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MaxIG

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Blog Entries posted by MaxIG

  1. MaxIG
    Written by Kyle Rodda - IG Australia
    The global market landscape: November’s gains, as modest as they were, have been snatched it would seem, across Wall Street indices and Australia’s ASX200. The bloodletting has been profuse once more this week, and it seems that diminishing number of momentum chasers have had handed to them another dose of market reality. To be fair, this latest round of selling has been precipitated by a new risk: tumbling oil prices. The price of the black stuff bounced overnight, but this was of course only after a considerable plunge that sent prices into a technical bear market. Energy stocks have been pummelled, and its sparked concerns that debt instruments secured to oil held by many corporates are at a materially higher risk of default. That’s turned a commodity problem into a real-financial problem.
    US markets: That’s what has manifested in markets overnight. Credit spreads on US investment grade credit have blown out again, compounding the existing concerns relating to the effects Fed tightening will have on (deteriorating) liquidity conditions. The 3-month Libor rate for one, despite relatively lower volatility since the end of October, has continued to march higher, further stifling financial conditions. The assumed affect this dynamic will have on global credit availability has hit financial stocks, and those areas of the market considered highly leveraged – like US tech – driving a remarkably synchronized sell-off across Wall Street Indices last night. At time of writing, the Dow Jones, S&P500 and NASDAQ have pared losses for the session, leading into the final moments of trade, but this turnaround only occurred after an announcement by UK Prime Minister Theresa May she has cabinet support for her Brexit deal.

    US Treasuries and US CPI: US Treasuries have caught a bid on last night’s trade, with the yield on the US 10 Year Treasury note falling to 3.10 per cent, and the yield on the US 2 Year Note falling to 2.85 per cent, narrowing the spread between those two assets to 25 basis points. A haven play into Treasuries was fortuitously supported by (on balance) softer CPI figures out of the US overnight: annualized core CPI dipped from a month earlier to 2.1 per cent. The figures momentarily dulled fears of inflation risk, permitting traders to discount such anxieties, as risk-off assets, such as US Treasuries, were sought. It’s a trade with shrinking efficacy, however, and it won’t be long before the new-normal of elevated volatility, caused by a hiking US Fed, snuffs it out. 
    Fed policy and Powell’s speech: This is because despite all the volatility already seen in financial markets in recent months, it won’t be enough to stop this Fed from hiking interest rates. Indeed, circumstances could change, and a risk too difficult for the Fed to ignore could derail these plans. As it stands now though, Jerome Powell’s Fed has little sympathy for the crocodile tears of market participants. He and his team are concerned with Main Street and its wellbeing, and for now, the average American punter (at least, according to the data) is doing rather well. Wall Street will just have to adjust to this world of less accommodative monetary policy – just as markets ought to do when they are functioning properly, and without artificial support. For this reason, the day ahead will find itself hinging-on a speech to be delivered by Chairperson Powell, with traders waiting for any word that may indicate a more dovish view.
    Geo-political risks: There are genuine macro-risks currently, and although not as significant as the structural factors relating to US Fed policy, they have and will continue to drag on US and, as such, global growth. Ironically enough, even considering this week’s equity market plunge, the outlook for matters relating to Brexit and the US-China trade-war has probably improved. The so-called “all-level” talks between the US and China has been welcomed by investors, and as of early this morning, UK Prime Minister Theresa May has announced that she has secured cabinet support for her recently negotiated Brexit deal with the European Union. The warmer sentiment generated by both stories has led to a sell-off in the US Dollar in favour of the Pound and Euro, which are presently trading above 1.30 and 1.13 respectively; while the Australian Dollar has appreciated in line with offshore-yuan to trade at resistance around 0.7240.

    ASX200 yesterday: SPI futures have picked up very slightly as Wall Street pares losses to end the North American session. The good-news (for markets, that is) story about Brexit and its progress has delivered the sugar hit necessary to boost trader confidence, during what has otherwise been a challenging week for the bulls. Yesterday’s trade for the ASX200 saw technical levels kicked aside, with much of market activity surely attributable to some irrational panic. Energy stocks suffered throughout the day, as did high-multiple-stocks in the health care sector, along with the heavy-weight banking stocks. The 1.74 per cent tumble really kicked-off around mid-day when Chinese money-supply and credit figures spooked market participants. Weak Chinese Retail Sales data seemed to weigh on Chinese equities, with the CSI 300 shedding another 1 per cent.
    The day ahead: An already very broad-based sell-off – breadth ended at a narrow 15 per cent – accelerated by way of virtue of the weak Chinese data, leading to breaks of support at 5825, 5800 and 5785. Another day of plus-1 per cent losses is rather improbable today, especially given the positive Brexit news, and that employment data is the only major local release. The market isn’t demonstrably oversold yet, and momentum hasn’t crossed to a point where hastened selling should take place. Furthermore, though bright spots are hard to find, a small minority of bargain hunters are surely to be sniffing around for value after three successive days of declines. More generally, pressure remains to the downside in the medium term: 5690 should be watched for as the next key price-level, a breach of which could open-up downside to 5600, and see the local index return to the very sticky range it occupied for 6 months in 2017.

