GBP
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
The overall bleak economic outlook for the UK, with exceptionally high Inflation and rapidly falling growth have been the biggest negative driver for Sterling. With rising price pressures and falling demand, the risks of stagflation has risen substantially, so much so that the BoE have forecasted a possible recession for the UK economy heading into 2023. At their June meeting the bank followed through with their more moderate approach by hiking 25bsp instead of growing calls of a potential 50bsp hike. The BoE is stuck between a rock and a hard place, right now they have to hike rates to try and fight inflation but by doing so they risk further damaging economic growth as a result. Even though the June statement was dovish, it wasn’t materially more dovish compared to their previous meeting. the price action was a clear warning sign that a lot of negatives has been priced in for Sterling in recent weeks so chasing lower in risky.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Stagflation fears are very high for the UK, with probabilities of recession growing by the week. With so much bad news priced in, incoming news risk is asymmetrical, meaning positive surprises in growth data (like incoming flash PMIs) could trigger bullish reactions for Sterling. Furthermore, as the UK is facing one of its biggest cost of living squeezes in history, lower-than-expected inflation prints (coming up Wednesday) could counterintuitively be a positive driver for the currency (lower CPI means less stagflation risk). The economy needs help right now, which means any help from the fiscal side will be a positive. Any major fiscal support measures to help consumers (subsidies for energy or tax cuts) could trigger bullish reactions for the Pound. We have lots of BoE speak coming up this week, any overly hawkish comments signalling more aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bullish GBP reactions.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Monetary policy is a double-edged sword for the GBP. Odds that the BoE has limited hikes left has been a negative driver, but so too is risks that inflation forces them to hike even more and further damage GDP. Further stagflation risks from higher gas prices or CPI prints could trigger bearish reactions. Politics is also in focus, where any attempts to oust PM Johnson by changing no-confidence laws could trigger bearish reactions. GBP is usually sensitive to political uncertainty and anything that raises odds of a snap election should be negative. With UK threats of triggering Article 16 and EU threats to terminate the Brexit deal if they do Brexit is in focus again. For now, markets have rightly ignored this as posturing, but any actual escalation can see sharp GBP downside. We have lots of BoE speak coming up this week, any overly dovish comments signalling less aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bearish GBP reactions.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the GBP remains fairly bleak right now with the economic prospects and risk of stagflation keeping the currency pressured. Anything that exacerbates stagflation fears is expected to weigh on the Pound and anything that alleviates some of that pressure should be positive. Tactically the GBP has been stretched to the downside, so any new shorts do need to be weary of the risk of some mean reversion as we saw after this past week’s BoE meeting.
USD
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: BULLISH
BASELINE
Hawkish Fed policy remains a key driver for Dollar strength. With headline inflation >8%, the Fed has been pressured to tighten policy aggressively, hiking rates by 75bsp at their June meeting, and continuing with Quantitative Tightening. STIR markets suggests aggressive policy action pricing a terminal rate of >3.8% by 2Q23 which should be a positive input for the US Dollar . Safe haven flows have also supported the USD as it’s usually inversely correlated to the global economy and global trade, appreciating when growth & inflation slows (disinflation) and depreciates when growth & inflation accelerates (reflation). Expectations of a cyclical slowdown, accompanied by multi-decade high inflation and synchronized removal of monetary policy stimulus from major economies has seen investors shun risk assets and even bonds (usually considered a safe haven), and the USD has been a key benefactor of the rush to safety as economic prospects have deteriorated. Even though US bonds are considered safe havens, the current high inflation has seen a strong stock-to-bond correlation and has caused big bond outflows. With bonds not fulfilling its usual save haven role the USD has benefited from the rush to safety.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
As aggressive Fed policy has been supporting the USD, any incoming data (especially inflation ) that sparks further hike expectations, or additionally any comments from FOMC members that signals even more aggressive policy could trigger bullish reactions in the USD. As the cyclical outlook for the global economy is very bleak, and the USD is considered a safe haven, it means any incoming data that exacerbates fears of recession and triggers a big rush to safety could trigger bullish USD reactions. Further outflows in US bonds means more USD safe haven appeal. So, watching key triggers for further upside in bond yields like rising commodity prices and inflation expectations could also trigger further USD bullish reactions.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
More recently the USD has reacted more cyclically to incoming data which could suggest markets is shifting from safe haven focus to the rising risks of recession. The worse growth data slows, the higher likelihood of a ‘Fed Put’ in the months ahead. Thus, extremely bad growth data could trigger bearish reactions in the USD despite its safe haven appeal. Tactically the USD is trading at cycle highs, and aggregate CFTC positioning is still close prior highs which acted aslocal tops for the USD. Thus, stretched positioning could make the USD vulnerable to mean reversion in the short-term. With a lot already priced for the Fed, it won’t take much for the Fed to disappoint markets on the dovish side. Thus, any FOMC comments that suggests more concern about the economy than inflation could trigger bearish reactions in the USD
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the USD remains bullish as long as the Fed stays aggressive and cyclical concerns put pressure on risk assets. But we do want to be mindful that lots has been priced for the USD, and growth deteriorates, we are expecting that the weigh on the USD if markets start pricing in a higher likelihood of a less hawkish Fed as a result of higher risks of recession. Furthermore, given tactical and CFTC positioning, we would prefer deeper pullbacks for new med-term USD longs, but shortterm catalyst can still offer shorter bearish sentiment trades against the current strong bull trend.
