Market Update by Solidecn.com

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EURUSD: Euro Struggles Amid New Geopolitical Concerns

The Euro is facing renewed pressure, nearing the 1.05 mark due to fresh geopolitical issues in the Middle East. Investors are gravitating back towards the US dollar, a traditional safe haven currency.

Despite a brief surge on Friday, where the Euro almost reached 1.06 after the announcement of new US jobs, it's back under pressure. This surge was in line with my previous predictions, where I suggested not betting on the US dollar below 1.05 due to a potential strong response from the Euro.

However, this response was short-lived due to escalating tensions in the Middle East following a Palestinian attack on Israel. If not for this, the Euro's rally might have lasted longer. Friday's job report was a boon for the US economy as it exceeded expectations, reinforcing the labor sector as a key strength and helping to keep inflation in check. There's still a slim chance that the Federal Reserve might increase rates again.



Friday afternoon's exchange rate behavior was deceptive. The announcement of new jobs led many investors to back the dollar, only to close their positions at a loss soon after. The Euro's strong response, resulting in weekly gains after 11 straight weeks of losses, serves as a reminder of its resilience under pressure. The future is uncertain with new factors coming into play. Increased geopolitical instability could cause unpredictable shocks in global markets.


It might be wise to adopt a wait-and-see approach. However, I still believe in buying the Euro on dips and particularly at new local lows.

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Strong Job Data Impacts Investments and Oil Prices

The path to a safe economic slowdown, which doesn't harm investments, is tricky. After the release of the latest job data (NFP data), people are worried. They think the fast growth might affect one of the main goals of the Federal Reserve (the Fed). The job data shows that there's not much improvement in job balance, so the Fed might need to take more actions. This strong job data could be seen as bad for investments and might make the dollar stronger.

Oil prices were already going down because people were scared of a recession caused by high interest rates. The strong job data might limit the increase in oil prices. If US 10-year loan interest rates get close to 5%, it might cause another drop in oil prices.

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US Dollar Index Analysis

The US Dollar Index is currently trading in a tight range this Friday morning. The market is in a state of anticipation as it awaits the release of the US Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP) report, a key event this week.The index remains above the trendline support at 106.01, following a two-day pullback from its 2023 peak at 107.03. This pullback appears to be a healthy correction of the larger uptrend, providing an opportunity for traders to re-enter the bullish market at better levels.


Daily studies continue to support a bullish outlook, suggesting a potential renewed push through the critical resistance zone at 107.00. A break above this level would signal a continuation of the bullish trend. However, today's direction will likely be influenced by fundamental factors as traders seek more information about the state of the US labor market. This information will directly impact the Federal Reserve's perspective on future interest rates.


Job growth in the US is expected to slow slightly in September (NFP Sep 170K forecast vs Aug 187K), but the unemployment rate is anticipated to decrease from a 1 ½ year high (Sep 3.7% forecast vs Aug 3.8%). Wage growth is expected to remain strong (Sep 0.3% vs Aug 0.2%).


These forecasted numbers suggest that the US labor sector remains robust and is least affected by high borrowing costs among the economy's key sectors. Any expected easing is not likely to significantly impact the overall positive outlook. In such conditions, the Federal Reserve may opt for another rate hike by year-end or more likely, maintain tight monetary policy for some time. This is because recent drastic measures to control inflation have not yet had the desired impact on the economy. Two other reports from the US labor sector released earlier this week showed mixed results. Job openings rose well above forecasts, while hiring in the private sector fell significantly last month.


If the September NFP report exceeds expectations, it would reinforce the Federal Reserve's hawkish stance and further support the dollar. However, if the NFP report misses expectations, demand for the dollar would ease.





Initial direction signals are expected on a sustained break of trendline support (bearish) or a lift above pivotal barriers at 107.00 zone (bull

Resistance: 106.96; 107.13; 107.88; 108.79.
Support: 106.01; 105.50; 105.13; 104.32.

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USDJPY Technical Analysis

The USDJPY is currently around the middle of Tuesday's range of 150.16 to 147.29. This movement was caused by signs that Japan might step in to help their weakening currency, the yen.

Recent reports from the Bank of Japan say there was no such intervention. However, people are still wary because the chance of intervention is high. They're waiting for the US September NFP report, which will give more information about the US job market and what the Federal Reserve might do next.

Daily technical studies are still positive, but the 4-hour structure has weakened. This suggests there's a risk of a downturn, even though strong bids on Tuesday have offset some of this risk.

The NFP report could trigger new activity and provide fresh signals for direction. If the September numbers are solid (at or above the expected 170K), it would ease the Federal Reserve and allow for higher interest rates for a longer time.



On the other hand, if hiring in September is weaker than expected, it would mean that the tight job market is being hurt by high borrowing costs. This could lead to worries about a major economic slowdown and require a more careful approach from the Federal Reserve.

We can expect new direction signals if either pivot point is broken. If it drops below 147.29 (Tuesday's low), there's a risk of a deeper drop. If it breaks above 150, it could signal a continuation of the bullish trend, although there's still a risk of intervention.

Resistance: 148.72 - 149.31 - 149.7
Support: 148.25 - 147.29 - 146.10 - 145.9

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GBPUSD Technical Analysis

The GBPUSD pair started to lose value early on Thursday. The recovery it made on Wednesday was halted by the 10-day moving average (10DMA) at 1.2173. The UK's construction sector performed poorly in September, which is a negative sign. The pair might continue to lose value, with a risk of falling to 1.20 or even 1.1988. It might move within the range of 1.2074 to 1.2173 before falling again. A break above the 10DMA could reduce this downward pressure.



It might move within the range of 1.2074 to 1.2173 before falling again. A break above the 10DMA could reduce this downward pressure.