  2. MaxIG
    Global markets relatively still: Wedged between the beginning of Chinese New Year and Superbowl Sunday in the US, financial markets, on a global scale, have been a relatively quiet place in the past 24-hours. The excitement, anxiety and anticipation that has catalysed movement and activity in global markets lately was noticeably absent. Last week was a hard act to follow, what with the Fed, US corporate earnings, trade-war negotiations, Brexit, and a litany of fundamental data to keep traders occupied. Not to mention that being a Monday, news flow in the financial press is always a little lighter than what it is the rest of the week. Overall, the major equity markets in Asia closed in the green yesterday, Europe was on-balance lower come the end of the session, and Wall Street should finisher the day higher.

    The Hayne Report handed-down: Considering the quietness – and as this is being written, the hope is US President Trump keeps his fingers away from Twitter – it provides a good opportunity to pop-on the parochial Australian hat and look at how local markets are evolving. In a reasonably significant way, Australia was where the locus of interest lay, if only in the Asian session, during yesterday’s trade. The final report of Kenneth Hayne, QC’s Banking Royal Commission had Aussie markets on edge throughout the day; and had global investors curious as to what game-changing findings would come out of the report. The pre-positioning in the morning’s trade had the ASX experiencing much larger volumes than the average Monday, though that petered out as the session unfolded and attention turned to simply awaiting the report’s release.
    The initial reactions: Avoiding the legalese and focusing simply on the initial market sentiment, and it might be fair to say that investors are quite pleased with the findings handed down in the final Hayne Report. It’s only a very early indicator, and the move was modest, but upon re-opening yesterday afternoon, SPI futures registered a quick 12-point jump after digesting the report’s findings and the subsequent Press Conference addressing them from Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. The move was pared as the European and Middle Eastern markets took control of price action. However, what the activity reveals is that the emotional money – the one that reacts straight-out-of the gates to news and noise – judged what was contained and prescribed within the Hayne Report as being on-balance beneficial to bank stocks.
    Smart money buying bank bargains? Taking a slice of Wall Street’s overnight upside as well, and SPI Futures at time of writing are pointing to a 28-point jump at the open for the ASX200. During intraday trade, the ASX managed to deliver a positive day for market-bulls. Whipsawing for the first hour of trade, the bulls took control of the market as the day unfolded, led by the bank stocks, which added over 17 points to the ASX200 by the day’s end. The price action screams of the classic “dumb-money-versus-smart-money” dynamic: the dour headlines about the Royal Commission spooked the emotional retail investors, who sold at the market’s open and pushed the price lower, only to establish better buying conditions for the “smart” institutional investors, who bid the banks and the index higher throughout the day.

    The banks avoid the worst-case outcome: Given the activity in futures, the market reaction could simply be a matter of “buy the rumour and sell the fact”, as the cliché goes. Alternatively, it could be a sign that market participants believe the 76 recommendations in the report were a little softer than expected on the financial services industry. Looking at what was recommended, and the kind of structural change that some pundits were calling for did not get mentioned. In short: the banks won’t need to be broken apart, and ASIC and APRA will remain the “two-peaks” of the regulatory framework. Most of the pain falls upon mortgage brokers and financial planners, with the general intent of the recommendations looking at existing laws and institutions to kill dodgy sales practices, abolish perverse remuneration programs, improve financial advisory practices, and hold future wrong doers to account.
    Credit and trust: The Royal Commission itself, we’ve been told, is to restore trust in the banking system, while ensuring ample credit-conditions and the necessary competition remain in the financial system. It’s always a poetic reminder: the origins of the word credit come from the Latin word “credere”, which means to “believe” or to “trust”. The extension of financial credit – the thing that invents and keeps capital in the world moving around – is essentially an exchange of trust. Fortunately, given what’s been revealed the Banking Royal Commission, consumers need not believe in the goodwill of a monolithic institution to extend their trust to it. We have legal coercion instead. The hope is now, out of all of this, even if power isn’t redistributed by breaking-up the banks, the legal institutions who are there to “keep the bastards honest” start doing their job.
    RBA day and Retail Sales: Staying focused on the fortunes of the Australian economy, the day ahead will be headlined by local Retail Sales data and the RBA’s first meeting for 2019. It’s a fitting mix, considering the major risk to the domestic economy and RBA policy, given mounting household debt, sluggish wages growth and falling property prices, is the strength of the Australian consumer. Today’s meeting from the RBA is the first we’ve formally heard from the central bank since the start of December. Given the many developments in the world economy since then, there will be plenty for the RBA to catch-up on. They won’t move rates today; that much is known. But the guidance moving forward is key, with rates markets still pricing in a 40 per cent chance of a rate cut this year.

