Asian stocks mostly higher following data deluge; Nikkei down 0.71%

Most Asian bourses traded higher Friday following a raft of regional economic data points. 

In Asian trading Friday, Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.71% after the Statistics Bureau said that Japan’s core consumer price inflation was 0.7% last month after reading 0.4% in June. Analysts expected a July reading of 0.6%. 

Tokyo’s core CPI, which excludes fresh food costs, rose to 0.4% last month from 0.3% in June. Analysts expected the July reading of 0.4%. The Statistics Bureau also said Japanese household spending was up 0.1% last month after a June decrease of 0.4%. Analysts expected an increase of 0.3%. 

In a separate report, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said that industrial production in the world’s third-largest economy increased 3.2% in July after a 3.1% June decline. That missed analysts’ expectations for a 3.7% increase. 

The Statistics Bureau said Japan’s unemployment rate fell to 3.8% from 3.9% in June. Economists expected the July unemployment rate to be unchanged from June. 

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng inched down 0.09%, but the Shanghai Composite rose 0.42%. Energy stocks were again in focus in Hong Kong. 

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index advanced 0.3% after the Reserve Bank of Australia said that Australian private sector credit rose 0.4% in July after a 0.4% increase in June. Analysts expected a July increase of 0.3%. 

New Zealand’s NZSe rose 0.25% after Statistics New Zealand said that New Zealand said building consents there rose to -0.8% in July from -4% in June. Analysts had expected New Zealand Building Consents to rise to 1.3% last month. 

South Korea’s Kospi added 0.54%. In a report released earlier Friday, the Korea National Statistical Office said that South Korean industrial production rose 0.9% last month after a 2.5% decline in June. Analysts expected a July increase of 0.5%. 

Singapore’s Straits Times Index fell 0.19%. S&P 500 futures rose 0.12% a day after the benchmark U.S. index gained 0.12%.

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Likelihood of military action in Syria before mid-September is limited

The Dollar Index moved higher overnight as the Greenback piled on more gains, despite other asset classes pulling back from yesterday’s extremes. Concerns that foreign governments may soon intervene in Syria, which fueled yesterday’s flight from risk, look to have moderated overnight. Political leaders steped back from the metaphorical edge in the last 24 hours, following comments from Britain & France that they favor of waiting to decide on potential military action until the results of the UN probe are in. The investigation on site in Syria is expected to continue until the end of August, and the findings presented sometime after. So the likelihood of action occurring before mid-September is limited. US President Obama and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel also sought more neutral ground, saying that no decision had been made as of yet, and that the Unites States would not act without international collaboration.

As geo-political tensions eased markets too found calmer waters. Gold traded down overnight, though it still remains over USD 1,400.00/oz and continues to look a touch overbought given the near USD 150.00/oz 3-week rally that it has experienced. Both Brent & West Texas crude prices have given back too, contracting 0.67% and 0.79% in the last trading cycle.

Looking to stocks, Asian trading saw major indices up across the board, the Nikkei leading the way at +0.91%, followed closely by the Hang Seng which put on 0.84%. The key drivers of gains were exporter shares, which rose as Syria concerns faded and commodity prices retraced. European bourses are also stronger as the local session winds down, aided by a calmer global landscape and Vodafone.  Shares in the European telecom giant surged to 11-year highs following reports that it’s in talks to sell its 45% stake in the Verizon Wireless venture to Verizon Communications Inc.

In currencies the Greenback added to yesterday’s gains, making strong headway against the JPY, EUR, and CHF overnight. Month end flows and concerns that the Federal Reserve will cut back on its stimulus programs in the near future drove the Dollar buying. Action saw the Dollar Index break resistance at the 200-Day Moving Average and close in on monthly highs near 82.00.

On the data front it was pretty quiet overnight, however the American session had a couple pieces of top tier data released early this morning.  The Thursday special, otherwise known as US Weekly Jobless Claims, printed in line with expectations at 331k. Meanwhile Preliminary Quarterly GDP for the United States chimed in at an annualized +2.5%, this is slightly better than expectations, which according to a Reuters survey were +2.2%. The GDP number is encouraging as it reinforces the notion that the US economy has been able to weather the government sequester well and increases the likelihood that Bernanke will engage in tapering possibly as soon as September.

In the immediate aftermath of this morning’s data the Big Dollar has added to its overnight gains, picking up ground against most major currencies. The USD gains have helped put the Cable on track for its 7^th consecutive session of losses as the British Pound remains a slave to rate chatter from the Bank of England. The GBPUSD slide has pushed the pair down to support at its 200-Day Moving Average and for 3 days markets have successfully defended it, a break of that level could see the pair take a major leg down.

