Markets

Asia Sees A Modest Relief Rally

Published

3 years ago

December 21, 2021

By Jeffrey Halley, Senior Market Analyst, Asia Pacific, OANDA

The Omicron/Build Back Better (BBB) sell-off seen yesterday morning in Asia, continued throughout the day, sweeping into Europe and US markets. However, in line with my view that tail-chasing range-trading will dominate December, Asian equity markets are rising sharply today. With no news of note hitting the wires, it appears that short-covering in US index futures has been enough to attract the fast money back into local markets in a classic follow-the-leader move.

Similarly, the US Dollar retreated slightly overnight as well as traders booked short-term profits on long positions, while oil, which looked to be suffering some ugly stop-loss price action in thin markets overnight, recovered to finish only slightly down. Notably, the risk-sentiment three amigos, the CAD, AUD and NZD, didn’t rally at all, and remain near year lows. That is as good a warning to the fast-money FOMO gnomes as any, that sentiment remains exceedingly fragile, complicated by rapidly thinning liquidity in asset classes ahead of the holiday season and year-end.

We are one headline away, be it omicron or something else, from normal service resuming. I’ll say it again, December is about V for Volatility and not directional market trends. Searching for conspiracies or rays of hope on every intraday move is a fool’s errand. A case in point is the Turkish Lira which had the mother of all rallies overnight, falling 11.0% intraday, but finishing the overnight session over 20% higher after President Erdogan announced new policy measures to protect the Lira savings from currency depreciation. A look through the new measures left me scratching my head about how they would ever be enacted and executed, especially in a short time. USD/TRY is already 2.40% higher in Asia and all I can say to President Erdogan is thanks for the dip.

The data calendar in Asia is threadbare once again, yesterday’s China Loan Prime Rate announcements being the highlight of the week for the region. The action will be in the US tomorrow with some old news Q3 GDP and PCE Prices, followed by the far more relevant US Personal Income/Spending and Durable Goods for November, plus the weekly Jobless Claims, on Thursday. There is also a swath of minor inflation data released from around the world that will probably only be interesting if it shows large falls that aren’t due to baseline effects. Otherwise, US politics and virus headlines will continue to dominate proceedings.

Relief rally lifts Asian equities.

Asian equities are mostly higher today, thanks to a wave of short-covering sharply lifting US index futures in ever thinner liquidity. Nothing has changed in the world, but the pull of buy-the-dip is stronger than anything the Sackler’s made but should also be approached with caution.

Overnight US equities followed the Asian sell-off from early Monday, finishing deeply in the red. The S&P 500 dropped by 1.11%, while the Nasdaq and Dow Jones retreated by 1.23%. In Asian trading, futures on all three have staged a sharp rally, though. S&P 500 futures are 0.60% higher, while Nasdaq futures have jumped by 0.80% and Dow Jones futures have climbed by 0.50%.

That has been enough to sucker the fast-money FOMO gnomes in Asia into action, nowhere more evident than Japan’s Nikkei 225, which has leapt 2.05% higher, whereas South Korea’s Kospi is up only 0.20%, with Mainland China’s Shanghai Composite and CSI 300 are unchanged. Press suggesting that more clampdowns could be on the way, which should be a surprise to precisely nobody. Hong Kong has rallied modestly, rising 0.30%.

Singapore has risen by 0.60% with Taipei climbing by 0.55%, while Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta remain stubbornly unchanged. Manila is 0.35% lower, but Bangkok has added 0.60%. Australian markets have also joined in some pre-Christmas cheer, the ASX 200 rising 0.55%, and the All Ordinaries by 0.65%.

European investors may cautiously dip their toes back in the water, assuming US index futures maintain their gains. However, with the omicron situation darkening in the UK, and on the continent, by the day, I am not expecting much of a rally, if any.

US Dollar is modestly lower.

The dollar index fell slightly overnight as some profit-taking of Friday’s monster US Dollar rally set in as the new wires stayed relatively quiet. The dollar index fell 0.17% to 96.50, edging lower to 96.46 in sedate Asian trading. I expect the chop-fest to continue, with a move through either 96.00 or 97.00 indicating the US Dollars next directional move.

EUR/USD staged a modest technical recovery, rising to 1.1285 by this morning, with 1.1200 to 1.1350 likely to contain this week. GBP/USD has continued falling to 1.3215 today as its virus situation and political turmoil weigh. Failure of 1.3150 will signal a potential test of 1.3000. With US yields hardly moved overnight, USD/JPY remains marooned at 113.70, bring a good book to read.