    Written by Kyle Rodda - IG Australia
  3. MaxIG
    Written by Kyle Rodda, IG Australia
    Global price action: The global equity sell-off continued during Wall Street's final trading session for the week, putting an end to a horrid 5 days for markets. True to form, it was the NASDAQ that led the losses in US trade, clocking a loss of 2.07 per cent, while the S&P500 shed 1.73 per cent itself. Volatility remained elevated and underscored the intense selling, maintaining a 24 reading throughout the session, prompting a flight to safety from investors. The dynamic pushed the yield on US 10 Year Treasuries to 3.07 per cent – their lowest rate in close to a month – driving the DXY temporarily above 96.80, the risk-off USD/JPY below trend line support, and gold prices briefly beyond resistance at $US1240.
    The action followed on from a European and Asian session in which equity markets fared little better. Chinese equities wallowed once more, exacerbated by fears of financial instability in the face of a depreciating Yuan, after the PBOC’s currency fix pushed the USD/CNH above 6.97 for the first time in several years. The AUD/USD fell in sympathy with the Yuan, breaking through support at 0.7040, only to drift higher into the European session. The Pound and Euro came under pressure due to the US Dollar's strength, but stayed within the 1.28 and 1.13 handle, while European stocks crept towards their worst month in three years.

    Bearish sentiment: The bears appear to well and truly have control of this market, spooked by the prospect of higher US rates and "peak earnings" amongst American corporates. Concerns around the latter were driven home on Friday, shortly before the beginning of the Asian session, when earnings updates from (Google parent-company) Alphabet and Amazon disappointed market participants. The reasons behind each company's relatively poor performance were unique but hammered home the view that despite most of earnings reports beating expectations this reporting season, the market is reaching, or has already reached, peak earnings in this cycle.
    Wall Street versus US economy: This question throws up interesting and contentious debates: one, whether share market performance is a leading or lagging indicator of economic health; another, to what extent a share market's fortunes are tied to the "real" economy. Friday's North American session cast an interesting light on the issue, perhaps providing evidence for the view that that the overall share market is a weak, lagging indicator of the economy's health: the US's GDP release beat forecasts (3.5 per cent vs. 3.2 per cent) and reaffirmed the view that the US economy is still roaring. The data suggests that while many investors are certainly suffering, the activity in US equity markets could be possibly better explained as a necessary correction in asset prices, which have been artificially inflated for many years by cheap money.
    Market correction, not economic recession: A common fear in times in which the market is experiencing (an apparent) correction is to assume that it reflects the state of the underlying economy. While that is sometimes true, history suggests that this need not always be the case. It's understandable as to why conventional wisdom suggests this is so: the monumental disaster that was the GFC has suffused the zeitgeist, conceiving the erroneous idea that every period of stock market disquiet portends a potential financial or economic calamity. It's always impossible to predict whether market volatility is indeed something indicative of underlying problems attached to the real economy, but the balance of evidence – supported by US GDP figures – suggests that this time around, the likelihood is very low.

    Stronger US economy, weaker share market? In fact, the more likely scenario is that the fundamental strength in the US economy is indirectly bringing about their share market’s sell-off. As is well known and widely discussed, the major structural factor behind Wall Street's tumble is the US Federal Reserve's insistence it will continue to raise interest rates to lean on a booming US economy. Of course, the effects of the trade war on global growth and corporate earnings, coupled with regional concerns as diverse as Chinese growth, Brexit, and Italy's fiscal crisis play a part; however, the primary driver in financial market activity, as it almost always is, is the decision making of the US Federal Reserve. Ironically, the stronger than expected growth figures out of the US supports the need for higher interest rates, probably enervating the strength in US shares.
    Here's the rub: Given this, herein lies the problem going forward: a flight safety into bond markets the past week has pushed US Treasury yields down, allaying some of the pressure on equity markets. By necessity though, in the long-run, bond yields must increase as interest rates climb: a situation that will need to occur as strong growth, like that conveyed in Friday's US GDP numbers, leads to upward pressure on prices. Hence, the bad news and fundamental conundrum is this: the better the US economy, the higher US interest will go, and the greater the downside risk and volatility in share markets. Ultimately, this all means that there is a strong possibility that, at worst, this sell-off has further to run, or at best, perhaps periods of snap-and-sharp market down turns will become the new norm.
    ASX today: Bringing it closer to home, SPI futures are pointing to a 17-point drop for the ASX200, following a Friday in which the index managed to close flat. It was a see-sawing day for Australian shares, which gained in early trade, tumbled for the lion's share of the day, and then inexplicably recovered in the final 15 minutes of the session to end the day a dead-rubber. The bounce came courtesy of strong buying for the index's major large caps in the financial, mining and healthcare sectors, keeping the market out of technical correction. Despite late run, the ASX still appears exposed to and poised for further downside, ahead of a week high on local and international event risk.

