Summary:

  • USD: Fed has a high bar to surprise hawkish, dollar to stay sideways
  • JPY: 160+ zone in USDJPY could be tested if no intervention
  • AUD: RBA rate hike risks and upbeat global risk sentiment to support
  • CHF: CPI miss could increase odds of June rate cut
  • CNH: Devaluation risks on watch
The Fed-BOJ divergence has taken a heavy toll on JPY again last week, while Gold and Silver correction ensued.
Our FX Scorecard shows momentum increasingly negative in yen while AUD remains upbeat as RBA rate hike is back on the table after Q1 inflation beat.
Forex COT to the week of April 23 saw dollar long positioning extending by a further 27%. EUR positioning turned to a net short for the first time since September 2020, JPY short positioning extended to an 18-month high while GBP shorts were the highest since September 2022. Shorts were only covered in AUD and CAD.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Other recent Macro/FX articles:

29 Apr: Global Market Quick Take - Asia
26 Apr: JPY: Bank of Japan adds to reasons to stay bearish yen
25 Apr: JPY: Accelerated sell-off; can the BOJ halt yen's decline?
25 Apr: Thematic Podcast: Deciphering Asian forex interventions
23 Apr: Technical Update - USDJPY ticking higher. EURJPY and AUDJPY at key resistance levels. GBPJPY range bound, bullish breakout?
23 Apr: GBP: What can drive the next leg lower?
22 Apr: Weekly FX Chartbook: Stretched USD strength is raising intervention alert
19 Apr: FX 101: Using FX for portfolio diversification
18 Apr: JPY: Intervention alert, or a BOJ alert?
16 Apr: Chinese Yuan’s Double Whammy - Dollar Strength and Yen Weakness
12 Apr: Riding the Fed-ECB Policy Divergence
11 Apr: ECB rate decision: How to trade the event
9 Apr: CAD vulnerable as market underprices dovish Bank of Canada risks
9 Apr: US inflation report: How to trade the event
8 Apr: Macro and FX Podcast: NFP, CPI, ECB and Japan
8 Apr: Weekly FX Chartbook: US CPI, geopolitics and dovish pivots from ECB and Bank of Canada in focus
3 Apr: Chinese yuan bears are undeterred by PBoC’s grip
3 Apr: FX Quarterly Outlook: The rate cut race shifts into high gear
25 Mar: Macro & FX Podcast: Swiss central bank surprises; PCE and China
25 Mar: Weekly FX Chartbook: The return of US exceptionalism
22 Mar: Swiss National Bank’s bold move will kickstart the G10 rate cut cycle
20 Mar: Thematic Podcast: Japan's route to abolish negative interest rates
20 Mar: Japan’s exit from negative rates: Implications for the economy, yen and stocks
8 Feb: FX 101: USD Smile and portfolio impacts from King Dollar