The USDCAD continues to tread water near the highs established last week. It feels like investors have decided to let the pair sit out this week’s USD action and trade the Loonie against other currencies. For example the Loonie is set to extend its rally against the Euro to a 4^th day and versus the GBP, the CAD has advanced over 150 pips this week. Friday however will see Canadian GDP numbers announced, which should have the capacity to move the stubborn USDCAD.

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EUR/USD Crash: 3 Reasons

The euro is finally moving and moving down, with EUR/USD making a big fall, after showing a lot of strength.

What is behind the fall? Here are 3 reasons and a look at the next levels ahead.

First, let’s see this fall on the chart:

Reasons

1. German weakness: The German locomotive giveth, the German locomotive taketh. After Germany reported strong growth in Q2 and enjoyed positive PMIs during Q3, the economic giant posted weak data: the number of unemployed rose by 7K, contrary to a drop of 5K that was expected: the first rise in 3 months. In addition, German inflation came out flat (m/m) while a rise of 0.2% was expected. Lower German inflation allowed for the recent ECB rate cut, and weaker inflation can allow lower rates for longer, and perhaps even lower.
2. US data: GDP growth came out at +2.5% in the first revision, better than 2.2% expected and better than 1.7% originally reported. While inventory growth in Q2 creates worries for Q3, this adds to the notion that QE tapering will happen in September. A last confirmation is probably needed from the Non-Farm Payrolls: next Friday’s report for August could cement the beginning of the end of QE.
3. Unwinding Syria: An air strike on Syria seems less imminent after the UK and France seem less eager to act. The shadows of the Iraq war and the lack of popularity loom. How does this affect the euro? Indirectly: demand for safe haven Swiss francs falls, and with the EUR/CHF floor at 1.20, this also weakens the euro in a way. In addition, there is less demand for the safe haven Japanese yen. This boosts USD/JPY and the buying of dollars also weighs on EUR/USD. The crisis could escalate at any time, but at least for now, markets are somewhat calmer.

EUR/USD Action

EUR/USD is trading at 1.3228 at the time of writing, after already trading as low as 1.3218. After failing to recapture the 1.34 line, the pair dropped and tried to recapture 1.3350. After this failure, the slide became an avalanche.

Support is found at 1.3180, which capped the pair in April, and this is followed by 1.31. Needless to say, the round number of 1.30 is critical support. On the upside, 1.3280 and 1.3350 work as resistance.

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Forex Trading Signal for 30th August 2013

                                                                                


Japan (Tokyo)                               United Kingdon (London)                        USA (New York)

For more easy access,,,,,,Download our mobile application on your mobile :   Click Fxsignals 

EUR/USD

 Down Trend :

 (1) SELL

E/P: 1.32629

T/P: 1.32000

S/L: 1.33200

GBP/USD

Up Trend:

(1) Buy

E/P: 1.55069

T/P: 1.54500

S/L: 1.55800

NOTE: The above posted Signals are delayed 2 - 4 hours after it has been  generated.
Daily forex signals are sent ontime to only our subcribers.

To subcribe: click here

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U.S. stocks open moderately higher after strong data; Dow Jones up 0.15%

U.S. stocks opened moderately higher on Thursday, after the release of positive U.S. economic growth and jobless claims data sparked fresh hopes that the nation's recovery is on track, signalling that the Federal Reserve could soon taper its stimulus program. 

During early U.S. trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.15%, the S&P 500 index edged up 0.18%, while the Nasdaq Composite index climbed 0.50%. 

The Commerce Department said gross domestic product expanded at an annual rate of 2.5% in the three months to June, above expectations for growth of 2.2% and up from a preliminary estimate of 1.7%.

In a separate report, the Department of Labor said the number of people who filed for unemployment assistance fell to the lowest level since October 2007 last week.

The number of people filing for initial jobless benefits in the week ending August 23 fell by 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 331,000, compared to forecasts for a decline of 5,000. 

Investors remained cautious however, after President Barack Obama said on Wednesday that the U.S. has concluded that the Syrian government carried out a chemical weapons attack near Damascus, but added that he had not yet made a decision about whether to intervene militarily. 

Verizon was one of the top performers, with shares surging 3.76%, following reports British company Vodafone is in talks to sell its 45% stake in Verizon Wireless to its U.S. partner Verizon Communications in what would be the biggest deal in more than a decade. 

The sale of the holding could reportedly amount to about USD130 billion. 

