support zone

The main news of the weekend was the agreement on the US debt limit, which may serve as a basis for increased risk demand at the beginning of the week. The House of Representatives is expected to vote on Wednesday.   It was reported that the debt ceiling will be approved until the 2024 presidential elections. Non-defense spending will remain at current levels in 2024 and will increase by only 1% in 2025. This is a compromise between Republican demands for sharp spending cuts and Democratic intentions to raise taxes.   The aggregate short position in the US dollar decreased by 3.3 billion to -12.1 billion during the reporting week. Overall, sentiment towards the dollar remains negative, but the trend may have changed.     It is also worth noting a decrease in the long position on gold by 4 billion to -31.7 billion, which is also a factor in favor of the US dollar. The core PCE deflator increased by 0.4% MoM, which is slightly higher than the consensus forecast of 0.3%.   Despite the faster-than-expected price growth, real consumer spending rose by 0.5% MoM, surpassing the expected 0.3%. The rise in the PCE deflator indicates that the fight against inflation is still far from over. In a 3-month annualized expression, the core PCE deflator stands at 4.3%, the same as in April 2022. The combination of higher spending and faster price growth is expected to lead to the Federal Reserve raising rates in June. Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester, commenting on the released data, stated that "the data that came out this morning suggests that we still have work to do."   The CME futures market estimates a 63% probability of a Fed rate hike in June, compared to 18% the previous week, making the strengthening of the dollar in the changed conditions more than likely. Monday is a banking holiday in the US, so by the end of the day, volatility will decrease, and we do not expect strong movements. EUR/USD The ECB maintains a firm stance on continuing rate hikes as part of its fight against inflation.   On June 1, preliminary inflation data for the Eurozone will be published, and the forecast suggests a slowdown in core inflation from 5.6% to 5.5%. If the data release aligns with expectations, it will lower the ECB rate forecasts and put additional pressure on the euro.   The net long position on the euro decreased by 2.013 billion to 23.389 billion during the reporting week, marking the first significant reduction in the past 10 weeks. The calculated price is moving further south, indicating a high probability of further euro weakening.     EUR/USD has predictably declined to 1.0730, where support held, but we expect another attempt to test its strength, which will likely be more successful. Within a short-term correction, the euro may rise to resistance at 1.0735 or 1.0830, but the upward movement is likely to be short-lived and followed by another downward wave. Our long-term target is seen in the support zone of 1.0480/0520.   GBP/USD The decline in inflation in the UK is once again being called into question. The core Consumer Price Index rose from 6.2% YoY to 6.8% in April, with yields sharply increasing. The retail sales report for April, published on Friday, showed that the slowdown in consumer demand remains more of an aim than a reality. Retail sales excluding fuel increased by 0.8% MoM, significantly higher than the forecast of 0.3%.   If it weren't for the sharp decline in energy demand, both the monthly and annual retail growth would have been noticeably higher than expected. Monday is a banking holiday in the UK, and there are no macroeconomic data expected this week that could influence Bank of England rate forecasts.   Therefore, the pound will be traded more in consideration of global rather than domestic factors. We do not expect high volatility or significant movements. The net long position on the pound slightly decreased by 84 million to 899 million during the reporting week. The bullish bias is small, and the positioning is more neutral than bullish. The calculated price is below the long-term average and is downward-oriented.     The pound has predictably moved towards the support zone at 1.2340/50, but the decline has slowed down at this level. We expect the decline to continue, with the nearest targets being the technical levels at 1.2240 and 1.2134. There is currently insufficient basis for a resumption of growth.  