  4. MaxIG
    Global stocks: Global equities will be forced to prove their mettle this week. Price action suggests that for many equity indices, the market is ambling at a cross-road. The macro-economic challenges moving markets in general haven't been resolved. That remained true during last week's trade, which saw global stocks move higher, in general. The difference this week is there are more numerous and higher impact risk-events that could make or break the stock market's recovery. There will be no shortage of potential catalysts to move markets, in the short term, into its next phase. Opportunity for both upside and downside exists. Though given the one-way run experienced on Wall Street, perhaps it should be judged that the risk is skewed slightly to the downside, for now.
    US market’s cross-roads: The will of the Bulls was under scrutiny in the latter part of last week. The lingering question has yet to be answered: are we experiencing a recovery, or will this be a faded rally? The S&P500 couldn't manage to break the big-psychological resistance level of 2600. The bulls appeared to simply stall on Friday, with the US market according to the S&P500 closing a very narrow 0.01 per cent lower. Friday's trade amounted to the only negative session for the major-US stock index for the week. The upside-momentum is apparently waning for US equities. The VIX is lower it must be stated, so fear is diminishing in the market. But perhaps confidence is still rattled somewhat by December's market-rout.

    Reporting season looming: A decision to push the market higher or let the recent rally fade must be imminent. Short-activity, according to IG's data, is gradually building in US indices. There will be no room to hide shortly, as traders prepare for the kick-off of reporting season this week. In total, earnings growth is increasingly expected to slow by more than first-assumed. The overriding concern in markets presently is given the weaker macro-economic outlook whether the growth expectations of US corporates will diminish in-turn. The first week of the reporting season is dominated by bank earnings: fittingly enough too, given its the banks that could prove the canary in the coal mine for any fundamental problems in the market and the US economy at large.
    ASX200: Once again, the ASX will likely trade in the slip-stream of US stocks this week. SPI futures are indicating a 15-point jump at today’s open, according to the last traded price on that instrument. Like US equities, the conviction of the bulls in the ASX on Friday demonstrated signs of diminishing. The 5800 level is for the ASX200 what is 2600 is for the S&P500: a significant psychological barrier that is coming to represent the difference between recovery and a fading rally. The technicals for ASX200 are looking softer, based on Friday’s market-activity. Breadth was a tepid 37 per cent and volumes were 36.60 per cent below the 100-day average, as the index shed 0.36 per cent to close at 5774 to end the week.

    Australian Retail Sales: Sentiment towards Australian economic fundamentals were bolstered on Friday, despite the ASX’s retracement. Domestic Retail Sales data surprised to the upside, printing 0.4 per cent m/m compared to the forecast 0.3 per cent. Below the surface, the numbers weren’t as strong as the headlines betrayed: the driver of the solid figure was probably the transitory effects of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotional periods. Moreover, annualized sales growth fell to 2.8 per cent, from a previously 3-and-a-half per cent. Irrespective of those details, consumer stocks climbed on the news. However, the implied probability of a rate-cut from the RBA increased slightly to around 30 per cent –  though the Australian Dollar did mask this fact, which rallied above 0.7200, in-line with the Chinese Yuan.
    Brexit’s meaningful vote: As any market participant would be aware, in this market, any number of surprises can jump-out to rattle traders. Assessing the calendar and data-docket for the week ahead though, little comes close to challenging the mid-week “meaningful vote” on Brexit in UK Parliament as the most significant scheduled event. To put into the context of prevailing sentiment, aside from swings in UK and European rates and currencies, the subject of Brexit has been down the list of trader’s biggest concerns. It makes sense: global growth and Fed policy has far greater economic impacts, while the US-China trade-war is the more pressing geopolitical issue. Nevertheless, Brexit and its implications are an ongoing concern, with the result of Wednesday’s parliamentary vote to influence trader’s outlook for the global economy in 2019.
    A weaker outlook for Europe: It’s expected that UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit-bill will fail to pass the House of Commons. Assuming it does, from there markets are confronted by a series of unknowns. There’s been talk of Labour tabling a no-confidence motion in May and her government; or perhaps even a general election or a second referendum. The balance of risks remain irrefutably to the downside for markets out of this event. The area which ought to worry economic-boffins is, amid what looks like a protracted Brexit-campaign, is Europe’s economy looks headed for a marked slowdown. Although its GDP figures surprised to the upside on Friday, boosting the Cable and UK gilts, the UK’s manufacturing data revealed a considerable contraction in activity, adding to a slew of very weak manufacturing numbers across the European continent.
    Written by Kyle Rodda - IG Australia
  5. MaxIG
    Growth fears ease; risk taking subdued: Risk appetite wasn't terribly high overnight. But in saying this, the persistent, vexatious concerns regarding the global growth outlook has continued to abate. Markets have become used to modifications in the growth outlook manifesting in a powering of risk-on behaviour. Given the economic backdrop, the reasons for this are pretty intuitive. Just as far as last night's trade, though, this relationship didn’t hold quite so strongly. There were clear signs that market participants were tempering some of their worst fears about global growth. However, risk-assets didn't respond in the way that they have in the recent past. Not that this should be looked into too much; it's just been a curious truth that's lead to a touch of head scratching last night.
    More good news than bad: It would be wrong to suggest it was a bad day for equity markets. More, that given some of the news in the market, and the cross-asset price action, a stronger move higher might have been expected. The macro-development that captured most attention was news of "new progress" in the US-China trade-war, that boosted hopes of a breakthrough in upcoming trade-negotiations in Washington. In a muted response, Wall Street has edged a trifle higher last night, with the S&P hovering around the 2870 mark. European indices performed a little better, following some strong Services PMI numbers, while Asian indices probably led the pack in the last 24-hours.
    Bonds tell the story (again): Evidence that market participants are re-pricing their global-growth-concerns, in part due to the trade-war developments, manifested in the bond market. A move inverse to that which markets saw last week, government bonds have retraced their gains, as traders reassess the immediacy of what is a widely accepted slowdown in the global economy. It's been the middle of the curve that has demonstrated most movement, with the US 10 Year Treasury note making a foray back above 2.50 per cent; while the equivalent German Bund is making a run out of negative yield. In fact, part of this move in bond markets could explain some of the flatness in equities overnight, as the swift jump in discount rates diminish equities' relative appeal.