As I stated above, the sentiment indicating three amigos, the CAD, AUD and NZD, did not rally on US Dollar weakness overnight elsewhere. That suggests that markets remain vulnerable to more virus headlines and that dips in the US Dollar may be shallow.

Asian currencies have had another mixed performance. The Yuan continues to strengthen despite weaker fixes from the PBOC. The Indian Rupee notably, gained some respite on US Dollar weakness. The firm Chinese Yuan and diminishing holiday season liquidity are dampening activity in the regional Asia FX space, and I expect range trading to dominate over the rest of the week.

Headless chickens rule oil markets.

Brent crude and WTI finished on moderately lower overnight, but that belied the aggressive intraday price action with both contracts falling over $3.0 a barrel intraday. The intraday capitulation reversed leaving Brent crude 1.20% lower at $72.10, and WTI 1.60% lower at $69.20 a barrel. In Asia, the slight rebound in sentiment has seen both contracts add 10 cents a barrel.

Although the short-term outlook for oil is being sunk by negative virus and US legislative sentiment, we should not discount OPEC+ from the equation. OPEC+ left their last meeting open precisely to manage this type of situation. If Brent crude continues to head south from here, I wouldn’t discount OPEC+ stepping in to roll back their recent production increases. Given that compliance is over 100%, this would process would be easy to achieve right now.

Brent crude has resistance at $72.50 and then the 200-DMA at $73.20 a barrel. Support is at $69.00 a barrel. WTI has resistance at $69.40 and then the 200-DMA at $70.50 a barrel. Support lies at $66.00 a barrel.

Gold range trade continues.

Gold edged lower overnight as momentum once again faded, leaving the yellow metal 0.40% lower at $1790.50 an ounce. In Asia, the recovery in sentiment has lifted it 0.10% higher to $1792.30 an ounce.

Gold’s attempts to stage a meaningful recovery continue to disappoint, with traders cutting long positions at the very first sign of trouble intra-day. Gold lacks the momentum, one way or another, to sustain a directional move up or down. Likely, gold will remain a forgotten asset class and face another week of choppy range trading.

Gold has formed a rough double top around the $1815.00 region which will present a formidable barrier t$1840.00. Support lies at $1790.00, followed by $1780.00 an ounce. $1790.00 to $1815.00 could well be the range for the week.

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Samed Olukoya

Is the CEO/Founder of Investors King Limited. A proven foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Businessinsider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and many more. He has over two decades of experience in global financial markets.

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Energy

Egypt Increases Fuel Prices by 15% Amid IMF Deal

Published

2 days ago

July 25, 2024

Samed Olukoya

Egypt has raised fuel prices by up to 15% as the country looks to cut state subsidies as part of a new agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The oil ministry announced increases across a variety of fuel products, including gasoline, diesel, and kerosene.

However, fuel oil used for electricity and food-related industries will remain unaffected to protect essential services.

This decision comes after a pricing committee’s quarterly review, reflecting Egypt’s commitment to align with its financial obligations under the IMF pact.

Egypt is in the midst of recalibrating its economy following a massive $57 billion bailout, orchestrated with the IMF and the United Arab Emirates.

The IMF, which has expanded its support to $8 billion, emphasizes the need for Egypt to replace untargeted fuel subsidies with more focused social spending.

This is seen as a crucial component of a sustainable fiscal strategy aimed at stabilizing the nation’s finances.

Effective immediately, the cost of diesel will increase to 11.5 Egyptian pounds per liter from 10.

Gasoline prices have also risen, with 95, 92, and 80-octane types now costing 15, 13.75, and 12.25 pounds per liter, respectively.

Despite the hikes, Egypt’s fuel prices remain among the lowest globally, trailing only behind nations like Iran and Libya.

The latest increase follows recent adjustments to the price of subsidized bread, another key staple for Egyptians, underscoring the government’s resolve to navigate its economic crisis through tough reforms.

While the rise in fuel costs is expected to impact millions, analysts suggest the inflationary effects might be moderate.

EFG Hermes noted that the gradual removal of subsidies and a potential hike in power tariffs could have a relatively limited impact on overall consumer prices.

They predict that the deceleration in inflation will persist throughout the year.

Egypt’s efforts to manage inflation have shown progress, with headline inflation slowing for the fourth consecutive month in June.

This trend offers a glimmer of hope for the government as it strives to balance economic stability with social welfare.