Higher timeframes Last week, the pair closed with a candle of uncertainty, returning to the area of attraction and influence of the daily short-term trend (1.0719) and the final level of the weekly golden cross of the Ichimoku, which is currently at 1.0717. Consolidation below these levels and a breakdown of the zone of the daily upward correction (1.0636) will bring back the downward trend and bearish targets to the market.       The nearest prospects for strengthening bearish sentiment in the current situation can be noted in the support zone of 1.0579 - 1.0557 - 1.0515 - 1.0497 (monthly Fibonacci Kijun + weekly Senkou Span B + downside target for breaking the daily cloud). If buyers return to the market, attention will be focused on bullish targets, which are still located in the area of the daily cloud. The resistance levels of the daily (1.0810 - 1.0864 - 1.0918) and weekly (1.0789 - 1.0862 - 1.0866) Ichimoku crosses, as well as the daily cloud (1.0806 - 1.0956) and the monthly medium-term trend (1.0901), currently serve as bullish benchmarks.     H4 - H1 On lower timeframes, buyers currently have the upper hand. They have established themselves above key levels, turning them into supports in case of a correction. The key levels are currently located at 1.0731-18 (central pivot point + weekly long-term trend). If the ascent continues within the day, resistance from the classic pivot points R2 (1.0806) and R3 (1.0831) may come into play.     Higher timeframes Last week, buyers tested important levels, such as the weekly short-term trend (1.2492) and the final levels of the daily death cross of the Ichimoku (1.2492 - 1.2536), but were unable to close the week above them. With the start of a new trading week, these levels have maintained their positions and continue to be the nearest significant benchmarks for the emergence of new bullish prospects. The location of the most important support levels for the bears on this segment has not changed either. The support zone is quite wide and includes the levels of the weekly Ichimoku cross (1.2343 - 1.2240 - 1.2137) and the monthly medium-term trend (1.2302).     H4 - H1 On lower timeframes, the pair tested the strength of the weekly long-term trend (1.2428) and consolidated below it. The next targets for a decline are now the supports of the classic pivot points S2 (1.2373) and S3 (1.2307). Consolidation above the key levels of 1.2428 - 1.2476 (weekly long-term trend + central pivot point) will bring back the buyers. The next bullish targets within the day will be the resistances of the classic pivot points (1.2513 - 1.2579 - 1.2616).     The technical analysis of the situation uses: Higher timeframes - Ichimoku Kinko Hyo (9.26.52) + Fibo Kijun levels Lower timeframes - H1 - Pivot Points (classic) + Moving Average 120 (weekly long-term trend)      

Fig 1: Hong Kong 33 minor short-term trend as of 20 Jun 2023 (Source: TradingView, click to enlarge chart)   The current drop in price actions is now coming close to a key pull-back support area The Index is now hovering right above the former descending channel resistance and now turns pull-back support at 19,440 and the 200-day moving average coming in as support at around 19,090. Also, the 19,440/19,090 support area confluences with 38.2% and 50% Fibonacci retracement of the minor short-term uptrend phase from the 31 May 2023 low to the 16 June 2023 high.   The momentum indicator is also at a parallel/corresponding support The 4-hour RSI oscillator, a momentum indicator has exited from its overbought area, and it has now reached a corresponding support zone of 42%/36% which may lead to a potential positive reversal in price actions. 19.090 key short-term pivotal support to maintain the minor short-term uptrend phase with intermediate resistances coming in at 20,300 and 20,900. On the other hand, a break below 19,090 negates the bullish tone to expose the 18,130/17,630 key medium-term support.

EUR/USD Yesterday, the weekly long-term trend accomplished its task and prevented the market from continuing the decline, maintaining the bullish advantage. Today, on lower timeframes, we see the development of an upward trend, and the classic pivot points (1.1017 - 1.1047 - 1.1103) serve as targets. Key levels still form the most significant support zone, defending bullish interests at the levels of 1.0961 (central pivot point of the day) and 1.0933 (weekly long-term trend).  

