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Trade Idea Wrap-up: EUR/USD – Sell at 1.1835

EUR/USD - 1.1745

Most recent candlesticks pattern   : N/A

Trend                      : Near term down

Tenkan-Sen level              : 1.1764

Kijun-Sen level                  : 1.1774

Ichimoku cloud top             : 1.1778

Ichimoku cloud bottom      : 1.1773

Original strategy  :

Sell at 1.1835, Target: 1.1735, Stop: 1.1870

Position : -

Target :  -

Stop : -

New strategy  :

Sell at 1.1835, Target: 1.1735, Stop: 1.1870

Position : -

Target :  -

Stop : -

Although the single currency retreated after meeting resistance at 1.1812, as long as support at 1.1730 holds, near term upside risk remains for another corrective bounce to said resistance, then towards 1.1835 (50% Fibonacci retracement of 1.1940-1.1730), however, reckon upside would be limited and bring retreat later, below said support at 1.1730 would confirm recent decline has resumed and extend weakness to previous key support at 1.1713. Looking ahead, only break there would retain bearishness for subsequent decline towards 1.1660-70.

In view of this, we are looking to sell euro on further subsequent recovery as said resistance at 1.1815 should limit upside and bring another decline. Above 1.1845-50 would defer and suggest low is formed, bring a stronger rebound to 1.1875-80 first.

Trade Idea Wrap-up: USD/JPY – Buy at 112.90

USD/JPY - 113.57

Most recent candlesticks pattern   : N/A

Trend                      : Near term up

Tenkan-Sen level              : 113.48

Kijun-Sen level                  : 113.41

Ichimoku cloud top             : 113.49

Ichimoku cloud bottom      : 113.03

Original strategy  :

Buy at 112.90, Target: 114.00, Stop: 112.55

Position :  -

Target :  -

Stop : -

New strategy  :

Buy at 112.90, Target: 114.00, Stop: 112.55

Position :  -

Target :  -

Stop : -

Dollar’s retreat after rising to 113.69 yesterday has retained our view that consolidation below this level would be seen and pullback to 113.00-05 (38.2% Fibonacci retracement of 111.99-113.69), however, reckon 112.80-85 (50% Fibonacci retracement) would hold and bring another rise later, above said resistance at 113.69 would extend recent rise from 110.84 low to resistance area at 113.91-114.07 but a sustained breach above this region is needed to signal early uptrend has resumed for headway to 114.34.

In view of this, would not chase this rise here and would be prudent to buy dollar again on pullback as 112.90-00 should limit downside and bring another rise later. Below 112.80-85 (50% Fibonacci retracement of 111.99-113.69) would defer and risk test of 112.55-60 but only break of latter level would signal top is formed instead, bring subsequent fall to 112.20-25.

US: Producer Prices Show Strengthening Inflation

The Producer Price Index (PPI) for final demand rose 0.4 percent in November as energy prices moved up again. Ex-food, energy and trade services, however, the PPI also points to inflation picking up.

Broad Gains in Producer Prices

  • Producer prices rose more than expected in November with the index rising 0.4 percent for a third straight month. The PPI for final demand is now up more than 3 percent over the past year.
  • Goods prices led the charge. While energy prices increased 4.6 percent, food and core goods prices both rose 0.3 percent.
  • The services index was up 0.2 percent despite a pullback in the trade services component, which is measured as margins.

Core Strength

  • Excluding food, energy and trade services, the PPI also rose 0.4 percent. Over the year, the "core-core" improved to 2.4 percent.
  • Since methodology changes in 2014, the PPI has diverged more noticeably from the more closely watched CPI and PCE measures. Nevertheless, the pickup over the year will be welcomed by the Fed as an indication that inflation is gradually moving up.

US: Small Business Owners Are Feeling Positive about 2018

Small Business Optimism jumped 3.7 points in November to 107.5, with 8 of the 10 components posting increases. The gain brought Small Business Optimism to its highest level in 34 years.

