WISE MONEY

The European Central Bank usually meets on the first Thursday of each month but the Easter weekend coming up means today is the day. Expectations are for the ECB to leave rates on hold and no change to the non standard liquidity measures.

The upcoming holiday will also see some liquidation of risk positions so expect static or slight declines in equity markets and riskier currencies.

The Dollar is benefitting not only from the reduction in risk sentiment but also last nights FED minutes.

The tone was one of cautious optimism over the US economy and the markets interpreted that as a reduction in probability of another round of quantitative easing which is USD positive.

UK services PMI made it three in a row better-than-forecast data releases, following on from manufacturing and construction earlier in the week.

The data paints the UK economy in a positive light, but it is important no to get carried away.

The OECD thinks the UK has already re-entered a double dip recession and we need to wait for the Q1 GDP figure later this month before we get a clear picture of the UK economy.

Sterling certainly likes the data, rising against both the euro and Dollar in recent trade.

Markets will be winding down over the coming days, but the remaining things to watch for are the Bank of England meeting tomorrow and the Non-farm payrolls on Friday.

The UK economy is showing a few signs of improvement over the first three months of this year according to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).
The latest quarterly economic survey by the business lobby said that domestic orders and exports were all higher from the previous quarter.

The BCC had previously warned of stagflation.

But the UK economy “is still facing huge challenges and the recovery is much too slow”, the BCC said.

The group expects economic growth of 0.3% in the first quarter of 2012, which would mean the UK would avoid a technical recession – defined as two consecutive quarters of contraction.

Yesterday data suggested the manufacturing sector grew at its fastest pace for 10 months in March in an encouraging sign that the economy could return to growth in the first quarter, after contracting by 0.3% in the last three months of 2011.

It will be finely balanced, however, as official figures showed trading conditions were difficult for retailers in January and February.

The BCC predicted that the economy would grow by just 0.6% across 2012.

The independent Office for Budget Responsibility, which provides the government’s forecasts, has predicted growth of 0.8% in 2012.

Confidence among businesses increased on the previous quarter, but remains weak by historical standards, the group said.

The group forecasts unemployment, which currently stands at 2.67 million- will continue to rise to 2.9 million over the next year.

It called for “forceful measures” from the government to help boost growth.

“It’s encouraging to see that businesses are feeling more confident at the start of 2012 than they were at the end of 2011,” said John Longworth, director general at the BCC.

“But that underlines the need to support and foster growth and investment by companies to ensure that the increases we have seen in the first quarter continue.”

As Wise Money blogged yesterday the official figures from the Office for National statistics indicated that the UK economy fell more quickly towards the end of last year than initially thought. GDP fell by 0.3% in Q4 last year as opposed to the 0.2% reported. This fall shows a change from the 0.6% in the previous quarter and takes the overall growth figure to 0.7% down from 0.8% estimation.

One of the main drivers behind this fall is the 0.7% drop in manufacturing followed by 0.2% construction and services at 0.1%.

So far today Nationwide have revealed that house prices were pushed lower than a year ago for the first time in six months following a 1% fall in March.

Nationwide are attributing the slow down to changed in the stamp duty rules causing a “headwind” in an already difficult environment.

Since the budget first time buyers must now pay 1% on properties worth more than £125,000 following a two year holiday and there’s a new super stamp duty for properties sold over £2 million where a 7% payment is now due.

The figures were based on Nationwide mortgage data and indicated falls in all but three regions which were London, North England and Scotland.

The combination of these stories has put Sterling under pressure so far this morning with cable dropping off from the mid 1.59s yesterday to 1.5891 at present but up slightly against the Euro at 1.1971.

With the relative calm in the markets investors are becoming increasingly comfortable with the lack of movement in currencies.

This in line with the fall in risk aversion as market concerns over US growth and Eurozone debt problems retreat.

In the short term there is little catalyst to shake markets out of their trance and we could see euro/US Dollar continue to drift higher.

Certainly, firmer risk appetite, is a positive driver for the euro while the pull back in US bond yields has restricted the Greenback.