Russia’s weekend mutiny cast doubts on Putin’s grip on power. No major impact on markets but keep a lookout on Gold, which bounced off the key support zone of US$1,913/1,896 per ounce. Stern FX verbal intervention from Japan’s top currency official. Watch USD/JPY key near-term support at 142.50/25. US banking stocks tumbled ahead of annual key Fed’s banks’ stress test results   Before the start of this new trading week, market participants were being jolted from their weekend leisure activities to shift their focus to the internal coup in Russia that may put President Putin’s power grip in jeopardy. Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the Wagner Group, a Russian key independent military contractor that has played a significant role in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine territorial conflict voiced displeasure with Russia’s top leadership in handling the Russia-Ukraine situation, took over two Russian cities and order his mercenaries to march towards Moscow on Saturday.     Russia’s weekend mutiny started fast and ended fast Upon reaching 200 km within Moscow, Prigozhin’s troops halted and made a U-turn back to their field camps. In addition, Putin dropped earlier treason charges on the Wagner Group and allowed Prigozhin to head to Belarus, Russia’s western neighbour for exile. In less than 48 hours, the mutiny in Russia is over without any clear details on what has transpired that led to Prigozhin’s retreat as Putin has not made any official speech or press conference yet. US Secretary of State Blinken commented that the weekend’s uprising by Prigozhin, a former Putin royalist has posed a direct challenge to Putin’s grip on power in Russia and provided a battlefield advantage to Ukraine. On the other hand, several geopolitical commenters have analyzed the situation to be in favour of Putin in which Wagner Group’s mutiny may be used as a cover for Putin to remove the top brass in Russia’s Ministry of Defence; Shoigu, the defence minister and Gerasimov, chief of the general staff as they posed a threat to Putin’s rule. Thus, the change of Russia’s military leadership may be part of the “deal” package that the Kremlin and Prigozhin agreed on.     No significant movements in markets but watch gold In today’s Asian session, both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures were up slightly by around +0.20% after posting their worst weekly losses last week in three months. Major Asian stock indices were mixed at this time of the writing, Nikkei 225 (-0.24%), Kospi 200 (+0.60%), Hang Seng Index (-0.14%), Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (+0.13%), and CSI 300 (-0.70%). The US dollar is almost unchanged on average with the US Dollar Index inching down by a meagre -0.1%. Gold, a traditional safe haven asset that tends to benefit in light of major geopolitical risks upheaval in the past has exhibited some interesting price actions movement from a technical analysis perspective.   Gold’s decline has managed to bounce off from a key support zone of US$1,913/1,896 per ounce   Fig 1: Gold (XAU/USD) medium-term trend as of 26 Jun 2023 (Source: TradingView, click to enlarge chart) Last week’s decline seen in Gold (XAU/USD) has led its price actions to hit a crucial medium-term pivotal support zone of US$1,913/US$ 1,896 per ounce (printed an intraday low of US$1,910 last Friday, 23 June) which is being defined by a confluence of elements; the lower boundary of the medium-term ascending channel in place since 3 November 2022 low, 38.2% Fibonacci retracement of the prior medium-term up move from 3 November 2022 low to 4 May 2023 high, and approximately the downside price objective of recent “Descending Triangle” bearish breakdown. Momentum has also improved as the daily RSI oscillator has managed to stage a bounce off the key corresponding support at the 36 level. Watch the US$1,896 key medium-term pivotal support and a clearance above US1,940 intermediate resistance sees the next resistance coming in at US$1,990 (also the 50-day moving average).   FX verbal intervention from Japan After a strong upside movement seen in the USD/JPY that recorded a weekly gain of +1.3% last week which outperformed other major USD crosses, the US Dollar Index only rose by +0.56% over the same period, Japan’s Vice Finance Minister Masato Kanda, a top currency official that has oversight over foreign exchange market matters has sounded the alarm in today’s morning Asian session. Based on a Reuters report, Kanda said that the authorities will respond to any excessive moves in the foreign exchange market, warned that the recent yen moves were rapid and will not rule out any chance of an FX intervention. He said, “Regardless of the direction, it’s generally not good for the economy if exchange rates move excessively in a way that deviates from economic fundamentals.” Today’s verbal intervention was the most pronounced made by any of Japan’s finance ministry officials in the past month when USD/JPY sailed past the prior 141.00 and 142.00 psychological levels “effortlessly”. USD/JPY has shed -0.2% intraday and broke key near-term support at 143.45 at this time of the writing, the next support to watch will be at 142.50/25 (former swing highs of 11/21/22 November 2022).     Fed’s annual banks stress test results out on Wednesday The US Federal Reserve will unveil the results of its annual stress tests on the 23 biggest US banks on Wednesday, 28 June. The key focus will be on a section of the test, labelled as “exploratory market shock”, this is the first time such a test is being conducted on the trading books of the largest US banks. The urgency and significance of the “exploratory market shock” stress test come after the US regional banks’ turmoil. Hence, monitoring of fixed income duration risk is paramount now given that the latest Fed’s hawkish monetary policy guidance is to keep interest rates higher for a longer period. Last week, the US banking stocks shed by -6.80% as indicated by the SPDR S&P Bank exchange-traded fund, its worse weekly performance in seven weeks and underperformed the S&P 500.     Fig 2: S&P 500 major trend with VIX as of 26 Jun 2023 (Source: TradingView, click to enlarge chart) If the “exploratory market shock” stress test results come in unfavourable, it may put more downside pressure on US banking stocks which in turn may trigger a volatility upside breakout in the VIX, a measurement of implied volatility on the S&P 500 as it has compressed to a low level of 13.44 not seen since early February 2020 before the pandemic. A sudden spike in VIX may dampen the current bullish mood for US stock indices.    