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WTI Oil

WTI oil is set to continue its downward trend after a brief consolidation period on early Thursday. This follows a significant drop the previous day, marking the largest daily loss since July 5, 2022.

The sentiment has been affected by concerns over demand following recent weak economic data, suggesting a potential further slowdown in global economic growth.

The OPEC+ group, in their meeting on Wednesday, decided to maintain their current oil output policy. Saudi Arabia and Russia have chosen to keep their voluntary output cut unchanged for the rest of the year. Oil prices have dropped to a one-month low, with Wednesday's sharp fall contributing to a reversal pattern on the daily chart.

The price has broken through a key Fibonacci support level at $84.31, indicating that the major downtrend from the 2023 high of $95.00 may continue.



Despite strong bearish momentum, there are signs that the downtrend may start to weaken. However, any price increases should be limited and present better selling opportunities. The previous consolidation floor and broken Fibonacci level at $88.00/40 should limit any significant price increases.

Resistance: 84.90; 86.00; 87.54; 88.00.
Support: 83.88; 81.71; 81.00; 80.00.

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EURUSD

As we move into the second half of 2023, traders have seen the EURUSD fall steadily since mid-July. This downward trend is clearly marked by parallel black lines, showing a strong bearish trend. This has led to opportunities for consistent bearish positions.

Looking at the trend, it's clear that the pair is weak, especially with the repeated tests of the lower boundary of the channel in recent times. Each time it falls towards this key support level, buyers' step in, temporarily stopping the bearish momentum and hinting at a possible break from the continuous fall.

Despite this bearish trend, there are signs of potential bullish activity. The EURUSD seems to be forming a 'double bottom', marked by yellow rectangles that represent two significant lows in the pair's movement. This pattern often signals a possible reversal, particularly when it appears after a significant downtrend.



Traders are eagerly waiting for a key breakout above the upper black line of the downward channel and an important green horizontal resistance. This line serves as the neckline of the suggested double bottom and is a critical level for those hoping for a bullish turn. A strong daily close above these resistances could signal an exciting move into bullish territory, while a rejection could reinforce the current downtrend.

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USDJPY Update

On Wednesday, the USDJPY pair stayed above 149 after a lot of ups and downs on Tuesday. It even crossed the 150 mark due to a good US jobs report, reaching a nearly one-year high. But then it fell sharply, possibly because Japan stepped in to help their falling currency.



The pair quickly recovered from its lowest point (147.29), suggesting the dollar is still in demand. Daily trends show a chance for the pair to try breaking the 150 marks again. But Japan might step in again, which could push the pair down. The first sign of this would be if it falls below 148.72, and it's confirmed if it closes below 147.29.

• Resistance: 149.31; 149.70; 150.00; 151.04.
• Support: 148.72; 148.29; 147.32; 146.10.

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Asia Market Wrap:

Asian markets are seeing a downturn, reflecting a global bond market sell-off due to fears of prolonged high interest rates. This has affected various assets, with global equities taking a significant hit.

The ISM manufacturing data and the JOLTS report suggest a hawkish outlook. The US factory sector, in contraction for 11 months, shows signs of potential expansion. The JOLTS report highlighted a large gap between labour supply and demand, leading to increased wages.

Amid strong economic data and predictions of higher rates from experts like Jamie Dimon and Ray Dalio, bondholders are nervous. Navigating such bond markets requires courage.

The US economy remains strong, with an estimated annualized growth rate of 4.2% in Q3, up from 2.1% in Q2. This is surprising given the Federal Reserve's aggressive monetary policy tightening. Factors like pent-up pandemic demand, job creation, and wage increases contribute to this growth.

However, the US economy is expected to slow down significantly, potentially below 1% in Q4 and may stall next year. This is due to the impact of the Federal Reserve's large interest rate hikes last year. The housing market is particularly affected, with 30-year mortgage rates at a 23-year high of over 7%, leading to low home sales and affordability issues. Bank lending standards are tightening. Services could be affected as households cut back on non-essential purchases and many have depleted their pandemic savings. Additionally, many student loan borrowers have resumed repayments after a 3.5-year break, adding to consumer financial pressures.

The current economic slowdown aligns with the Federal Reserve's aim to control inflation. However, rising oil prices have paused the steady decrease in inflation, which had fallen from a peak of 9.1% in summer 2022 to 3.0% in June, then rose to 3.7% in August. On the bright side, core inflation, excluding food and energy, has remained stable at near two-year lows of 4.3%, down from 6.6% last fall. This is due to smoother global supply chains and slower wage growth. But services inflation remains high, suggesting a return to the Fed's 2% target won't likely happen until early 2025.

The theme of "higher for longer" has pushed 10-year Treasury yields up by 130 basis points over the past five months, reaching a 16-year high of 4.8%. It's expected that yields will drop to 4.25% by year-end and further to 3.75% in late 2024, but this will likely need US data to show a downturn, a looser labour market, and lower inflation to convince investors.

The quick reversal of the US Treasury yield curve is significant. This change could lead to imminent recession warnings. If the unemployment rate increases even slightly, it could trigger recession alarms.

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USDJPY Takes a Dive, Is Bank of Japan Stepping In?

The USDJPY pair saw a significant drop this afternoon. The shift was swift and substantial, happening just as the pair reached the 150.00 mark - a peak not seen since October 2022! This level is crucial as it's often considered the trigger point for intervention by the Bank of Japan, as has happened in the past. Before this drop, the pair was climbing due to a strengthening US dollar, spurred on by a rise in JOLTS job openings data for August.





The USDJPY fell from around 150.00 to approximately 147.30 - a nearly 2% drop. Although much of this decline has been recovered, the pair is still trading close to the 149.00 mark.