Heiken Ashi indicator

The GBP/USD currency pair calmly continued its upward movement on Thursday. And we are forced to state that the rise of the British currency is once again completely illogical. The market is returning to its favorite activity of the past few months - buying the pound regardless of its fundamental background. And if that's the case, we can do nothing about it. It is worth noting that at the same time, the euro continues to trade below the moving average and shows no signs of growth.   At most, a correction may occur soon due to the CCI indicator entering the oversold area. In other words, the pound and the euro do not correlate this week, which always raises questions. The fundamental background has indeed been very different for these pairs. We have received diverse news, statements, speeches, and reports from the European Union. The market has not yet figured out which of this data is primary and which can be disregarded.       However, at the same time, from the UK, we have only received the report on business activity in the manufacturing sector for May in its final assessment. This secondary indicator could not have caused a strong British currency rise yesterday. What could be the problem? We can only assume one thing. The market believes that the ECB is approaching the end of its tightening cycle. Still, at the same time, it expects several more rate hikes from the Bank of England, which puts the British pound in a more favorable position than the dollar or the euro.   It is worth noting that the probability of an interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve in June has sharply increased this week, as several members of the monetary committee have expressed their readiness to support a "hawkish" decision without pausing. But yesterday, Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Harker, on the contrary, spoke in favor of a pause, which further confused traders. If the market is confused, seeing flat or cautious movements would be more logical. However, the pound is rising again like yeast. Therefore, the issue lies in the CCI indicator entering the oversold area and maintaining a bullish sentiment in the market. The pound should resume its decline, but strong bearish signals are now needed, which are currently lacking.   Nonfarm payrolls and unemployment can pleasantly surprise the market. On the last trading day of the week in the United States, the publication of the nonfarm payroll reports is scheduled. Since the British pound is rising again for unclear reasons, these reports are intended to set everything straight. The dollar may resume growth if they show good values (not below forecasts).   If the values are weak, the pound may rise even stronger in joy. And it doesn't matter that globally, it should decline by another 500-600 points to contemplate new growth. It is worth noting that we did not receive any "hawkish" signals from the United States this week. And if so, there are no strong reasons for the pound to rise.   On Thursday, the ADP report on changes in the number of private sector employees in the United States showed a higher value than expected - 278,000 against the forecast of 170-200. However, this report is rarely perceived by traders as important. They usually prefer to wait for the Nonfarm Payrolls. Moreover, the nature of the ADP and NonFarm reports rarely coincides. Thus, today's NonFarm report may be weaker than the forecasts (180-190 thousand), and the bulls will have a new legitimate opportunity to buy the pound and sell the dollar.   Therefore, the week may end unexpectedly. The fact that the euro and the pound are already trading in different directions causes surprise, but the current week shows that there have been and will be surprised. Volatility has started to rise again, but at the same time, frequent corrections and pullbacks occur. It is worth noting that there are better types of movement for trading in the 4-hour timeframe.     The average volatility of the GBP/USD pair over the past five trading days is 92 pips. For the pound/dollar pair, this value is considered "average." Therefore, on Friday, June 2nd, we expect movement within the channel bounded by the levels of 1.2424 and 1.2608. A downward reversal of the Heiken Ashi indicator will signal a correction against the recent upward trend.   Nearest support levels: S1 - 1.2482 S2 - 1.2451 S3 - 1.2421   Nearest resistance levels: R1 - 1.2512   Trading recommendations: On the 4-hour timeframe, the GBP/USD pair has settled above the moving average line, so long positions with a target of 1.2608 are currently relevant, which should be held until the Heiken Ashi indicator reverses downwards. Short positions can be considered if the price consolidates below the moving average with targets at 1.2360 and 1.2329.   Explanation of illustrations: Linear regression channels - help determine the current trend. If both channels are directed in the same direction, it indicates a strong trend. Moving average line (settings 20.0, smoothed) - determines the short-term trend and direction for trading. Murray levels - target levels for movements and corrections. Volatility levels (red lines) - the probable price channel in which the pair will move the next day, based on current volatility indicators. CCI indicator - its entry into the oversold region (below -250) or overbought region (above +250) indicates an upcoming trend reversal in the opposite direction.    