EUR/USD Higher timeframes     The bears once again managed to neutralize all the opponent's efforts, returning to the support and attraction zone of the monthly medium-term trend (1.0901) and the upper boundary of the daily cloud (1.0882). If the bulls fail to continue the upward move and establish a new high (1.1012) in the near future, the opposing side will set more global targets. The immediate bearish plans will include breaking the weekly supports (1.0862-66), exiting the daily cloud into bearish territory (1.0806), and eliminating the daily golden cross of the Ichimoku (1.0780), which is reinforced by the weekly medium-term trend (1.0789).      

A strong inflation number could send it lower again Major support zone below Gold appears to be stabilizing a little ahead of the US CPI report, with traders paying close attention to the outcome as it could ultimately determine whether the yellow metal breaks the June lows or rebounds higher. Prices have been pressured by rising yields and a stronger dollar recently as traders have pushed back expectations around rate cuts for next year. While they appear confident that the Fed is done with tightening – for now – they’re less sure we’ll see the kind of easing that they were so convinced of earlier in the year. Another promising CPI release could change that and so today really is quite significant. There’s still a long way to go but the US has made significant progress, even at the core level, and more is expected over the rest of the year. If it can do so at a more accelerated rate than currently envisaged then gold could prosper.   The June lows not only represent a prior area of support, they also combine with the 200/233-day simple moving average band to create a potentially significant technical zone.     XAUUSD Daily     A move below here could be viewed as particularly bearish as it would indicate the recovery earlier in July was merely a corrective move. That said, a failure to make new lows would also be interesting as it may signal that the recent weakness was only temporary and traders are defending that support zone. Of course, much may depend on the data we see over the coming weeks.  

US Treasury yields continue to rise, with 2-year bonds exceeding 2% for the first time since 2009, the 10-year rate at its highest since 2007, and 30-year T-bonds setting a record.   On the one hand, the increase in Treasury yields indicates a decrease in risks, as a sell-off in bonds means a sell-off in risky assets. On the other hand, the burden on the US budget increases, and inflation expectations can grow again at any time. The risks on the path of inflation moving to the target level remain high.   The main threat to New Zealand and Australia is China's economic slowdown. Financial stress is increasing, and there are signs that China is heading towards a full-blown financial-economic crisis. The Chinese authorities have tools to prevent such an outcome, but a slowdown in GDP growth is almost inevitable, resulting in a decrease in foreign trade volumes. NZD/USD As expected, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand left the rate at 5.5% at the meeting that ended last week. The tone of the accompanying statement unexpectedly gained an additional hawkish tilt due to a slight increase in the rate forecast (by 9bps). The GDP and inflation forecasts changed little, but the updated OCR track from 0.25% indicates that the RBNZ does not consider the current level as sufficiently restrictive as it did three months ago.     The risks for the New Zealand economy are diverse and to some extent offset each other, but in some cases, they intensify. High net migration is a good thing for the labor market, as the increase in labor supply will raise the unemployment rate but simultaneously allow wage growth to be contained, an essential criterion in the fight against inflation. At the same time, domestic demand is getting weaker, despite the influx of migrants. Exports fell by 14% YoY in July, while a decrease of only 4% was expected.   Imports fell by 15% (forecast 8%), partly due to lower global commodity and goods prices. On Thursday, a quarterly retail trade report will be published, which will serve as the basis for the forecasts for consumer demand. The net short position in the NZD increased by $123 million during the reporting week to -$145 million. Market positioning remains neutral with a slight bearish bias. The price is certainly falling, with no signs of a reversal.   A week earlier, we identified the support zone of 0.5870/5900 as a target, the pair has reached this target, and from a technical perspective, a bullish correction is possible. The nearest target is 0.5975, followed by 0.6010. At the same time, the primary trend remains bearish, so in the long term, after the corrective phase has ended, we expect another wave of sales, with the target being the support zone of 0.5830/50.     AUD/USD Australia's economic calendar for the week is calm, with no significant economic reports to take note of. The next week will be much more saturated - on August 29, Reserve Bank of Australia Deputy Governor Michele Bullock will speak, and we can look forward to several reports, including the monthly Consumer Price Index for July, retail sales, and investment dynamics for the 2nd quarter, which will allow a preliminary assessment of GDP growth rates. The RBA rate forecast assumes another increase in November, as the RBA will likely respond to rising business costs, rent, and energy prices. Inflation is declining more slowly than in the United States. The net short position in the AUD increased by an impressive $620 million over the reporting week and reached -$3.45 billion, with market positioning firmly bearish. The price is below the long-term average but has lost momentum, suggesting an attempt at a corrective phase.  

