GBP
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
A looming recession has been a key source of Pound weakness and has kept pressure on Sterling despite ongoing BoE hikes. But there is a new threat in focus. It seems the PM’s new fiscal plan, even though putting downside pressure on inflation and lowering growth risks, has drastically increased debt concerns. The disorderly move in Gilt yields were enough to force the BoE’s to step in with a limited (both in time and size) bond buying intervention plan. This has brought some calm to the angst but being limited won’t be enough to fix the fiscal concerns. The reduction of political uncertainty with Rishi Sunak becoming PM provided us with a good GBPUSD at the start of the week, but opportunities after that was thin with mostly choppy price action. All eyes turns to the BoE policy decision on Thursday.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
With recession the base assumption, any incoming data that surprises meaningfully higher could trigger relief for the GBP. With focus on stagflation, any downside surprises in CPI or factors that decrease inflation pressures are expected to support the GBP and not pressure it. Fiscal plans from the new PM that calms investor nerves about the fiscal situation could provide some support for Sterling.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
With recession the base assumption, any material downside surprises in growth data can still trigger short-term pressure. With focus on stagflation, any upside surprises in CPI or factors that increase more inflation pressures are expected to weigh on the GBP and not support it. Fiscal plans from the new PM that increases investor fears about the fiscal situation could provide downside for Sterling.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamentals for Sterling remain bearish. Recession is around the corner (might be in one already), but the new PM has provided enough calm to the fiscal situation and political uncertainty which has seen Sterling overall well supported. There is still a lot of pain for the economy ahead so we remain cautious of the bearish fundamental outlook, but with a lot of bad news priced in we are looking for short-term upside opportunities. In the week ahead the main highlight will be the BoE policy decision. With 70bsp priced (at the time of writing), the size of the hike and the forward guidance could offer short-term tradable volatility for Sterling, but the bigger focus for markets will arguably be on the new PM’s budget which is set to be revealed in mid-Nov.
USD
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: BULLISH
BASELINE
With headline CPI above 8% and Core CPI seeing another acceleration in the SEP CPI data, the Fed is under pressure to continue hiking rates and ramping up QT. Markets expect another 75bsp hike in NOV and currently prices the terminal rate at 4.89%. The Fed is on a data-dependent (meeting-by-meeting) policy stance, meaning incoming growth, inflation and jobs data remains a key driver for short-term USD volatility where we expect a cyclical reaction with incoming data for both the USD and US10Y (good data expected to be supportive for the USD while bad data is expected to pressure the USD). Our expectation for a softer USD this past week played to our advantage with a punchy move lower in the Dollar. The week ahead is filled with lots of US economic data and the FOMC policy decision which will all be important drivers for the USD.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
With the Fed signalling a data dependent policy stance, we expect a cyclical reaction from the USD with incoming US data. Thus, extremely good growth, inflation or jobs data is expected to trigger short-term bullish reactions in the USD. If the cyclical outlook continues to weaken, the USD’s safe haven status still matters. Any incoming catalysts that increase deep recession fears and triggers strong moves lower in risk assets & bonds can trigger safe haven flows into the USD. With a lot priced for the Fed and USD, the bar is high for hawkish Fed surprises, but any aggressive Fed speak talking up a >5.0% terminal rate can trigger further USD upside.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
With the Fed signalling a data dependent policy stance, we expect a cyclical reaction from the USD with incoming US data. Thus, extremely bad growth, inflation or jobs data is expected to trigger short-term bearish reactions in the USD. If the cyclical outlook starts to improve, the USD’s safe haven status still matters. Any incoming catalysts that decrease deep recession fears and triggers strong moves higher in risk assets & bonds can trigger safe haven outflows out of the USD. With a lot priced in for the Fed and the USD, it won’t take much to disappoint on the dovish side. Any big concerns about growth from Fed speakers could trigger outflows.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the USD remains bullish as long as the Fed stays hawkish and cyclical concerns put pressure on risk sentiment. The data dependent stance from the Fed means that short-term data surprises can pull the USD either way and would be our preferred way of trading the Dollar right now. We have a very excited economic calendar for the US in the week ahead, with lots of important economic data and the FOMC meeting. For the econ data our expectation is for a cyclical reaction where very good data is expected to support the USD and very bad data expected to pressure the USD. As for the Fed, the main focus will be on whether the FOMC confirms a downshift in the pace and size of hikes.