The EUR/USD currency pair continued its downward movement on Monday. Not as strong as on Friday, but still a decline. Thus, the pair spent less than a day above the moving average line and now may drop to the last local minimum and continue its movement to the south. We have repeatedly mentioned that we expect a decline in the past two months. And in the last month (when the pair was already actively falling), we constantly repeated that the decline should continue.   There have been no grounds for the euro to rise in the past three months, during which it enjoyed active demand. Now it's time to "repay debts." The minimum target for the decline is 1.0500. On the 24-hour timeframe, the pair ended only one day out of the last 25, with a significant increase. It might have seemed that a new upward movement would begin, leading to a resumption of the upward trend, but last Friday and Monday show that such a conclusion is premature. The euro currency rose within the last upward trend by almost 1600 points, which implies a correction of at least 600–700 points. That is, to the range of 1.03–1.04.   And because there are no grounds for resuming the movement to the north, these targets look even more convincing. Thus, we expect the continuation of a calm decline. All the movements of the past months are very similar to consolidation - a type of movement when the pair does not have a clear trend but is not in a flat state either. Consolidation will continue until the first signs of readiness to soften monetary policy from the Fed or the ECB appear. In principle, everything written below is not "big news." Over the past few weeks, we have witnessed many speeches by ECB and Fed representatives. And if unexpected information came from anyone, it was from the members of the FOMC. Recall that the market fervently believed that the last planned increase in the key rate in the United States took place in May.       However, several Fed representatives immediately indicated that the rate could be raised again in June, and some stated that the regulator could now raise the rate once every two meetings. However, the rate will continue to rise, which the market did not anticipate. The situation with the ECB and its monetary policy is much simpler. Almost all monetary committee members insist on further tightening, so there is no doubt that the rate will increase by another 0.5% at the next two meetings. However, some analytical agencies and major banks believe that we will see the last rate hike in June, which raises doubts about a rate hike after August 2023.   If so, the ECB's rate will remain much lower than the Fed's rate, and in 2023, it will increase by approximately the same value. Thus, the euro currency loses the growth factor that could help it in the coming months. Bostjan Vasle stated last Friday that it is necessary to continue raising the rate to combat high inflation effectively. He also noted that core inflation needs to be higher. His colleague Gabriel Makhlouf confirmed that the ECB intends to continue tightening its monetary policy.     He also noted the high level of core inflation and that the end of the tightening cycle has yet to come. Mr. Makhlouf said the current picture is quite blurry, besides the confidence in two more rate hikes. It is worth adding that the market has long worked out the rate hikes mentioned above. We have already mentioned many times that after slowing down the pace of tightening to a minimum, we can expect three more 0.25% rate hikes.   Thus, two rate hikes in June and August are logical and expected. They could have been anticipated several months ago. Therefore, the current "hawkish" sentiment of the ECB representatives does not provide any support for the euro currency. In the 4-hour timeframe, the downward trend is visible. The oversold condition of the CCI indicator has been worked off, so now the pair can continue to decline with a calm mind.   The average volatility of the EUR/USD currency pair over the last five trading days as of June 6th is 81 points and is characterized as "average." Thus, we expect the pair to move between the levels of 1.0631 and 1.0793 on Tuesday. A reversal of the Heiken Ashi indicator back upwards will indicate a possible resumption of the upward movement.   Nearest support levels: S1 - 1.0681 S2 - 1.0620   Nearest resistance levels: R1 - 1.0742 R2 - 1.0803 R3 - 1.0864   Trading recommendations: The EUR/USD pair has dropped below the moving average line. It is advisable to stay in short positions with targets at 1.0681 and 1.0631 until the Heiken Ashi indicator reverses upward. Long positions will become relevant only after the price firmly reclaims above the moving average line, with targets at 1.0793 and 1.0803.   Explanations for the illustrations: Linear regression channels - help determine the current trend. If both channels point in the same direction, it indicates a strong trend. Moving average line (settings: 20.0, smoothed) - determines the short-term trend and direction for trading.   Murray levels - target levels for movements and corrections. Volatility levels (red lines) - the probable price channel the pair is expected to trade in the next 24 hours, based on current volatility indicators. CCI indicator - its entry into the oversold area (below -250) or overbought area (above +250) indicates an approaching trend reversal in the opposite direction.  