USD/JPY The rapid rise of the USD/JPY pair from below 145 to above 147.5 since the second half of last week triggered verbal intervention from Japanese authorities. Masato Kanda, vice minister of finance for international affairs, told reporters that "we won't rule out any options if speculative moves persist,". Following this announcement, the USD/JPY pair dropped below 147.50 but eventually rose. The last time Japanese authorities intervened was in October 2022, to the tune of around 62 billion US dollars. If authorities resort to actual intervention, it could limit the USD/JPY's growth in the near future, but it won't change the general direction, as only fundamental reasons like exiting accommodative monetary policy can reverse the pair to the downside. There's a low probability of such a move in the near term. On Wednesday, a member of the Bank of Japan's board, Takata, stated, "I believe the BoJ must patiently maintain easy policy given very high uncertainty on outlook," Currently, Japan has an ultra-loose monetary policy and the strongest macroeconomic performance in the Western world. Japan's Consumer Price Index is rising and exceeds the target (currently at 3.4% on an annual basis), but it will likely maintain its ultra-easy monetary policy, as it will take more than 12 months to combat structural deflation. The net short JPY position increased by 0.2 billion over the reporting week, with the speculative bearish imbalance at -8.4 billion. Thus, positioning in the yen remains firmly bearish. The price is above the long-term average, but it lost the momentum, increasing the likelihood of a correction.   The yen has reached the upper band of the bullish channel, and is currently facing an uptrend, and there is no reason to doubt it. At the same time, the price has lost momentum, and in light of the verbal intervention from Japanese authorities, there's a high likelihood of a correction. If the uptrend resumes, the target will be the multi-year high of 151.96, but the closer it gets, the higher the probability of not just verbal but actual currency intervention. It's more likely that Japanese authorities won't allow a rapid yen depreciation, and in the event of intervention, a retreat to the broad support zone of 144/145 is not out of the question.  

On the hourly chart, the GBP/USD pair reversed in favor of the US currency on Wednesday, consolidating below the corrective level of 38.2% (1.2477). However, this closure has not given bears anything, as today, the pair has returned to the zone between 1.2477 and 1.2513. If a rebound occurs from this zone, there is a high probability that the quote decline will resume toward the corrective level of 23.6% (1.2321). Closing above this zone will allow traders to expect a resumption of growth towards the Fibonacci level of 50.0% (1.2603).     The wave situation has become simpler and clearer. Waves still have a relatively large size, which adds inconvenience to trading. However, the trend is currently "bullish," and a breakthrough of the last low at 1.2372 is required to complete it. In this case, there will be signs of the pair transitioning to a "bearish" trend, which is more logical after a fairly strong rise. However, at the moment, the "bullish" trend persists, and bears cannot firmly establish themselves on the hard-won positions.   Late Tuesday evening in the US, the minutes of the last FOMC meeting were released. The report stated that the regulator would continue to make decisions based on incoming information. FOMC members almost unanimously agreed that tightening monetary policy should only continue in the case of unsatisfactory inflation dynamics. Not all policymakers are confident in a sufficiently restrictive policy to return inflation to 2%. None of the FOMC members voted for an increase or decrease in the interest rate. Thus, the Fed has again "left the door open" but has not provided any signals about future decisions. Inflation in the US decreased in October, which may further weaken the "hawkish" sentiment.   On the 4-hour chart, the pair reversed in favor of the pound and a new consolidation above the level of 1.2450. Thus, the growth process can be continued toward the next level at 1.2620. The upward trend corridor characterizes traders' sentiment as "bullish," and the "bullish" divergence on the CCI indicator warns of a possible continuation of the rise. Commitments of Traders (COT) Report:   The sentiment of the "Non-commercial" trader category for the last report is slightly less "bearish." The number of long contracts in the hands of speculators decreased by 6180 units, and the number of short contracts decreased by 10299 units. The overall sentiment of major players has long changed to "bearish," between the number of long and short contracts, the gap is increasing, but now in the opposite direction: 57 thousand versus 74 thousand. There are still excellent prospects for the pound to continue falling. I do not expect a strong rise in the pound soon. Over time, bulls will continue to get rid of buy positions, as is the case with the European currency. The growth we have seen in recent weeks is corrective. News Calendar for the US and the UK: UK - Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) (09:30 UTC). UK - Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) (09:30 UTC). On Thursday, the economic events calendar contains only two fairly interesting entries. The impact of the information background on market sentiment today may be weak. Forecast for GBP/USD and Trader Tips: I recommend selling the pound this week on a rebound from the zone of 1.2477– 1.2513 on the hourly chart with a target of 1.2321. Or on a rebound from the level of 1.2603. I advised buying the pair on a consolidation above the level of 1.2513 with targets of 1.2603 and 1.2620, but such deals look excessively risky to me. They should be closed at the first sign of doubt.