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
A looming recession has been a key source of Pound weakness and has kept pressure on Sterling despite ongoing BoE hikes. But there is a new threat in focus. It seems the PM’s new fiscal plan, even though putting downside pressure on inflation and lowering growth risks, has drastically increased debt concerns. The disorderly move in Gilt yields were enough to force the BoE’s to step in with a limited (both in time and size) bond buying intervention plan. This has brought some calm to the angst but being limited won’t be enough to fix the fiscal concerns. The reduction of political uncertainty with Rishi Sunak becoming PM provided us with a good GBPUSD at the start of the week, but opportunities after that was thin with mostly choppy price action. All eyes turns to the BoE policy decision on Thursday.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
With recession the base assumption, any incoming data that surprises meaningfully higher could trigger relief for the GBP. With focus on stagflation, any downside surprises in CPI or factors that decrease inflation pressures are expected to support the GBP and not pressure it. Fiscal plans from the new PM that calms investor nerves about the fiscal situation could provide some support for Sterling.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
With recession the base assumption, any material downside surprises in growth data can still trigger short-term pressure. With focus on stagflation, any upside surprises in CPI or factors that increase more inflation pressures are expected to weigh on the GBP and not support it. Fiscal plans from the new PM that increases investor fears about the fiscal situation could provide downside for Sterling.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamentals for Sterling remain bearish. Recession is around the corner (might be in one already), but the new PM has provided enough calm to the fiscal situation and political uncertainty which has seen Sterling overall well supported. There is still a lot of pain for the economy ahead so we remain cautious of the bearish fundamental outlook, but with a lot of bad news priced in we are looking for short-term upside opportunities. In the week ahead the main highlight will be the BoE policy decision. With 70bsp priced (at the time of writing), the size of the hike and the forward guidance could offer short-term tradable volatility for Sterling, but the bigger focus for markets will arguably be on the new PM’s budget which is set to be revealed in mid-Nov.
USD
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: BULLISH
BASELINE
With headline CPI above 8% and Core CPI seeing another acceleration in the SEP CPI data, the Fed is under pressure to continue hiking rates and ramping up QT. Markets expect another 75bsp hike in NOV and currently prices the terminal rate at 4.89%. The Fed is on a data-dependent (meeting-by-meeting) policy stance, meaning incoming growth, inflation and jobs data remains a key driver for short-term USD volatility where we expect a cyclical reaction with incoming data for both the USD and US10Y (good data expected to be supportive for the USD while bad data is expected to pressure the USD). Our expectation for a softer USD this past week played to our advantage with a punchy move lower in the Dollar. The week ahead is filled with lots of US economic data and the FOMC policy decision which will all be important drivers for the USD.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
With the Fed signalling a data dependent policy stance, we expect a cyclical reaction from the USD with incoming US data. Thus, extremely good growth, inflation or jobs data is expected to trigger short-term bullish reactions in the USD. If the cyclical outlook continues to weaken, the USD’s safe haven status still matters. Any incoming catalysts that increase deep recession fears and triggers strong moves lower in risk assets & bonds can trigger safe haven flows into the USD. With a lot priced for the Fed and USD, the bar is high for hawkish Fed surprises, but any aggressive Fed speak talking up a >5.0% terminal rate can trigger further USD upside.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
With the Fed signalling a data dependent policy stance, we expect a cyclical reaction from the USD with incoming US data. Thus, extremely bad growth, inflation or jobs data is expected to trigger short-term bearish reactions in the USD. If the cyclical outlook starts to improve, the USD’s safe haven status still matters. Any incoming catalysts that decrease deep recession fears and triggers strong moves higher in risk assets & bonds can trigger safe haven outflows out of the USD. With a lot priced in for the Fed and the USD, it won’t take much to disappoint on the dovish side. Any big concerns about growth from Fed speakers could trigger outflows.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the USD remains bullish as long as the Fed stays hawkish and cyclical concerns put pressure on risk sentiment. The data dependent stance from the Fed means that short-term data surprises can pull the USD either way and would be our preferred way of trading the Dollar right now. We have a very excited economic calendar for the US in the week ahead, with lots of important economic data and the FOMC meeting. For the econ data our expectation is for a cyclical reaction where very good data is expected to support the USD and very bad data expected to pressure the USD. As for the Fed, the main focus will be on whether the FOMC confirms a downshift in the pace and size of hikes.