The EUR/USD currency pair did not show high volatility on Monday and started a weak downward correction, as we anticipated. In principle, the market sentiment was not influenced by the planned fundamental events (we will discuss them below). And perhaps they were not supposed to. Recall that the EUR/USD pair is in a strong upward correction after its monthly decline. Corrections can vary. Those that are truly worth highlighting range from 30% to 100%. This time, the euro could have corrected by 60–70%, and there is nothing strange or surprising about that. We have mentioned many times in recent months that the euro currency is significantly overbought and is positioned too high, given the fundamental backdrop at its disposal.     Therefore, we expect only one thing - a decline. Lately, the interest rate factor has come to the forefront again. The markets received new information from the Fed and the ECB, and it unexpectedly turned out that both central banks are willing to tighten monetary policy more aggressively than was previously thought a couple of months ago.   The ECB believes that the rate may continue to rise in the autumn, while the Fed has stated that the rate may increase one or two more times. However, in any case, both central banks are ready to continue tightening beyond the "planned" levels. Thus, there are no advantages for the euro currency over the dollar after it has already risen by 1550 points in the past three quarters. Furthermore, the Fed's rate is higher than the ECB's rate and will remain so because the ECB does not have the same capabilities as the US regulator. Additionally, the Eurozone economy has shown a 0.1% contraction in the last two quarters, unlike the US economy, which still exists although its growth rates are decreasing. Not to mention the state of the labor market and unemployment.   In the United States, these indicators are in good order, while unemployment in the EU stands at 6.5%. Thus, the path for the euro currency is only downward if the fundamental backdrop has any significance. ECB Chief Economist Philipp Lane stated on Monday that a rate hike in July would be appropriate. With this statement, he certainly did not reveal anything groundbreaking. We have mentioned many times that we should expect three more rate hikes after slowing down the pace of monetary policy tightening to a minimum.   Therefore, the rate will rise to 4.25%. This is not news or an intensification of the regulator's "hawkish" stance, so the market did not react to this statement. Similarly, the statements made by Luis de Guindos and Isabel Schnabel should have been addressed. Mr. Lane stated that inflation in the Eurozone would fall to 2% in the coming years, which speaks to the regulator's need for more urgency. In other words, he is not striving, like the Fed, to return inflation to 2% in the shortest possible time (they even started raising rates six months later).   Indirectly, this indicates that the rate will only rise for a short time. And if so, it will rise to 4.25% or a maximum of 4.5%. In other words, one or two more times. That's how many times the Fed's rate can rise this year. And if inflation in the EU continues to decrease at normal rates, it will not make sense to continue tightening monetary policy, driving its economy into a recession.   After all, what is the ECB's calculation? Even a few quarters of negative growth are fine. The rate will decrease when inflation approaches 2%, and the economy will accelerate. However, the higher the rate rises in 2023, the stronger the economy will fall. It may take a long time to solve the recession problem.   The conclusion is that the euro currency has no grounds for further growth against the US dollar. The average volatility of the euro/dollar currency pair for the past five trading days, as of June 20th, is 77 points and is characterized as "average." Therefore, we expect the pair to move between the levels of 1.0843 and 1.0977 on Tuesday. A reversal of the Heiken Ashi indicator back upwards will indicate a resumption of the upward movement.    