Small Business Owners Are Looking Forward to Tax Reform

The improved prospects of meaningful tax reform have provided a significant boost to small business confidence. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Index of Small Business Optimism rose 3.7 points in November to 107.5, bringing the closely watched index to its second-highest level in its 44-year history. Eight of the 10 components of the survey increased during the month, with most of the gain coming from a 16-point jump in Expected Business Conditions and a 13-point rise in Sales Expectations. The improvement in small business confidence is meaningful and suggests employment growth and business fixed investment should maintain strong momentum going into the new year.

Taxes and regulation have consistently ranked as two of the most important problems facing small business owners. A great deal of progress has already been made at reducing the impact of existing regulations and slowing the pace of new regulations, which is one of the reasons why small business confidence had improved as much as it had before the tax debate began. Now, with the prospects of meaningful tax reform seemingly within reach, small business confidence has risen even further.

Business owners' focus on taxes and regulations is understandable. Small business owners tend to wear many hats. Business owners often simultaneously serve as the chief operating officer, head of human resources, chief compliance officer and top sales person. The more time business owners devote to figuring out how to comply with regulations or minimize their taxes, the less time they have to grow their business.

With regulations being scaled back and taxes set to be cut, more business owners report that now is a good time to grow their business. The proportion of firms stating that now is a good time to expand rose 4 points to 27 percent in November, which is back to its high for this cycle. While plans to expand increased, plans to make additional capital outlays in the next six months slipped 1 point in November to a still solid 26 percent. Plans to increase employment rose 6 points in November.

While hiring plans rose, actual hiring moderated. Thirteen percent of firms reported hiring workers, while 10 percent said they reduced employment. Fifty-two percent of business owners either hired workers or tried to hire workers, but 44 percent reported they had few or no qualified applicants. Difficulty finding qualified workers has become a more critical problem for business owners, particularly for construction firms and manufacturers.

The improvement in Small Business Optimism suggests tax reform may provide a more meaningful boost to economic growth in 2018. Small Business Optimism picked up well ahead of the economy as a whole in 2017, and major changes in the index have proven to be a reliable leading indicator, particularly for capital spending and employment.

EURUSD Dips Below 55SMA on Strong US Data

The Euro fell to the session low at 1.1741 after better than expected US PPI data sent dollar higher across the board.

Fresh easing broke below pivotal support at 1.1756 (converged 30/55SMA's) and generating bearish signal for test of Friday's spike low at 1.1730 and possible extension towards next important supports at 1.1709/06 (Fibo 61.8% of 1.1553/1.1961 rally/daily cloud base).

Long upper shadows on daily candles of Monday/today, additionally weigh on near-term action.

Fed's verdict tomorrow would confirm negative scenario for the euro on hawkish rate hike.

Res: 1.1756; 1.1792; 1.1810; 1.1833
Sup: 1.1730; 1.1706; 1.1661; 1.1650

Trade Idea: USD/CAD – Buy at 1.2765

USD/CAD - 1.2852

Trend:  Near term up

 
New strategy             :

Buy at 1.2765, Target: 1.2915, Stop: 1.2705

Position: -

Target:  -

Stop:-

The greenback met resistance at 1.2880 and minor consolidation is in store, however, reckon downside would be limited to 1.2750-60 and bring another rise, above 1.2880 would extend the rebound from 1.2623 towards resistance at 1.2917 but break there is needed to confirm upmove has resumed for headway to 1.2975-80 (61.8% Fibonacci retracement of 1.3547-1.2061), then towards psychological resistance at 1.3000.

In view of this, would not chase this rise here and would be prudent to buy on subsequent pullback as 1.2750-60 should limit downside. Only below 1.2705-10 would abort and prolong choppy trading, bring weakness to 1.2650-55, however, downside should be limited and price should stay above said support at 1.2623, bring another rebound later.

To recap, wave B from 1.3066 is unfolding as an a-b-c and is sub-divided as a: 1.2192, b: 1.2716 and wave c is a 5-waver with i: 1.1983, ii: 1.2506, extended wave iii with minor iii at 1.0206, wave iv ended at 1.0781 and wave v as well as wave iii has ended at 0.9931, hence the subsequent choppy trading is the wave iv which is unfolding as (a)-(b)-(c) with (a) leg of iv ended at 1.0854, followed by (b) leg at 1.0108 and (c) leg as well as the wave iv ended at 1.0674. The wave v is sub-divided by minor wave (i): 0.9980, (ii): 1.0374, (iii): 0.9446, (iv): 0.9913 and (v) as well as v has possibly ended at 0.9407, therefore, consolidation with upside bias is seen for major correction, indicated target at 1.3700 and 1.4000 had been met and further gain to 1.4700 would be seen later.