The IMF and Egyptian officials are scheduled to meet on July 29 for a third review of the loan program. Approval from the IMF board could unlock an additional $820 million tranche, further supporting Egypt’s economic restructuring.

Crude Oil

Oil Prices Rise on U.S. Inventory Draws Despite Global Demand Worries

Published

2 days ago

July 24, 2024

Samed Olukoya

Oil prices gained on Wednesday following the reduction in U.S. crude and fuel inventories.

However, the market remains cautious due to ongoing concerns about weak global demand.

Brent crude oil, against which Nigerian crude oil is priced, increased by 66 cents, or 0.81% to $81.67 a barrel. Similarly, U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude climbed 78 cents, or 1.01%, to $77.74 per barrel.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported a substantial decline in crude inventories by 3.7 million barrels last week, surpassing analysts’ expectations of a 1.6-million-barrel draw.

Gasoline stocks also fell by 5.6 million barrels, while distillate stockpiles decreased by 2.8 million barrels, contradicting predictions of a 250,000-barrel increase.

Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group, described the EIA report as “very bullish,” indicating a potential for future crude draws as demand appears to outpace supply.

Despite these positive inventory trends, the market is still wary of global demand weaknesses. Concerns stem from a lackluster summer driving season in the U.S., which is expected to result in lower second-quarter earnings for refiners.

Also, economic challenges in China, the world’s largest crude importer, and declining oil deliveries to India, the third-largest importer, contribute to the apprehension about global demand.

Wildfires in Canada have further complicated the supply landscape, forcing some producers to cut back on production.

Imperial Oil, for instance, has reduced non-essential staff at its Kearl oil sands site as a precautionary measure.

While prices snapped a three-session losing streak due to the inventory draws and supply risks, the market remains under pressure.

Factors such as ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, and China’s economic slowdown, continue to weigh heavily on traders’ minds.

In recent sessions, WTI had fallen 7%, with Brent down nearly 5%, reflecting the volatility and uncertainty gripping the market.

As the industry navigates these complex dynamics, analysts and investors alike are closely monitoring developments that could further impact oil prices.

Commodities

Economic Strain Halts Nigeria’s Cocoa Industry: From 15 Factories to 5

Published

2 days ago

July 24, 2024

Samed Olukoya

Once a bustling sector, Nigeria’s cocoa processing industry has hit a distressing low with operational factories dwindling from 15 to just five.

The cocoa industry, once a vibrant part of Nigeria’s economy, is now struggling to maintain even a fraction of its previous capacity.

The five remaining factories, operating at a combined utilization of merely 20,000 metric tons annually, now run at only 8% of their installed capacity.

This stark reduction from a robust 250,000 metric tons reflects the sector’s profound troubles.

Felix Oladunjoye, chairman of the Cocoa Processors Association of Nigeria (COPAN), voiced his concerns in a recent briefing, calling for an emergency declaration in the sector.

“The challenges are monumental. We need at least five times the working capital we had last year just to secure essential inputs,” Oladunjoye said.

Rising costs, especially in energy, alongside a cumbersome regulatory environment, have compounded the sector’s woes.

Farmers, who previously sold their cocoa beans to processors, now prefer to sell to merchants who offer higher prices.

This shift has further strained the remaining processors, who struggle to compete and maintain operations under the harsh economic conditions.

Also, multiple layers of taxation and high energy costs have rendered processing increasingly unviable.

Adding to the industry’s plight are new export regulations proposed by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Oladunjoye criticized these regulations as duplicative and detrimental, predicting they would lead to higher costs and penalties for exporters.

“These regulations will only worsen our situation, leading to more shutdowns and job losses,” he warned.

The cocoa processing sector is not only suffering from internal economic challenges but also from a tough external environment.

Nigerian processors are finding it difficult to compete with their counterparts in Ghana and Ivory Coast, who benefit from lower production costs and more favorable export conditions.

Despite Nigeria’s potential as a top cocoa producer, with a global ranking of the fourth-largest supplier in the 2021/2022 season, the industry is struggling to capitalize on its opportunities.

The decline in processing capacity and the industry’s current state of distress highlight the urgent need for policy interventions and financial support.

The government’s export drive initiatives, aimed at boosting the sector, seem to be falling short. With the industry facing over N500 billion in tied-up investments and debts, the call for a focused rescue plan has never been more urgent.

The cocoa sector remains a significant part of Nigeria’s economy, but without substantial support and reforms, it risks falling further into disrepair.