The GBP/USD currency pair continued to trade with minimal volatility on Tuesday. The chart below clearly shows the volatility values over the past 30 days. The average value has decreased significantly in recent months. It should be understood that 90 points represent two days at 120 points and three days at 70 points. Trading the pair during these "three days at 70" would be extremely inconvenient and difficult.   The British pound has minimally corrected towards the moving average line but has not formed any signals around it. It continues to rise, but its prospects are still highly uncertain due to having already risen by 2500 points and still needing help to correct properly. As we can see, last week, the Bank of England raised the interest rate by 0.5%, but the pound did not show any growth afterward.       In other words, the British currency, which in 2023 takes any opportunity to rise, refuses to do so when it receives the strongest growth factor! Perhaps the market has already priced in all the Bank of England rate hikes? Its key rate has already risen to 5%, so how many more tightening measures can be objectively expected?   How many of them have the market not yet "discounted"? We did not expect such a strong rate hike from the Bank of England, but even in this case, the essence of the matter remains the same. The Bank of England is still close to completing its tightening cycle. Let's remind ourselves that the US dollar started to decline at the first signs of inflation slowing down. In other words, the market has already factored in almost all future rate hikes by the Federal Reserve in advance. We expect something similar from the British pound at the moment. In the 24-hour timeframe, it is evident that there are almost no corrections within the current upward trend. Occasionally, the pair retraces from its local highs by 10-20%, no more.   Therefore, we still believe that the pound is overbought and has risen too strongly, and we expect a decline. The Chief Economist of the Bank of England may surprise the market. There will be a few fundamental events in the UK this week. Today, the Chief Economist of the Bank of England, Hugh Pill, will deliver a speech, and it will be one of the first appearances by a representative of the British regulator after the regulator raised the rate for the thirteenth consecutive time. Thus, Pill's speech has the potential to be very interesting, but it should be noted that he may very well avoid discussing monetary policy. Therefore, it will all depend on what Mr. Pill communicates.   Naturally, the market will await new information on how much more monetary policy tightening is planned in the UK. Jerome Powell's speech should generate less interest among traders, as the head of the Federal Reserve has been speaking quite frequently lately, and the market more or less understands what to expect from the Fed in the upcoming meetings.   The following can be expected: a rate hike of 0.25% is almost guaranteed in July, and then by the end of the year, at most, one more hike can be expected. Inflation in the US is declining at the highest rates, so raising the rate to 5.75% would be excessive. However, the Federal Reserve is in a hurry to suppress inflation and return to normalcy.   And at the moment, the dollar is hardly reacting to all the efforts of the Fed. It has been falling for almost ten months in a row. Thus, overall, the situation remains the same. The pound may continue to rise, but it has long been due for a downward correction of at least 500-600 points. The average volatility of the GBP/USD pair over the past five trading days is 81 points.   For the pound/dollar pair, this value is considered "average." Therefore, on Wednesday, June 28th, we expect movements within a range limited by the levels of 1.2649 and 1.2811. A reversal of the Heiken Ashi indicator downwards will signal a new downward movement phase.  

The GBP/USD currency pair was traded with low volatility on Tuesday but still managed to move upwards, while the euro currency stood still and decreased more than it grew. Thus, even on a completely empty Tuesday, the pound sterling found reasons to start moving north again.   The price has re-fixed above the moving average and is still very close to its local maximums, which also coincide with the annual maximums. The British currency still cannot correct down properly, which is especially visible in the 24-hour timeframe. Occasionally, there are downward corrections on the 4-hour timeframe, but in most cases, they are purely formal.   The logic of the movements needs to be improved. Two weeks ago, when the Bank of England unexpectedly raised the rate by 0.5% for many, the pound did not grow. But yesterday, when it was a holiday in the States, it added about 40-50 points. The British economy is still weak and is holding out with the last of its strength not to slide into a recession.   US GDP exceeds forecasts by 0.7% and shows a value of +2% q/q. The Bank of England's rate continues to rise but is still lower than the Fed's. The British regulator can raise the rate several times but will likely stay within the Fed's rate. All this suggests that even if the dollar doesn't have strong reasons to grow now, it certainly has no reasons to fall. However, in most cases, we continue to observe the pair's growth. Only business activity indices in the manufacturing sectors can be highlighted for the first two days of the week. In the US and UK, the indices fell synchronously for June and have long been below the "waterline" of 50.0. Again, the pound did not have an advantage over the dollar due to macroeconomic statistics.     Thursday and Friday promise to be "stormy"! The week's most important events are concentrated in its last two days. Today, of course, the Fed's minutes will be published. In the European Union and Britain, the second estimates of business activity indices for June will become known, but all these are secondary data. It is unlikely that the Fed's minutes will surprise traders who are already confident in a rate hike in July, as well as after Jerome Powell's five speeches over the past weeks, in which he laid everything out. Therefore, the main movements are planned for Thursday and Friday, when the ISM, ADP, unemployment benefit claims, the number of job openings, NonFarm Payrolls, and the unemployment rate will be released in the US.   As we can see, almost all reports are related to the labor market, which the Fed continues to monitor closely, and which has a priority for the regulator and the market. However, even if the reports are disastrous (which is currently hard to believe), the Fed will not change its plans to raise the rate.   And for the GBP/USD pair, it doesn't matter at all. The pound grows for a reason and without. If statistics from overseas turn out to be weak, it will merely get a new reason to grow against the dollar. If the statistics from the US turn out to be strong, we will see a new pullback down, a maximum of 100 points, and the Fed's position on the rate will not change. Thus, the market's local reaction could be significant.   In the medium term, these reports will not affect the situation in the market. The average volatility of the GBP/USD pair over the last 5 trading days is 94 points. For the pound/dollar pair, this value is "medium." Therefore, on Wednesday, July 5, we expect movement within the range limited by levels 1.2612 and 1.2800. The Heiken Ashi indicator's reversal down signals a possible new downward movement wave.    

