum persists.   There was only one entry point yesterday. At the beginning of the US session, the pair bounced off the 1.2762 level and the Kijun-sen line of the Ichimoku indicator, afterwards it rose to the 1.2863 level. The long position should have been closed manually closer to the evening, so the profit on it was about 70 points. An excellent trading day!       In the 1-hour chart, GBP/USD maintains a bullish bias. The ascending trend line serves as a buy signal. So, traders are opening new long positions. However, the pound sterling is overbought. It is likely to decline in the medium term. Yet, it surpassed the descending trend line. Hence, it could move to new highs.   Yet, it surpassed the descending trend line. Hence, it could move to new highs. According to the technical analysis, the pound sterling has drivers for a further increase. And the market is happy to take any opportunity to sell the dollar. On July 11, trading levels are seen at 1.2349, 1.2429-1.2445, 1.2520, 1.2598-1.2605, 1.2693, 1.2762, 1.2863, 1.2981-1.2987. Senkou Span B (1.2714) and Kijun-sen (1.2719) lines can also provide signals, e.g. rebounds and breakout of these levels and lines. It is recommended to set the Stop Loss orders at the breakeven level when the price moves in the right direction by 20 pips.   The lines of the Ichimoku indicator can move during the day, which should be taken into account when determining trading signals. There are support and resistance levels that can be used to lock in profits. On Tuesday, the UK will publish at least three reports that could stir some market reaction. Jobless claims, unemployment and payrolls. We believe that the unemployment data may have an impact on the traders' mood. If they turn out to be optimistic, the pound will receive a new opportunity to extend its upward movement. Indicators on charts: Resistance/support - thick red lines, near which the trend may stop. They do not make trading signals. The Kijun-sen and Senkou Span B lines are the Ichimoku indicator lines moved to the hourly timeframe from the 4-hour timeframe.   They are also strong lines. Extreme levels are thin red lines, from which the price used to bounce earlier. They can produce trading signals. Yellow lines are trend lines, trend channels, and other technical patterns. Indicator 1 on the COT chart is the size of the net position of each trader category. Indicator 2 on the COT chart is the size of the net position for the Non-commercial group of traders.    

Weak medium-term momentum may kickstart a medium-term downtrend phase for AUD/JPY. Key short-term resistance stands at 93.70 with a potential downside trigger at 92.80. This is a follow-up analysis of our prior report, “AUD/JPY: Minor downtrend remains intact” published on 28 June 2023. Click here for a recap. Since its 19 June 2023 high of 97.67, the price actions of the AUD/JPY have continued to shape lower highs despite a retest and rebound on its key 200-day moving average after it printed an intraday low of 91.79 on 28 July 2023 ex-post Bank of Japan (BoJ)’s flexible yield curve control announcement on the 10-year Japanese Government Bond. Technical analysis suggests that the AUD/JPY is now at heightened risk to evolve into a medium-term downtrend phase.   Fig 1:  AUD/JPY medium-term trend as of 21 Aug 2023 (Source: TradingView, click to enlarge chart) Last Friday, 18 August, AUD/JPY managed to stall its prior three days of decline at a key support/inflection level of 92.80 which is being defined by a confluence of elements; the former swing high areas of 26 January/14 February/21 February 2023, and medium-term ascending trendline from 24 March 2023 low of 86.06. However, elements are not showing signs of any bullish reversal at this juncture with bearish momentum reading seen in the daily RSI oscillator as it inched lower from the 50 level and has not reached oversold condition.     Fig 2:  AUD/JPY minor short-term trend as of 21 Aug 2023 (Source: TradingView, click to enlarge chart) The price actions of AUD/JPY have oscillated within a minor descending channel in place since 15 August 2023 minor swing high of 94.87 which suggested that further potential downside may materialize at least in the short-term horizon. Watch the 93.70 key short-term pivotal resistance and a break below 92.80 near-term support exposes the next support at 92.00 (also the 200-day moving average) in the first step. On the other hand, a clearance above 93.70 invalidates the bearish bias to see the next intermediate resistance at 94.90 (also the 50-day moving average).

Earnings and soft services PMIs sends yields and dollar lower Fed rate hike odds for September 20th meeting stand at 11% (down from yesterday’s 16%) Russian mercenary leader Prigozhin may have died in plane crash The US dollar remained near session lows against the Japanese yen after the Treasury’s mixed 20-year auction.  The bond market rally that started yesterday is holding up after decent demand saw a 4.499% yield, which was higher than the pre-sale yield of 4.490%, and obviously above the 3.954% prior 20-year bond auction.  Eventually the bond market will fixate over foreign demand, but for now the Treasury doesn’t seem to be seeing have any trouble with the extra issuance.   PMIs Both the dreadful eurozone PMIs and softening US ones helped keep the bond market rally going and that should help with the global disinflation process. Rates are coming down and so are Fed rate hiking expectations.   Earnings For a second consecutive quarter, Foot Locker significantly slashed their guidance.  Wall Street was already skeptical of how Foot Locker would finish the year, but the outlook just went from bad to abysmal.  Foot Locker suspended their dividend and cut their full-year sales and earnings guidance, noting softening trends in July. A tough consumer backdrop is only going to get worse, which could lead to a few ugly quarters for the footwear chain. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. earnings were the exact opposite to what came out of Foot Locker.  Abercrombie is raising their outlook as their customers appear to be bucking the trend we saw from Macy’s and Kohls.   All the signs are there for the outlook to get worse for the consumer. Mortgage rates are over 7% for the first time in nearly 2 decades.  Credit card debt just jumped over $1 trillion as Generation X has the highest balance.  The US job market is showing signs of cooling and that should continue as consumer spending softens.   USD/JPY daily chart     The USD/JPY chart is tentatively pulling back as global bond rates decline following weak global PMIs.  Despite the two-day slide, a bullish bias might remain if the long end of the curve sees rates remaining elevated.  If bearish momentum remains, the 142.75 will provide initial support.  To the upside the 147.50 provides key resistance, while the 150.00 level remains a key price barrier.