In more company news, Francesca’s Holdings added 0.21%, as the women’s boutique operator was projected to boost sales by 80% during the next three years, faster than any other apparel chain, according to a Bloomberg report. 

Elsewhere, Hanesbrands climbed 0.63%, as the fourth straight year of surplus cotton output and the biggest drop in Chinese imports since 2000 were said to be creating record global inventories, signaling higher profits for the U.S. underwear company. 

On the downside, energy-linked companies were affected by the recent drop in oil prices, as Chevron saw shares decline 0.55% and Exxon Mobil slumped 0.71%. 

Other stocks likely to be in focus included Campbell Soup, Pall and Signet Jewelers, scheduled to report second-quarter earnings later in the day. 

Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were higher. The EURO STOXX 50 edged up 0.09%, France’s CAC 40 added 0.12%, Germany's DAX inched 0.01% higher, while Britain's FTSE 100 gained 0.60%. 

During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index climbed 0.84, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index jumped 0.91%.

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Forex Trading Signal for 29th August 2013

                                                                                


Japan (Tokyo)                               United Kingdon (London)                        USA (New York)

For more easy access,,,,,,Download our mobile application on your mobile :   Click Fxsignals 

EUR/USD

 Down Trend :

 (1) SELL

E/P: 1.33432

T/P: 1.32900

S/L: 1.33800

GBP/USD

Up Trend:

(1) Buy

E/P: 1.55074

T/P: 1.55500

S/L: 1.54500

NOTE: The above posted Signals are delayed 2 - 4 hours after it has been  generated.
Daily forex signals are sent ontime to only our subcribers.

To subcribe: click here

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Gold remains lower after upbeat U.S. GDP, jobless claims data

Gold futures remained lower on Thursday, after official data showed that the U.S. economy grew more than initially expected in the second quarter, fuelling speculation the Federal Reserve will taper its bond-buying program next month.

Gold traders have closely been looking out for U.S. data reports recently to gauge if they will strengthen or weaken the case for the Fed to reduce its bond purchases.

On the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, gold futures for December delivery traded at USD1,413.00 a troy ounce during U.S. morning hours, down 0.4%. 

The December contract settled 0.1% lower at USD1,418.20 a troy ounce on Wednesday, after rising to a three-and-a-half month high of USD1,433.50 a troy ounce.

Gold futures were likely to find support at USD1,368.40 a troy ounce, the low from August 23 and near-term resistance at USD1,433.50, the previous session’s high.

The Commerce Department said gross domestic product increased at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 2.5% in the three months to June, above expectations for growth of 2.2% and up from a preliminary estimate of 1.7%.

A separate report from the U.S. Department of Labor showed that the number of individuals who filed for unemployment assistance fell by 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 331,000 last week, compared to forecasts for a decline of 5,000.

The stronger-than-expected data added to speculation the Fed could taper down its bond purchases at its next policy meeting amid increasing signs of a recovery in the U.S. economy.

The central bank is scheduled to meet September 17-18 to review the economy and assess policy.

The possibility that the Fed could scale back its stimulus program helped buoy the U.S. dollar. 

The dollar index, which tracks the performance of the greenback against a basket of six other major currencies, was up 0.65% to trade at 81.97, the strongest level since August 5.

A stronger U.S. dollar usually weighs on gold, as it dampens the metal's appeal as an alternative asset and makes dollar-priced commodities more expensive for holders of other currencies.

Meanwhile, market participants remained cautious amid concerns over an impending U.S.-led military strike against Syria, following the alleged use of chemical weapons.

On Wednesday, President Barack Obama said the U.S. has concluded that the Syrian government carried out a chemical weapons attack near Damascus, but added that he had not yet made a decision about whether to intervene militarily.

Elsewhere on the Comex, silver for December delivery fell 0.35% to trade at USD24.36 a troy ounce, while copper for December delivery shed 0.45% to trade at USD3.297 a pound.

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Dollar rallies after upbeat U.S. data

The dollar rallied to session highs against the other major currencies on Thursday after reports showed that U.S. second quarter growth was revised higher and jobless claims fell, indicating that the recovery is on track.

During European afternoon trade, the dollar hit fresh session highs against the yen, with USD/JPY advancing 0.82% to 98.44.

The Commerce Department said gross domestic product expanded at an annual rate of 2.5% in the three months to June, above expectations for growth of 2.2% and up from a preliminary estimate of 1.7%.

In a separate report, the Department of Labor said the number of people who filed for unemployment assistance fell to the lowest level since October 2007 last week.