  The GBP/USD currency pair exhibited no noteworthy movements on Friday. The price continues to correct both in the global and local senses. After a double rebound from the level of 1.2634, the pair is aiming for the upper boundary of the sideways channel, i.e., the level of 1.2787. This level has already been reached, so a new round of downward movement within the same channel may begin soon. Since we are currently in a range, trading the pair is inconvenient and inadvisable. While we mentioned that it's better to trade the euro on higher timeframes, in the case of the pound, trading on higher timeframes is not profitable since the pair is not showing any trend movement. Overall, the situation could be more pleasant. A consolidation above the level of 1.2787 could trigger a continuation of the upward correction, which will not break the established concept. Let us remind you that the concept involves a prolonged decline in the British currency. Corrections are integral to any trend, so a slight upward move would not hurt. However, there is still a risk of resuming an illogical and unjustified upward trend that was difficult to explain several months ago. On the 24-hour timeframe, we still do not see a breakthrough of the Ichimoku cloud, so even after the last month's decline, the upward trend has not changed to a downward one. There was virtually no macroeconomic data on Friday, and there will be none today. Volatility for the pound did not exceed 100 points last week, and any value below this level is considered "average." The pound is certainly moving more actively than the euro (which is historically the case), but the range spoils everything.   ECB rhetoric is more important than the Fed This week, there will be even fewer significant events than last week. What can we highlight? Business activity indices? The Jackson Hole symposium, which only starts on Friday? A few speeches by Fed representatives? The U.S. durable goods orders report? All of these are interesting, but what matters is the market's reaction to them. All business activity indices and the durable goods orders report could only provoke a reaction if the actual values differ significantly from the forecasts. Fed representatives' speeches – we observe quite a few of these almost every week. The Fed's policy is currently clear and understood, and it is unlikely that Bowman or Gulsbee will report anything extremely important.   The market does not believe in a rate hike in September or the end of the tightening cycle. A few months ago, Jerome Powell indicated that the regulator was shifting to a "one hike every two meetings" approach, so there should be a pause in September. However, the latest inflation report, showing an acceleration in inflation, suggests we may see at least one more rate hike. And if the August report also shows an acceleration, tightening may occur as early as September. More questions are now being posed to the ECB, for which a brief pause is also expected. If signals start coming from the ECB about even slower tightening, it may be a reason for the European currency to accelerate its decline against the dollar.     The average volatility of the GBP/USD pair over the last five trading days is 84 points. For the pound/dollar pair, this value is considered "average." Therefore, on Monday, August 21, we expect movement within the range limited by levels 1.2646 and 1.2816. A downward reversal of the Heiken Ashi indicator will signal a downward spiral within the lateral channel.   The nearest support levels: S1 – 1.2726 S2 – 1.2695 S3 – 1.2665   The nearest resistance levels: R1 – 1.2756 R2 – 1.2787 R3 – 1.2817   Trading Recommendations: The GBP/USD pair in the 4-hour timeframe has secured itself above the moving average, but we are still in a flat market overall. You can trade now based on rebounds from the upper (1.2787) or lower (1.2634) boundaries of the sideways channel, but reversals may occur without reaching them. The moving average may be crossed very often, but it does not signify a change in trend.   Explanations of illustrations: Linear regression channels - help determine the current trend. If both are directed in one direction, the trend is strong. Moving average line (settings 20.0, smoothed) - determines the short-term trend and the direction to trade now. Murrey levels - target levels for movements and corrections. Volatility levels (red lines) - the probable price channel in which the pair will spend the next day, based on current volatility indicators. CCI indicator - its entry into the oversold area (below -250) or the overbought area (above +250) means that a trend reversal in the opposite direction is approaching.  