The UK’s Q4 final GDP has come in at -0.3% which is lower than the expected -0.2% and is a disappointing number for the Pound which has faded lower this morning against the euro and the US Dollar.  The number is not a great surprise but more of a disappointment and will heap pressure on the Q1 2012 GDP to come.

The US Dollar remains somewhat on the back foot following Fed chairman Ben Bernanke’s dovish tone earlier in the week with rhetoric suggesting more QE could be required and the loose monetary policy stance is here to stay despite a sustained run of positive economic data.

The USD has managed to claw back a little overnight against the EUR and the GBP- this corresponds to a move out of risk on weaker Chinese data.

Elsewhere risk currencies such as the Australian Dollar have come under pressure overnight as further concerns of a slowdown in China have dampened demand for risk currencies.

February’s industrial sector profit fell 5.2% year to date, the markets will be closely watching the situation in China.

Essentially China and the US are the key drivers behind global growth and any signs of slowing growth will turn the markets into risk off mode benefitting the safe haven shores of the USD, JPY and CHF and weakening risk on commodity based currencies such as the AUD & South African Rand.

Yesterdays appealing comments by Fed Chairman Bernanke, in addition to better than expected results for German IFO business confidence last month, have boosted risk assets whilst weakening the Greenback against Sterling and the euro. Markets appear to have shaken off, at least for now, growth worries stemming from weaker manufacturing confidence surveys in China and Europe last week.

The S&P 500 climbed 1.4% to 1,416.51, its highest close since May 2008.

The Dow Jones rose 1.2%, while the Nasdaq gained 1.8% to close at 3,122.57, its best finish since November 2000.

Ben Bernanke continued his stance that supportive monetary policy is still necessary particularly given worries about the jobs market and additional QE may still be needed.

Today markets will focus on US and French consumer confidence coupled with bill auctions in Spain and Italy. US consumer confidence is likely to slip slightly while the bill auctions are likely to be well received.

Sterling has failed to maintain gains above 1.59 against the Greenback over recent weeks let alone manage to test the key psychologically level of 1.60.

Therefore the current move above 1.59 could be a short one.

For the break above it will require an improved downtrend in the Greenback motivated by a sharp enhancement in risk appetite and/or a drop in US bond yields for Sterling to move much higher.

Both are unlikely.

Sterling will be susceptible to a general stronger Dollar for the rest of this year but could outperform against the euro.

Another expectation beating employment report from the US on Friday has the markets in buoyant mood this morning. The headline number was 227K jobs created in February against a forecast of 210K, with strong upward revisions to both December and January numbers.

This marks the third straight month of strong jobs growth with gains spread across different sectors of the economy.

One negative was that construction jobs showed flat growth for the first time in a couple of months.

Interestingly we have again seen the Dollar strengthen on the back of positive US developments, which flies in the face of the risk-on, risk-off paradigm that has dominated FX trading in the US Dollar over the last few years.

Commodity currencies initially surged on the news but have cooled off as we start the week.

Looking ahead this week we have several big ticket releases to look forward to.

Tomorrow German economic sentiment is followed by US advanced retail sales and the Fed interest rate decision.

The market expects a strong increase in retail sales from last month and Friday’s employment report is fuelling further optimism of a stellar number.

The risk therefore is to the downside in terms of the Dollar if we get a disappointing figure.

The FED meeting should be a non-event, but talk about sterilized QE over recent days by the Fed Chairman will keep market interest high.

Also worth watching is the Swiss Interest rate decision, not for interest rates directly but for chatter over an increase in the Swiss Franc peg which, if undertaken, would cause significant movements across the FX markets.

EU officials are desperately trying to convince private holders of Greek bonds to accept a crucial debt swap deal ahead of today’s deadline. In order for Greece to receive a second bailout it will need at least two thirds of bondholders to take a 53.5% cut in the value of their holdings and the deal is considered essential in Greece’s attempt to avoid a default.

According to the Institute of Finance yesterday just under 40% of the bond holders had agreed to the new deal leading to a nervy countdown at 8pm GMT deadline later today.

If the total number of bond holders reach the required 66% (approx €150bn) agree to the swap, the government can force the other bond holders to take the haircut too.

Remarkably the euro remains relatively resilient in the face a Greek default up slightly against the Greenback reaching 1.3217.