    Yield fluctuations show in currencies: The slightly, and probably transitory, revision to global growth has naturally manifested in the currency market. The Australian Dollar and Kiwi Dollar performed strongly yesterday, while the Japanese Yen and US Dollar fell. The quick normalisation in bond yields supported the Euro, which continues to hold onto the 1.12 handle in the face of geopolitical risks and a concerning trend in the continent's growth. Gold prices also dipped on the normalising yield environment, and sits someway of its highs, though its losses were contained by the weaker greenback. The Pound also leapt higher, but as always, that was due as much to Brexit speculation, as it was to any other macroeconomic driver.
    Overall: a day of mixed signals: Really, if anything ought to be inferred from market behaviour yesterday, it's that it was a day of mixed signals. Upside in global equities is practically expected, as earnings forecasts stabilise, P/E ratios remain in a normal range, and monetary policy settings stay accommodative. Certain indicators of the "real economy" are favourable too: the gold-to-silver ratio keeps climbing, credit spreads are falling, while industrial metals keep trending higher. However, some cautionary signals remain: the VIX looks unnaturally suppressed, the "smart money" isn't supporting these news highs, and yield curves are completely bent of shape still. The path of least resistance for equities is higher, however the climb there could still be treacherous.
    ASX to open lower, following solid day: Never to be left behind on a global trend, the ASX200 ought to open a little lower today. The good fortune was flowing for the index yesterday, as the trade-war developments, the Federal Budget fallout, and another big lift in iron ore prices fuelled the market to multi-month highs. The materials stocks naturally lead the ASX higher, but the effects of the night prior's budget was plain to see: industrial stocks, the Real Estate sector, and utilities all fed off the news of fiscal stimulus. The eyes were on consumer discretionary space, given the support to households in the budget. It traded slightly higher, though most of the budget's news had already been baked-in.

    Retail Sales beats, easing local concerns: The good-news story, in a domestic sense, for Australian markets came in the form of Retail Sales data yesterday. It exceeded expectations considerably, printing month-on-month growth of 0.8 per cent, against a 0.3 per cent estimate. The fine print was interesting: on the month, Australian’s spent their discretionary income on eating-out, generally forewent spending on attire, and spent a tiny-bit more on department store spending and household goods. Overall, markets reacted bullishly to the data: the Australian Dollar rallied to trend line resistance at 0.7130-ish, and bond yields jumped as traders repriced the number of expected rate-cuts from the RBA before the end of 2019 to 32 basis-points.
    Written by Kyle Rodda - IG Australia
  6. MaxIG

    How will the new ASIC rules affect my IG account?

    By MaxIG,


    ASIC regulation changes
    If you have any questions regarding the information below please add a comment. To get the best experience on Community please make sure you LOGIN. Notifications, private messages (if required), and tagging are only possible if you are logged in.
     