  Yesterday, the EUR/USD currency pair rose to its moving average line but almost immediately rebounded and began a stronger decline. This decline eloquently demonstrated who currently dominates the market. Traders shouldn't be misled by the movement toward and potentially beyond the moving average – this line is close to the price (due to low volatility) and can touch it almost daily. However, as we can see, the first attempt to rise above the moving average failed. Importantly, this cannot be blamed on strong macroeconomic data for the dollar or the fundamental backdrop. Technically, nothing has changed. The pair updated its local minimum yesterday, meaning the downward trend remains.   Thus, expecting the European currency to fall is the most logical under the current circumstances. As we have repeatedly stated, there have been no reasons for the euro to grow for a long time. The ECB increasingly signals a potential pause in tightening, and some experts do not anticipate more than one rate hike in 2023. This means the ECB rate will remain much lower than the Federal Reserve. Demand for the dollar will increase since, at present, one can earn much more from bank deposits and treasury bonds in the US than from similar instruments in the European Union. Additionally, inflation in the EU is higher, while it has already dropped to 3.2% in the US. Besides, it should be noted that the Federal Reserve can also raise its rate again.   It has far better opportunities for tightening than the European Union. However, we mentioned several months ago that the ECB is constrained in its monetary moves as it needs to consider the interests of all 27 member countries, some of which are economically weak and cannot withstand overly strict monetary policies. Lagarde is unlikely to protect the euro from falling. At this time, the macroeconomic background is irrelevant. It might lift the euro, but we advocate continuing the pair's decline. On Friday, speeches from Christine Lagarde and Jerome Powell are scheduled. If we are mistaken in our assessment of rate changes in the US and EU, the chairpersons of both central banks can convey the true information to the market. However, the symposium in Jackson Hole is not where Lagarde and Powell will be candid and make sensational announcements. However, a few hints might suffice for the market. The Fed's position is now even less critical than the ECB. If the Fed's rate doesn't increase in September, it will in November. On the other hand, if the ECB pauses in September, it will find itself in a much less favorable position since its rate is significantly lower than the Fed. Hence, ultra-hawkish rhetoric is required from Lagarde for the European currency to start growing again. On the 24-hour TF (Time Frame), the price has settled below the Ichimoku cloud, but this isn't the case. We are looking at the Senkou Span B line at the 1.0862 level, and there needs to be a clear and confident consolidation below this level. Nonetheless, we also didn't witness a strong upward recoil after this level was tested, meaning the quote decline might continue at a moderate pace.     The average volatility of the EUR/USD currency pair over the last five trading days as of August 23 is 64 points and is characterized as "average." Consequently, we expect the pair to move between the levels of 1.0794 and 1.0922 on Wednesday. A reversal of the Heiken Ashi indicator upwards will indicate a new upward correction phase. Near Support Levels: S1 – 1.0803 S2 – 1.0742 S3 – 1.0681   Near Resistance Levels: R1 – 1.0864 R2 – 1.0925 R3 – 1.0986   Trading Recommendations: The EUR/USD pair currently maintains a downward trend. For now, staying in short positions with targets at 1.0803 and 1.0794 is advisable until the Heiken Ashi indicator turns upwards. Long positions can be considered if the price consolidates above the moving average, with targets at 1.0986 and 1.1047.   Illustration Explanations: Linear regression channels help determine the current trend. The current trend is strong if both are pointing in the same direction. Moving average line (settings 20.0, smoothed) determines the short-term trend and the direction in which trading should proceed. Murray levels are target levels for movements and corrections. Volatility levels (red lines) are the probable price channel in which the pair will operate over the next day, based on current volatility indicators. CCI Indicator – Its entry into the oversold area (below -250) or the overbought area (above +250) indicates an impending trend reversal in the opposite direction.  

