USD
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: BULLISH
BASELINE
With headline CPI above 8% and Core CPI seeing acceleration in August, the Fed is under pressure to continue hiking rates and ramping up QT. The bank made its third 75bsp at the Sep meeting and pushed up their 2023 terminal rate projection to 4.6%. 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). It was a choppy week for the USD, with entertaining ‘Fed Pivot’ narratives trying to make sense of the price action. In the week ahead, all eyes turns to the week’s main event which is Thursday’s September US CPI report.
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 in for the Fed and the USD, the bar is high for hawkish Fed surprises, but any aggressive Fed speak talking up a higher than 5% 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. In the upcoming week markets will only have eyes for one data point and that will be the US September CPI data released on Thursday. With expectations of a higher Core CPI YY but expectations of a lower Headline CPI YY it seems risky to trade into this event.
CAD
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: NEUTRAL
BASELINE
Recent economic data has shown some deterioration for the growth outlook with three consecutive months of contraction in jobs, falling house prices, and a deceleration in both core and headline CPI. Friday’s jobs data gave the CAD a decent lift with it’s first jobs gain in four weeks, but at 21K jobs added, that means the job market is still down 92K jobs in the last four months. Apart from the data though, the CAD also got a lift from fairly hawkish BoC Macklem comments, who talked up higher rates despite recent slowing in the data, seeing markets pricing in a higher probability for a 50bsp hike again this month. Oil prices also got a decent lift after the week’s OPEC meeting where a 2mln B/D production cut pushed more focus on the shortterm supply drivers for oil. Even though correlation to oil has been a hit and miss in recent weeks, it provide some additional support for the CAD.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Catalysts that see upside in Oil (deteriorating supply outlook, ease in demand fears, OPEC developments) could trigger bullish CAD reactions. As a risk sensitive currency, and catalyst that causes big bouts of risk on sentiment could trigger bullish reactions in the CAD. After the bank’s frontloading, there is a very high bar to surprise on the hawkish side for the BoC, but if the bank were to say they think STIR market pricing for the terminal rate is too low that can provide upside for the CAD.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Catalysts that trigger downside in oil (deteriorating demand outlook, ease in supply shortage, less supply constraints, OPEC developments) could be a negative catalyst for the CAD as well. As a risk sensitive currency, and catalyst that causes big bouts of risk off sentiment could trigger bearish reactions in the CAD. With the bank just 75bsp away from terminal rate expectations, it won’t take much to surprise on the dovish side, and any signals or comments from the BoC that they’ll pause hikes should be a negative for the CAD.
BIGGER PICTURE
The bigger picture outlook for the CAD remains neutral for now. Given the clear risks to the growth outlook (recent negative econ data and fall in oil prices) we remain cautious on the currency. Furthermore, with lots of good news priced, and with the BoC close to terminal rate expectations, our preferred way of trading the CAD is lower on clear short-term negative catalysts. Like most currencies the week ahead schedule is extremely light for the CAD, which means US CPI, Q3 Earning Season and further oil developments should be the main driver for the CAD.
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: BULLISH
BASELINE
With headline CPI above 8% and Core CPI seeing acceleration in August, the Fed is under pressure to continue hiking rates and ramping up QT. The bank made its third 75bsp at the Sep meeting and pushed up their 2023 terminal rate projection to 4.6%. 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). It was a choppy week for the USD, with entertaining ‘Fed Pivot’ narratives trying to make sense of the price action. In the week ahead, all eyes turns to the week’s main event which is Thursday’s September US CPI report.
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 in for the Fed and the USD, the bar is high for hawkish Fed surprises, but any aggressive Fed speak talking up a higher than 5% 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. In the upcoming week markets will only have eyes for one data point and that will be the US September CPI data released on Thursday. With expectations of a higher Core CPI YY but expectations of a lower Headline CPI YY it seems risky to trade into this event.
CAD
FUNDAMENTAL OUTLOOK: NEUTRAL
BASELINE
Recent economic data has shown some deterioration for the growth outlook with three consecutive months of contraction in jobs, falling house prices, and a deceleration in both core and headline CPI. Friday’s jobs data gave the CAD a decent lift with it’s first jobs gain in four weeks, but at 21K jobs added, that means the job market is still down 92K jobs in the last four months. Apart from the data though, the CAD also got a lift from fairly hawkish BoC Macklem comments, who talked up higher rates despite recent slowing in the data, seeing markets pricing in a higher probability for a 50bsp hike again this month. Oil prices also got a decent lift after the week’s OPEC meeting where a 2mln B/D production cut pushed more focus on the shortterm supply drivers for oil. Even though correlation to oil has been a hit and miss in recent weeks, it provide some additional support for the CAD.
POSSIBLE BULLISH SURPRISES
Catalysts that see upside in Oil (deteriorating supply outlook, ease in demand fears, OPEC developments) could trigger bullish CAD reactions. As a risk sensitive currency, and catalyst that causes big bouts of risk on sentiment could trigger bullish reactions in the CAD. After the bank’s frontloading, there is a very high bar to surprise on the hawkish side for the BoC, but if the bank were to say they think STIR market pricing for the terminal rate is too low that can provide upside for the CAD.
POSSIBLE BEARISH SURPRISES
Catalysts that trigger downside in oil (deteriorating demand outlook, ease in supply shortage, less supply constraints, OPEC developments) could be a negative catalyst for the CAD as well. As a risk sensitive currency, and catalyst that causes big bouts of risk off sentiment could trigger bearish reactions in the CAD. With the bank just 75bsp away from terminal rate expectations, it won’t take much to surprise on the dovish side, and any signals or comments from the BoC that they’ll pause hikes should be a negative for the CAD.
BIGGER PICTURE
The bigger picture outlook for the CAD remains neutral for now. Given the clear risks to the growth outlook (recent negative econ data and fall in oil prices) we remain cautious on the currency. Furthermore, with lots of good news priced, and with the BoC close to terminal rate expectations, our preferred way of trading the CAD is lower on clear short-term negative catalysts. Like most currencies the week ahead schedule is extremely light for the CAD, which means US CPI, Q3 Earning Season and further oil developments should be the main driver for the CAD.