The number of people filing for initial jobless benefits in the week ending August 23 fell by 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 331,000, compared to forecasts for a decline of 5,000.

The upbeat data reinforced the view that the Federal Reserve could start phasing out stimulus measures as soon as next month.

The dollar rose to session highs against the euro, with EUR/USDdropping 0.73% to 1.3241.

The single currency was pressured lower by speculation that Greece will require a third bailout package in 2014.

Meanwhile, markets participants remained cautious amid concerns over prospects for a U.S.-led military strike against Syria’s government, following the alleged use of chemical weapons.

The dollar was also higher against the pound, with GBP/USD sliding 0.22% to 1.5493.

Sterling continued to remain supported by expectations that the Bank of England may raise interest rates much earlier than it has indicated, following recent improved U.K. economic data.

The dollar extended gains against the Swiss franc, with USD/CHFjumping 0.87% to 0.9301.

Elsewhere, the greenback was stronger against its Australian, New Zealand and Canadian counterparts, with AUD/USD sliding 0.13% to 0.8929, NZD/USD down 0.42% to 0.7765 and USD/CAD rising 0.21% to 1.0509.

The dollar index, which tracks the performance of the greenback versus a basket of six other major currencies, was up 0.68% to 81.99.

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U.S. initial jobless claims fall by 6,000 to 331,000 last week

The number of people who filed for unemployment assistance in the U.S. fell more-than-expected last week, hovering near the lowest level since October 2007, official data showed on Thursday. 

In a report, the U.S. Department of Labor said the number of individuals filing for initial jobless benefits in the week ending August 23 fell by 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 331,000.

Jobless claims for the preceding week were revised up to a gain of 337,000, from a previously reported 336,000.

Analysts had expected U.S. jobless claims to fall by 5,000 to 332,000 last week.

Continuing jobless claims in the week ended August 17 fell to 2.989 million. Analysts had expected continuing claims to decline to 2.980 million from last week’s figure of 3.003 million.

The four-week moving average was 331,250, an increase of 750 from the previous week's revised average of 330,500.

The monthly average is seen as a more accurate gauge of labor trends because it reduces volatility in the week-to-week data.

Following the release of the data, the U.S. dollar added to gains against the euro, with EUR/USD shedding 0.72% to trade at 1.3243.

Meanwhile, U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a rise of 0.35% at the open, S&P 500 futures indicated a gain of 0.35%, while the Nasdaq 100 futures signaled a 0.45% advance. 

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U.S. Q2 GDP revised up to 2.5% from 1.7%

The U.S. economy grew faster-than-initially expected in the second quarter of 2013, fuelling optimism over the economic outlook, revised data showed on Thursday.

In a report, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said gross domestic product increased at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 2.5% in the three months to June, above expectations for growth of 2.2% and up from a preliminary estimate of 1.7%.

The data showed personal consumption grew 1.8% in the second quarter, above expectations for a 1.7% increase and unchanged from an initial forecast of 1.8%.

Consumer spending typically accounts for nearly 70% of U.S. economic growth.

The GDP price index rose by 0.7% in the second quarter, in line with expectations.

Following the release of the data, the U.S. dollar added to gains against the euro, with EUR/USD shedding 0.68% to trade at 1.3248.

Meanwhile, U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a rise of 0.3% at the open, S&P 500 futures indicated a gain of 0.3%, while the Nasdaq 100 futures signaled a 0.4% advance. 

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Forex - Pound slips lower vs. dollar ahead of U.S. data

The pound slipped lower against the dollar on Thursday, as investors looked ahead to data on weekly U.S. jobless claims and revised data on U.S. second quarter growth later in the session.

GBP/USD hit 1.5497 during European afternoon trade, the session low; the pair subsequently consolidated at 1.3264, sliding 0.09%.

Cable was likely to find support at 1.5475 and resistance at 1.5551, Wednesday’s high.

The dollar was boosted by expectations that positive economic data would support the view that the Federal Reserve could start to phase out stimulus measures from next month.

The pound’s losses were held in check amid expectations that the Bank of England may raise interest rates much earlier than it has indicated, following a recent series of improved U.K. economic data.

The pound was also supported following reports that the U.K.'s Vodafone had resumed discussions on a plan for Verizon to buy out Vodafone's stake in U.S. joint venture Verizon Wireless.

Market participants remained cautious amid concerns over prospects for a U.S.-led military strike against Syria’s government, following the alleged use of chemical weapons.

Sterling was lower against the euro, with EUR/GBP down 0.48% to 0.8550.

The single currency was pressured lower by speculation that Greece will require a third bailout package in 2014.

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