The EUR/USD currency pair continued its downward movement throughout Tuesday. Volatility remained relatively weak, and the decline was not too strong. Nevertheless, it is very stable and raises no questions. We have repeatedly mentioned in recent weeks that such a movement is expected from the European currency, even if it seems illogical at first glance. For example, on Monday and Tuesday, there were no significant events or publications to justify the continued decline of the European currency. Last week, we expected an upward correction, which has yet to materialize. However, this market situation is the most logical one after the euro either rose unjustifiably in the first half of the year or simply held at a very high level without a correction. We believe that this factor is crucial for the euro and the dollar right now.   Consider this: if the Federal Reserve has raised and is raising interest rates more aggressively than the ECB, why have we seen the euro currency rise over the past year? Assume that the market has already set prices for all rate increases in the United States. In that case, why weren't rate hikes in the European Union priced the same way? The European economy has been struggling for several quarters, while in the US, we have seen quarterly growth of 2-3%. Based on all these factors, we have constantly stated that it's time for the pair to move downward. Significantly and for the long term. We do not rule out the possibility that, by the end of the year, the euro currency will return to parity with the dollar. In the 24-hour timeframe, the pair has breached the important Fibonacci level of 38.2% (1.0609) and is now almost guaranteed to drop to the 5th level. Remember that we have long referred to level 1.05 as the target. However, the movement to the south may not end there. We fully consider the possibility of a drop to the next Fibonacci level of 23.6% (1.0200). Muller and de Cos are once again pushing the euro lower. There have been no significant macroeconomic publications in the past few days. Only today in the United States will the report on durable goods orders be published, which can be considered more or less significant. However, over the past few days and the entire last week, we have witnessed speeches by representatives of the ECB's monetary committee. Several times a day. In principle, it became clear last week that the ECB is on the home stretch and will raise rates at most one more time. As we have mentioned, in the case of the ECB or the Federal Reserve, such actions can be considered logical, as the central banks have raised (or will raise by the end of the year) rates to almost 6%. Further rate hikes would be risky for the economy. But the situation is different with the ECB. The rate is slightly above 4%, which is clearly insufficient to bring inflation back to the target level in the near future.     But we are not here to judge the ECB; we are merely stating a fact: the ECB's rate has increased too weakly compared to the Federal Reserve's rate, and the euro currency has risen for too long based on expectations of a strong tightening of monetary policy in the European Union. The European currency may continue to decline peacefully because a wave of disappointment has now covered the market. On Tuesday, Madis Muller from the ECB stated that he does not expect a new rate hike. De Cos and de Galhau, the heads of Spain's and France's central banks, as well as Vice President de Guindos, had previously made similar statements. In one way or another, all ECB representatives have indicated that further tightening will only be possible in the event of accelerated inflation. However, the market is not too satisfied with this formulation because everyone understands that the European Union will be battling high inflation for several years to come. Just like the United Kingdom, but at least with Britain, it can be said that the central bank has done everything it could.   The average volatility of the EUR/USD currency pair over the last 5 trading days as of September 27th is 65 points and is characterized as "average." Thus, we expect the pair to move between the levels of 1.0495 and 1.0625 on Wednesday. A reversal of the Heiken Ashi indicator upwards will indicate a new attempt to make a slight correction. The nearest support levels are: S1: 1.0498 Nearest resistance levels: R1 = 1.0620 R2: 1.0742 R3: 1.0864     Trading recommendations: The EUR/USD pair maintains a downtrend. Short positions can be held with targets at 1.0510 and 1.0495 until the price consolidates above the moving average. Long positions can be considered if the price consolidates above the moving average with a target of 1.0742. Explanations for the illustrations: Linear regression channels help determine the current trend. If both are pointing in the same direction, it means the trend is strong right now. The moving average line (settings 20.0, smoothed) determines the short-term trend and the direction in which trading should be conducted at the moment. Murray levels: target levels for movements and corrections. Volatility levels (red lines): the probable price channel in which the pair will move in the next day based on current volatility indicators. CCI indicator: its entry into the overbought region (above +250) or oversold region (below -250) indicates that a trend reversal in the opposite direction is approaching.  