    In August 2019, ASIC has proposed changes to the way CFDs can be offered to Australian retail clients and kicked off a consultation period to open up the discussion. After gathering feedback from traders and the industry ASIC announced new regulations which are set to go live on 29th March 2021. To comply with these new regulations you may notice some changes on your IG account from the week commencing Monday 22nd March 2021, you can find a roadmap for these changes below.
    Some of the changes include leverage ratio limits, standardized margin close out procedures, and negative balance protections for retail clients. The reason for such changes are to enhance protections for retail clients trading leveraged financial products in a rapidly growing market.

    Below is a timeline listing the key dates of the ASIC release and our implementation of the changes made on retail CFD accounts.  The changes outlined below will apply to retail CFD accounts held with IG’s Australian office, this includes New Zealand accounts. Pro clients will not be impacted.

     
    Wednesday 24th March
    Collateral - Clients were able to link their CFD and share trading accounts to use funds and shares held in their share trading account to cover margin for their CFD positions. As of Wednesday 24th March linked collateral accounts will no longer be an option for retail clients. Once we delink collateral accounts as part of the regulatory changes, clients will no longer be able to rely on their share trading account to cover CFD margin and need to ensure enough funds are held directly in their CFD account to cover the required margin deposit. If you have insufficient funds at this time your leveraged trading account will be at risk of position closures.


    Thursday 25th March  
    Select accounts set to closing only - Some clients may be trading with us under a select account, which allowed tailored rules around margin and liquidation. These account types will be switched to ‘closing only’ (i.e. the account type and agreed terms will remain, but you can only close your positions at your convenience and no new positions can be opened under this account type). Any new position would need to be opened under a newly set up, regular IG retail account, which will be accessible under the same login details.


    Saturday 27th March 2021
    Margin Changes - Margin requirements to open and maintain leveraged positions was one of the more prominent aspects of the ASIC regulations. On the Saturday, 27th March new margin floors will be implemented across all ASIC retail accounts for all new positions. Pro Level 1 accounts will also have new margin floors applied to their accounts. Existing positions will keep current margin rates. You can find more information regarding retail margin requirements here and Pro margin requirements here. Retail clients will no longer be able to reduce their margin requirement by using stops.
    Negative balance protection - All retail clients contracting to our ASIC regulated entity will have negative balance protection applied to their account. Pro Level 1 accounts that have not activated collateral will also benefit from negative balance protection. Please note this will only apply to debts incurred on positions opened after 27 March 2021.
    Offsetting long and short positions - If a client is currently long and short a particular market then they will currently pay 10% of either leg. From 27th March, clients will have to pay 100% of the ASIC margin on each position. This change will only apply on new positions, therefore if you are currently long and short the same market then you will continue to receive the concession.
    Rollovers - When Retail or Pro Level 1 clients futures contracts rollover and a position is opened after the 27th March, then the new position will be margined basis the ASIC or Pro Level 1 minimums.
    Automatic Close Out - Although margin will not increase for existing positions opened before this date, all accounts will be subject to the standardised 50% closeout rule. If your account equity falls below 50% of the total margin deposit required then we will need to close positions on your account as soon as market conditions allow. IG has already had a 50% liquidation rule in place for standard accounts, however limited risk accounts and anyone using guaranteed stops will need to ensure they obtain enough funds on their account to cover margin in addition to all running loss on their positions. We will no longer be closing positions if your account is on margin call for 24 hours or leading in to the weekend. We will also ensure to waive any negative balance incurred on retail clients CFD trading accounts.

    Monday 29th March 2021
    Rebates - Some retail clients may have received rebates based on trade volumes. ASIC regulations mean that retail clients will no longer receive any form of rebate. Any rebate accrued before the 29th March will still be credited.
    Refer-a-Friend – Bonuses for the refer-a-Friend scheme can only be paid on qualifying trades placed before 29th March.
    Share trading subscription fee - Clients that have held shares in their share trading account were able to have the quarterly subscription fee waived if they placed at least 3 trades in their linked CFD account.  After this day, we will no longer be able to count CFD trades for the waiver of the quarterly subscription fee applied to share trading accounts. Any client that holds shares on a share trading account at the end of each quarter and has not traded at least 3 times across their share trading accounts only, will be charged the quarterly subscription fee.
     
    If you have any queries or questions regarding the new ASIC regulations please add a comment below. You may also find the following links useful.
    https://www.ig.com/au/asic
    https://www.ig.com/au/professional

    Once again, please remember that these changes only affect retail clients of the Australian office of IG Markets Ltd (this includes New Zealand clients), and do not apply to professional clients. Please add any query, question, or request for clarification below.
  7. MaxIG

    How will the new ASIC rules affect my IG account?

    By MaxIG,


    ASIC regulation changes
    If you have any questions regarding the information below please add a comment. To get the best experience on Community please make sure you LOGIN. Notifications, private messages (if required), and tagging are only possible if you are logged in.
     