Back to the UK and Quantitative Easing has knocked £90 billion off pension funds according to National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF).

The news came from two recent studies and blamed lower bond yields and consequently pushing final salary pensions further into the red.

Joanne Segars, Head of the NAPF, said: “Businesses running final-salary pensions are being clouted by QE.  Deficits that were already big now look even bigger because of its artificial distortions.

“Firms are legally obliged to fill the deficits, and that diverts money away from jobs and investment, and will lead to further closures of final salary pensions in the private sector,” she explained.

Finally, today we have interest rate decisions in the UK and Europe both expecting no change and consequently little FX impact.

Reduced revisions to ECB growth forecasts will however, could underpin a more negative tone in this afternoons press conference.

Sentiment remains the primary driver of the euro as the single currency sold off sharply in afternoon trading yesterday after Eurozone members decided to delay more than half of the €130bn Greek bail-out funds.  A decision that was supposed to finally put to bed the Greek issue, at least for a couple of months, has managed to calm volatile markets for less than two weeks.

Thirty eight different measures need to be implemented by the Greek government before the remaining €71.5bn is handed over.

This may be as early as next week. But slicing the payment in two allows hardliners in the Netherlands and Germany a foot in the door and the potential for further delays.

It is this uncertainty which is hurting euro sentiment and pushing the Sterling pair back towards the 1.20 level.

Sterling remains stuck in recent trading ranges and as expected this week’s construction and manufacturing PMIs have not moved the Pound at all.

The manufacturing number was lower than expected and was cancelled out by better than expected construction figure this morning.

Next week is huge for big ticket data with the ECB and Bank of England rate decisions and the US non-farm payrolls the highlights.

Encouraging economic developments provided wise money markets with an appetite for risk again. Despite weaker than expected US durable goods orders, a rise in US consumer confidence to its highest since February last year provided stock markets and risk assets with an overall a boost.

It was a similar story in Europe as Italy held a successful auction of 10-year debt at a lower than expected cost at the same time as Portugal approved a third review of its bailout agenda.

However, there was some negative news, with the ECB momentarily deferring the eligibility of Greek bonds as security for its backing and Eire calling a referendum on the European fiscal compact.

Nevertheless, expectations of a strong take up at today’s ECB second 3-year Long term refinancing operation (LTRO) should keep markets on the straight and narrow for the rest of this week.

As for the US Dollar and given the upbeat equity market mood overnight it is no shock that the Greenback was on the slide as the euro appears determined before today’s 3-year LTRO by the ECB.

Bernanke’s Semi-Annual Monetary Policy Report later today will provide the Dollar some bearing but no major surprises are expected.

The euro will continue to rally against the US Dollar if we are correct about a strong euro 600-700 billion take up at the LTRO but it will interesting to see if the 1.35 level can be breached.

The fact that the second bailout for Greece appears to be stalling means markets will remain anxious, leaving risk assets susceptible to further falls. The Greenback will be the main benefactor in these conditions.

Poor Eurozone growth figures for Q4 2011 released today will compare with relatively firm data including industrial production and the Empire manufacturing survey in the US, leaving the story of US economic recovery unharmed.

The single European currency has lost some momentum and looks open to to additional falls lower.

The fact that EU finance ministers have cancelled a summit due to be held today means that markets will have to extend their wait for an agreement on a second bailout deal for the Greeks.

Reports that Greece’s political leaders will send a pledge to European officials today that they will apply more austerity measures will provide some hope that things are moving in the correct course but an ominous cut-off date for debt redemption in March will mean increased anxiety.

Investors are still shorting euros although positions have moved close to its 3-month average suggesting less potential for insistent short covering.

After the downgrade of ratings of several Eurozone countries yesterday and the drop in Q4 2011 Eurozone GDP today, prudence will be the common theme today, leaving EUR/USD on the defensive and opening the door for a test of technical support around 1.3026.

So far today Sterling has fallen against the Euro and the USD following disappointing unemployment figures.

UK unemployment rose by nearly 50,000 to 2.67m with an overall rate of 8.4%.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics indicated that the average earnings rose by 2% until December which was unchanged.

These figures are well below the inflation rate and mean a continued squeeze on consumer spending power.