US dollar retreat continues

US dollar has had an uneven sell-off overnight

The US dollar fell overnight, led by losses against the euro for unknown reasons, with the Japanese yen also gaining as US yields slid slightly. Sterling and the Australasians hardly moved, while Asian currencies remain stubbornly anchored near to recent lows.

The dollar index fell 0.59% lower at 105.75 overnight, retracing slightly higher by 0.11% to 105.87 in Asia. The dollar index breakout lower at 106.45 has continued to cap rallies this week on a closing basis, suggesting downside risks are still the path of least resistance. Beyond that, 106.75 is the next resistance. Support is at 105.65, and then the more important 1.0500 level. Failure signals a deeper move lower to 1.0350 and, potentially, the 102.50 longer-term breakout.

EUR/USD rallied by 0.76% overnight to 1.0245, easing slightly to 1.0235 in Asian trading. Given stubbornly high European gas prices and the recessionary risks from its Eastern border, the single currencies environment remains challenging, even if 0.9950 is now looking like a medium-term low. EUR/USD had solid resistance nearby at 1.0250 and then 1.0300. A close above 1.0300 this even would signal further gains to 1.0500, however. Meanwhile, EUR/USD has support at 1.0150 and then a series of daily lows between 1.0100 and 1.0125.

GBP/USD traded in a choppy 150+ point Bank of England range overnight but ultimately finished nearly unchanged at 1.2160. In Asia, it has edged lower to 1.2145. When your central bank has forecast a recession and inflation rising to 13.0% but has only hiked rates to 1.75%, it is reasonable to assume they are behind the curve. That stagflationary reality could be limiting sterling’s gains. Support is at 1.2065, the overnight low, with resistance at 1.2215, the overnight high, followed by 1.2300.

Four days in Bali saw me miss the long-awaited capitulation sell-off by USD/JPY as the US/Japan rate differential narrowed. Much will depend on the US Non-Farm Payroll data this evening and the reaction by US bonds. The sell-off this week went further than I expected but held the 100-day moving average (DMA), which today is at 130.70. Resistance is clearly denoted at 134.65 now. Expect plenty of noise in between.

AUD/USD rose 0.25% to 0.6965 overnight, and NZD/USD rose by 0.40% to 0.6295. Both are almost unchanged in Asia as risk sentiment holds up into the Asian session. The technical picture for both remains constructive as both currencies staged upside breakouts higher a fortnight ago. They remain well above their breakout lines at 0.6790 and 0.6145, and a daily close above either 0.7050 or 0.6350 signals the next stage of the recovery rally.

Asian currencies were steady overnight, booking an uneven session of mixed gains against the greenback. In Asia, surging inflation numbers from the Philippines and Thailand have sparked 0.75% rallies by THB and PHP to 35.620 and 55.17 as markets price in faster monetary tightening. That has had a knock-on impact across the Asian FX space, with the Korean won gaining 0.40% to 1297.20. The Indonesian rupiah and Malaysian ringgit remain near recent lows, however, as both central banks remain very reluctant rate hikers. With inflation rising in Asia, lifting rate hike expectations, Asian currencies could finally be starting also to gain some benefits from recent US dollar strength elsewhere. USD/INR has eased to 89.976 today. With the RBI rate decision this afternoon, I expect volatility ahead. Further INR strength from here probably relies on the RBI statement being hawkish; otherwise, I suspect INR weakness will resume.

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