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: WEAK BEARISH
BASELINE
The overall bleak economic outlook for the UK, with exceptionally high Inflation and rapidly falling growth have been the biggest negative driver for Sterling. With rising price pressures and falling demand, the risks of stagflation has risen substantially, so much so that the BoE have forecasted a possible recession for the UK economy heading into 2023. At their June meeting the bank followed through with their more moderate approach by hiking 25bsp instead of growing calls of a potential 50bsp hike. The BoE is stuck between a rock and a hard place, right now they have to hike rates to try and fight inflation but by doing so they risk further damaging economic growth as a result. Even though the June statement was dovish, it wasn’t materially more dovish compared to their previous meeting. the price action was a clear warning sign that a lot of negatives has been priced in for Sterling in recent weeks so chasing lower in risky.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Stagflation fears are very high for the UK, with probabilities of recession growing by the week. With so much bad news priced in, incoming news risk is asymmetrical, meaning positive surprises in growth data (like incoming flash PMIs) could trigger bullish reactions for Sterling. Furthermore, as the UK is facing one of its biggest cost of living squeezes in history, lower-than-expected inflation prints (coming up Wednesday) could counterintuitively be a positive driver for the currency (lower CPI means less stagflation risk). The economy needs help right now, which means any help from the fiscal side will be a positive. Any major fiscal support measures to help consumers (subsidies for energy or tax cuts) could trigger bullish reactions for the Pound. We have lots of BoE speak coming up this week, any overly hawkish comments signalling more aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bullish GBP reactions.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Monetary policy is a double-edged sword for the GBP. Odds that the BoE has limited hikes left has been a negative driver, but so too is risks that inflation forces them to hike even more and further damage GDP. Further stagflation risks from higher gas prices or CPI prints could trigger bearish reactions. Politics is also in focus, where any attempts to oust PM Johnson by changing no-confidence laws could trigger bearish reactions. GBP is usually sensitive to political uncertainty and anything that raises odds of a snap election should be negative. With UK threats of triggering Article 16 and EU threats to terminate the Brexit deal if they do Brexit is in focus again. For now, markets have rightly ignored this as posturing, but any actual escalation can see sharp GBP downside. We have lots of BoE speak coming up this week, any overly dovish comments signalling less aggressive policy than what markets are currently pricing in could trigger bearish GBP reactions.
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the GBP remains fairly bleak right now with the economic prospects and risk of stagflation keeping the currency pressured. Anything that exacerbates stagflation fears is expected to weigh on the Pound and anything that alleviates some of that pressure should be positive. Tactically the GBP has been stretched to the downside, so any new shorts do need to be weary of the risk of some mean reversion as we saw after this past week’s BoE meeting.
USD
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: BULLISH
BASELINE
Hawkish Fed policy remains a key driver for Dollar strength. With headline inflation >8%, the Fed has been pressured to tighten policy aggressively, hiking rates by 75bsp at their June meeting, and continuing with Quantitative Tightening. STIR markets suggests aggressive policy action pricing a terminal rate of >3.8% by 2Q23 which should be a positive input for the US Dollar . Safe haven flows have also supported the USD as it’s usually inversely correlated to the global economy and global trade, appreciating when growth & inflation slows (disinflation) and depreciates when growth & inflation accelerates (reflation). Expectations of a cyclical slowdown, accompanied by multi-decade high inflation and synchronized removal of monetary policy stimulus from major economies has seen investors shun risk assets and even bonds (usually considered a safe haven), and the USD has been a key benefactor of the rush to safety as economic prospects have deteriorated. Even though US bonds are considered safe havens, the current high inflation has seen a strong stock-to-bond correlation and has caused big bond outflows. With bonds not fulfilling its usual save haven role the USD has benefited from the rush to safety.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
As aggressive Fed policy has been supporting the USD, any incoming data (especially inflation ) that sparks further hike expectations, or additionally any comments from FOMC members that signals even more aggressive policy could trigger bullish reactions in the USD. As the cyclical outlook for the global economy is very bleak, and the USD is considered a safe haven, it means any incoming data that exacerbates fears of recession and triggers a big rush to safety could trigger bullish USD reactions. Further outflows in US bonds means more USD safe haven appeal. So, watching key triggers for further upside in bond yields like rising commodity prices and inflation expectations could also trigger further USD bullish reactions.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
More recently the USD has reacted more cyclically to incoming data which could suggest markets is shifting from safe haven focus to the rising risks of recession. The worse growth data slows, the higher likelihood of a ‘Fed Put’ in the months ahead. Thus, extremely bad growth data could trigger bearish reactions in the USD despite its safe haven appeal. Tactically the USD is trading at cycle highs, and aggregate CFTC positioning is still close prior highs which acted aslocal tops for the USD. Thus, stretched positioning could make the USD vulnerable to mean reversion in the short-term. With a lot already priced for the Fed, it won’t take much for the Fed to disappoint markets on the dovish side. Thus, any FOMC comments that suggests more concern about the economy than inflation could trigger bearish reactions in the USD
BIGGER PICTURE
The fundamental outlook for the USD remains bullish as long as the Fed stays aggressive and cyclical concerns put pressure on risk assets. But we do want to be mindful that lots has been priced for the USD, and growth deteriorates, we are expecting that the weigh on the USD if markets start pricing in a higher likelihood of a less hawkish Fed as a result of higher risks of recession. Furthermore, given tactical and CFTC positioning, we would prefer deeper pullbacks for new med-term USD longs, but shortterm catalyst can still offer shorter bearish sentiment trades against the current strong bull trend.