    In August 2019, ASIC has proposed changes to the way CFDs can be offered to Australian retail clients and kicked off a consultation period to open up the discussion. After gathering feedback from traders and the industry ASIC announced new regulations which are set to go live on 29th March 2021. To comply with these new regulations you may notice some changes on your IG account from the week commencing Monday 22nd March 2021, you can find a roadmap for these changes below.
    Some of the changes include leverage ratio limits, standardized margin close out procedures, and negative balance protections for retail clients. The reason for such changes are to enhance protections for retail clients trading leveraged financial products in a rapidly growing market.

    Below is a timeline listing the key dates of the ASIC release and our implementation of the changes made on retail CFD accounts.  The changes outlined below will apply to retail CFD accounts held with IG’s Australian office, this includes New Zealand accounts. Pro clients will not be impacted.

     
    Wednesday 24th March
    Collateral - Clients were able to link their CFD and share trading accounts to use funds and shares held in their share trading account to cover margin for their CFD positions. As of Wednesday 24th March linked collateral accounts will no longer be an option for retail clients. Once we delink collateral accounts as part of the regulatory changes, clients will no longer be able to rely on their share trading account to cover CFD margin and need to ensure enough funds are held directly in their CFD account to cover the required margin deposit. If you have insufficient funds at this time your leveraged trading account will be at risk of position closures.


    Thursday 25th March  
    Select accounts set to closing only - Some clients may be trading with us under a select account, which allowed tailored rules around margin and liquidation. These account types will be switched to ‘closing only’ (i.e. the account type and agreed terms will remain, but you can only close your positions at your convenience and no new positions can be opened under this account type). Any new position would need to be opened under a newly set up, regular IG retail account, which will be accessible under the same login details.


    Saturday 27th March 2021
    Margin Changes - Margin requirements to open and maintain leveraged positions was one of the more prominent aspects of the ASIC regulations. On the Saturday, 27th March new margin floors will be implemented across all ASIC retail accounts for all new positions. Pro Level 1 accounts will also have new margin floors applied to their accounts. Existing positions will keep current margin rates. You can find more information regarding retail margin requirements here and Pro margin requirements here. Retail clients will no longer be able to reduce their margin requirement by using stops.
    Negative balance protection - All retail clients contracting to our ASIC regulated entity will have negative balance protection applied to their account. Pro Level 1 accounts that have not activated collateral will also benefit from negative balance protection. Please note this will only apply to debts incurred on positions opened after 27 March 2021.
    Offsetting long and short positions - If a client is currently long and short a particular market then they will currently pay 10% of either leg. From 27th March, clients will have to pay 100% of the ASIC margin on each position. This change will only apply on new positions, therefore if you are currently long and short the same market then you will continue to receive the concession.
    Rollovers - When Retail or Pro Level 1 clients futures contracts rollover and a position is opened after the 27th March, then the new position will be margined basis the ASIC or Pro Level 1 minimums.
    Automatic Close Out - Although margin will not increase for existing positions opened before this date, all accounts will be subject to the standardised 50% closeout rule. If your account equity falls below 50% of the total margin deposit required then we will need to close positions on your account as soon as market conditions allow. IG has already had a 50% liquidation rule in place for standard accounts, however limited risk accounts and anyone using guaranteed stops will need to ensure they obtain enough funds on their account to cover margin in addition to all running loss on their positions. We will no longer be closing positions if your account is on margin call for 24 hours or leading in to the weekend. We will also ensure to waive any negative balance incurred on retail clients CFD trading accounts.

    Monday 29th March 2021
    Rebates - Some retail clients may have received rebates based on trade volumes. ASIC regulations mean that retail clients will no longer receive any form of rebate. Any rebate accrued before the 29th March will still be credited.
    Refer-a-Friend – Bonuses for the refer-a-Friend scheme can only be paid on qualifying trades placed before 29th March.
    Share trading subscription fee - Clients that have held shares in their share trading account were able to have the quarterly subscription fee waived if they placed at least 3 trades in their linked CFD account.  After this day, we will no longer be able to count CFD trades for the waiver of the quarterly subscription fee applied to share trading accounts. Any client that holds shares on a share trading account at the end of each quarter and has not traded at least 3 times across their share trading accounts only, will be charged the quarterly subscription fee.
     