On Thursday, the EUR/USD pair continued its strong upward movement, reaching the Murray level "2/8" (1.0986) on Friday and bouncing off it. We expected the start of a downward correction (at least) on Thursday, but the outcomes of the ECB and Bank of England meetings influenced our plan.     The ECB and BoE took a rather hawkish stance on Thursday, triggering a new strengthening of the European currency and the pound. However, on Friday, with a weakened macroeconomic background and a complete absence of fundamentals, the pair showed volatility no less than on Wednesday and Thursday, but in the opposite direction. The correction we witnessed is not just regular; it can and should be the beginning of a prolonged decline. Of course, the pair can move in the opposite direction for quite some time, completely contradicting fundamentals, macroeconomics, and common sense. We have repeatedly listed all the reasons why the euro has no grounds to continue rising. Have we witnessed a two-month appreciation of the euro? This should be the end of it. This is if we talk about justified movement. If we talk about inertia, the euro can rise to $1.50 or even higher. Why is that impossible? The market can continue buying European currency for any reason, even if there is none because the market is made up of people. And people are not obliged to follow technicals, macroeconomics, or fundamentals. So, what we are warning about is that, in a more logical scenario, there is still a decline in the pair. This remains true despite Powell being less hawkish than desired and despite Lagarde's more hawkish stance than desired. Nothing changes because of that. Also, note that a "double top" pattern has formed on the euro at the moment, which is visible on almost any chart. Such a pattern is a sign of a trend reversal. Adding to this, there have been four entries into the overbought territory for the CCI indicator. What does this result in? It means that the euro has no other choice but to continue falling. Lane's speech is the most interesting event of the week in the EU. What can we expect next week? It can be said right away that all the most interesting things in December have already passed. The market is preparing for the Christmas and New Year holidays, so volatility may decrease again, although sharp emotional spikes and volatility are still possible in a "thin" market. In the EU, there will be a few important events next week. On Monday, the IFO Institute indices in Germany will be noteworthy. Business expectations, the current situation index, and the business climate index will be published. We do not consider these indices important, and the market's reaction to them may be extremely limited. On Tuesday, the EU will release the second, final assessment of inflation for November. We all understand that the second assessment rarely differs from the first, so traders are likely to have nothing to react to. On Wednesday, ECB Chief Economist Philip Lane will speak, but what can he tell the market after Christine Lagarde spoke first last week, and on Friday, both Holzmann and de Guindos spoke? Nothing is interesting in the events calendar in the EU and Germany on Thursday and Friday. It turns out that there will be no really important macroeconomic or fundamental events this week. Of course, there will be American events and reports, but even there, things are quite scarce. Therefore, we expect a correction against the rise on Wednesday and Thursday, as well as low volatility. The average volatility of the Euro/USD currency pair over the last 5 trading days as of December 17 is 97 points and is characterized as "high." Thus, we expect movement between levels 1.0797 and 1.0991 on Friday. The reversal of the Heiken Ashi indicator back upward will indicate a possible resumption of the upward movement. Nearest support levels: S1 - 1.0864 S2 - 1.0742 S3 - 1.0620 Nearest resistance levels: R1 - 1.0986 R2 - 1.1108 R3 - 1.1230 Trading recommendations: The EUR/USD pair has settled above the moving average line, but we do not believe that the rise can continue. The price perfectly reached the targets of 1.0974 and 1.0986, after which it began to fall. Buying the pair can be done on a bounce from the moving average, but we believe that a further decline is more likely. The new overbought condition of the CCI indicator indicates a much more probable decline. Short positions can be opened with a re-fixing below the moving average with a target of 1.0742. Explanations for the illustrations: Linear regression channels - help determine the current trend. If both are pointing in the same direction, the trend is strong. The moving average line (settings 20.0, smoothed) - determines the short-term trend and direction in which trading should currently be conducted. Murray levels - target levels for movements and corrections. Volatility levels (red lines) - the likely price channel in which the pair will spend the next day, based on current volatility indicators. CCI indicator - its entry into the overbought area (below -250) or the oversold area (above +250) indicates that a trend reversal in the opposite direction is approaching.