Around 9 a.m., BoE member Dave Ramsdey shared his comments in a press conference, providing insights into the current UK macroeconomic scenario. Ramsdey's key comments indicated constraints on growth due to monetary policy, unexpected resilience in the British economy for 2023, weak productivity growth, signs of increased unemployment, and the challenge of addressing domestic inflation, particularly in services. Despite signs of a cooling economy, inflationary forces, especially in services, continue to exert influence, presenting a challenging backdrop.Considering the implications for the British pound and the GBPUSD pair, the pivotal factor shaping the long-term trend might be predictions regarding interest rate cuts in 2024. The current market expectation is for the BoE to reduce rates by just over 50 basis points by November 2024 while the Federal Reserve is anticipated to implement nearly three cuts within the same timeframe, totaling 75 basis points. BoE's current interest rates stand at 5.25% as the Fed's rates range between 5.25% and 5.50%. The daily chart of the GBPUSD pair shows the ongoing session involving a retest of the support zone defined by the previously breached barrier. Successful defense of this support and a potential upward breakout could lead to a move toward the zone around 1.27, while a downward breakout may find major support around the 1.25-1.24 barrier. 

An increase in dovish expectations on a rapid pace of Fed funds rate cuts projected for 2024 indicates a potential impending recession. An uptick in recession risk may see a further deterioration in the US 10-year Treasury real yield which reduces the opportunity costs for holding Spot Gold (XAU/USD). Spot Gold (XAU/USD) has managed to trade back above its 20-day moving average. This is a follow-up analysis of our prior report, “Gold Technical: Extension of corrective decline ahead of FOMC” published on 11 December 2023. Click here for a recap. The price actions of Spot Gold (XAU/USD) have shaped the extended corrective decline to print an intraday low of US$1,973 on 13 December during the European session ahead of the FOMC meeting announcement on the same day which was just a whisker away from the US$1,955 support highlighted in our previous analysis. All in all, it has shed -8.2% from its current all-time high of US$2,149 printed on 4 December 2023 which represents a retracement of close to 50% of its ongoing medium-term uptrend phase in place since the 6 October 2023 low of US$1,810. The US Federal Reserve unleashed its dovish pivot last Wednesday, 13 December where its latest “dot plot” projection for the trajectory of the Fed funds rate has indicated a total of three rate cuts (75 basis points) pencilled in for 2024, upped from two projected rate cuts in the prior September’s dot plot which in turn led to an increased in dovish expectations of market participants to price in six rate cuts, a total of 150 bps in 2024 via the 30-day Fed funds rate futures calculated by the CME FedWatch tool. This kind of dovish expectation that has skewed towards a rapid pace of the Fed funds rate cuts projection in the upcoming monetary easing cycle seems to indicate an impending recessionary scenario in 2024 that may put further downside pressure on the US 10-year Treasury real yield. US 10-year Treasury real yield broke below the 200-day moving average   Fig 1: US 10-year Treasury real yield medium-term trend as of 18 Dec 2023 (Source: TradingView, click to enlarge chart) The price movement of the US 10-year Treasury real yield has broken down below a major support zone of 1.82%/1.73% (also the 200-day moving average) which room for further downside potential with the next intermediate support coming in at 1.38%. Based on intermarket analysis, a further deterioration in the US 10-year Treasury real yield may support another round of potential impulsive upmove sequence in gold prices due to lower opportunity costs as gold does not produce “fixed coupons income streams” like bonds.