EURUSD: Vulnerable, Looks To Resume Short Term Downtrend

EURUSD: The pair looks to resume its short term downtrend following its upside price rejection. Resistance comes in at 1.1800 level with a cut through here opening the door for more upside towards the 1.1850 level. Further up, resistance lies at the 1.1900 level where a break will expose the 1.1950 level. Conversely, support lies at the 1.1700 level where a violation will aim at the 1.1650 level. A break of here will aim at the 1.1600 level. Below here will open the door for more weakness towards the 1.1550. All in all, EURUSD faces further downside pressure short term.

EURGBP – Downside Remains at Risk after Repeated Rejection at Strong 0.8850 Resistance

The cross eased to 0.8800 support on Tuesday after rejection at 0.8850 zone where upside attempts in past few sessions were repeatedly rejected. Resistance is marked by sideways-moving 30SMA and reinforced by falling 20SMA which is attempting to form bear-cross and increase pressure. Today's action was contained at 0.8800 by converged 10/200 SMA's which are also on track to form death-cross and signal fresh extension lower on break. Overall bearish daily techs keep the downside at risk with firm break below 0.8800 and 0.8778 pivots (200SMA/daily Tenkan-sen) needed to signal reversal and trigger stronger retracement of two-day 0.8689/0.8848 rally. Plethora of resistances provided by daily MA's (20/30/55 SMA) and thick daily cloud, continues to weigh on near-term action. Only sustained break above 0.8850/60 resistance zone would provide relief and signal extension of recovery rally from 0.8689 (08 Dec low).

Res: 0.8850; 0.8860; 0.8877; 0.8912
Sup: 0.8785; 0.8748; 0.8726; 0.8689

EUR/USD Mid-Day Outlook

Daily Pivots: (S1) 1.1750; (P) 1.1780 (R1) 1.1799; More....

Intraday bias in EUR/USD remains neutral at this point. Focus stays on 1.1712 cluster support (61.8% retracement of 1.1553 to 1.1960 at 1.1708). Decisive break there will indicate that rebound from 1.1553 has completed at 1.1960. In that case, deeper fall would be seen to 1.1553 and possibly below to extend the decline from 1.2091. Meanwhile, with 1.1712 support intact, break of 1.1814 minor resistance will retain near term bullishness. And in that case, intraday bias will be turned back to the upside for 1.1960. Break will target 1.2091 high.

In the bigger picture, rise from 1.0339 medium term bottom is seen as a corrective move for the moment. Therefore, in case of another rally, we'd be expect 38.2% retracement of 1.6039 (2008 high) to 1.0339 (2017 low) at 1.2516 to limit upside and bring reversal. Meanwhile, sustained trading below 55 week EMA (now at 1.1423) will suggest that such medium term rebound is completed and could then bring retest of 1.0339 low.

EUR/USD 4 Hours Chart

EUR/USD Daily Chart

GBP/USD Mid-Day Outlook

Daily Pivots: (S1) 1.3302; (P) 1.3366; (R1) 1.3403; More....

GBP/USD dips mildly as consolidative trading from 1.3549 continues. Intraday bias remains neutral at this point. As long as 1.3220 support holds, we'd continue to favor another rise. On the upside, break of 1.3549 will target 1.3651 high next. However, firm break of 1.3220 will turn near term outlook bearish for 1.3038 key support level.

In the bigger picture, while the medium term rebound from 1.1946 low was strong, it's limited below 1.3835 key support turned resistance. As long as 1.3835 holds, we'd view such rebound as a correction. That is, we'd expect another leg in the long term down trend through 1.1946 low. However, sustained break of 1.3835 should at least send GBP/USD to 38.2% retracement of 2.1161 (2007 high) to 1.1946 (2016 low) at 1.5466.

GBP/USD 4 Hours Chart

GBP/USD Daily Chart