    If you have any queries or questions regarding the new ASIC regulations please add a comment below. You may also find the following links useful.
    https://www.ig.com/au/asic
    https://www.ig.com/au/professional

    Once again, please remember that these changes only affect retail clients of the Australian office of IG Markets Ltd (this includes New Zealand clients), and do not apply to professional clients. Please add any query, question, or request for clarification below.
  8. MaxIG
    Written by Kyle Rodda - IG Australia
    Inverted Yield Curves: There’ll probably be a lot of talk about “inverted yield curves” and “recessions” today. For some, reading such headlines will come as a shock. Perhaps even a cause of anxiety. It’s wise to understand why such commentary has emerged – and what that may imply. The price action in US Treasuries has been quite dramatic in the past 24-hours: the (what ought to be) familiar themes regarding a looming global economic slow-down, and the prospect of softer future US inflation has seen traders cut their predictions of future rates hikes from the US Fed. The short-end of the yield curve – the end which is more exposed to the near-term actions of the Fed – has held up well; but it’s the middle-to-end of the curve – the part controlled very much by traders’ expectations about future growth and inflation – that is experiencing the greatest duress.

    What it all means: In short: traders are anticipating an imminent end to the Fed’s hiking cycle, and they are now trying to approximate when the Fed may cut rates again.  This is where the talk of recession starts to pop-up. As is easy enough to grasp, the Fed would need to cut rates in the event that the economy requires stimulatory support from monetary policy. Such circumstances would emerge if the economy began to slip into something resembling a recession. Hence, when yields at some point in the curve invert, it’s a reflection of traders collectively estimating that in the near-enough future, interest rates will be lower than what they are (around about) now, because the economy will enter into a period of significant weakness to require a rate cut from the Fed.
    No reason to panic (yet): It sounds quite ominous when the mechanics are explained. It’s doubly as bad when one considers the last time the US went into recession, it was the GFC. We all have memories of how dire that stage of history was. However, any fears elicited by talks of recession and everything that comes with it must be moderated by some counterbalancing arguments. Indeed, an inverted yield curve has portended the last 9 out 11 US recessions, but the time-lag between yield-curve-inversion and a recession should be noted. After an inversion of the US 2 Year Treasury note and the 10 Year Treasury note (the spread on these two assets being the most popular barometer for the phenomenon) it’s not for another 12-18 months that a recession is realized.

    US growth is solid (for now): So: while financial markets will be whipped into a frenzy about what is going on – especially as safe-haven assets like US bonds are gobbled-up as risk appetite wanes – the effects on the “real” economy are unlikely to manifest in the all-too immediate future. And justifiably so: global growth is waning, and it is not as synchronized as it was in 2017, but at least in the US, economic indicators remain relatively strong. The labour market, which is in focus this week with Non-Farm Payrolls figures released on Friday, is still very tight, leading to gradual wages growth; quarter-on-quarter GDP is still around 3-and-a-half per cent; and although business conditions are cooling, Monday’s release of US Manufacturing PMI still posted a much better than forecast result.
    What triggered the panic: It begs the question what precipitated this bearishness overnight. In financial markets, an underlying dynamic – such as that which has been experienced in the last 24 hours – may well be present, but it requires a catalyst to ignite it into full motion. Last night’s jitters, in a macro-sense, were brought- about by a slew of disappointing news. The post-G20 rally has been faded, as traders question the longevity and substance behind the so-called deal between the US-China, after several top White House advisers failed to substantiate what outcomes have been agreed upon between the two trade-waring nations. The trade related pessimism was exacerbated by renewed concerns regarding Brexit, and the apparent inevitability of an economically disruptive “hard-Brexit” outcome.
    Risk-off, havens-on: A rush to safety, and a subsequent liquidating of positions in riskier assets, has occurred. Touching again on US Treasuries: the yield on the benchmark 10 Year note has plunged to 2.91 per cent, and on the 2 Year note it has dipped to 2.80 per cent, taking the spread there to a narrow 11 points. Equities have been slaughtered, unwinding a considerable amount of last week’s gains: the Dow Jones is off 2.73 per cent, the S&P500 is off 2.3 per cent, and the NASDAQ is off 3.3 per cent (with an hour remaining in trade). The USD has climbed on its haven appeal, as has the Japanese Yen, which is back into the 112-handle, though gold has also rallied, despite the stronger greenback, to $US1238 per ounce. While in other commodities, copper is down 1.8 per cent, and oil is flat (this, leading into Thursday’s OPEC meeting).
    Australia today: SPI futures are predicting another punishing day for the ASX200, with that contract at time of writing indicating a 52-point fall for the local index. The heavy hitting financials and materials sectors will probably struggle today: the former due to this tumble in bond yields, the latter as traders unwind the growth optimism piqued by the weekend’s G20 meeting. In line with overseas markets, defensive sectors could be the play today, though a day similar to yesterday which saw 10 out of 11 sectors in the red on 17.5 per cent breadth shouldn’t be discounted.
    It’s GDP day today, and that should be watched closely, especially after the RBA at its meeting yesterday talked up the growth prospects of the Australian economy. Whatever the result the numbers produce – forecasts are for annualized growth at 3.3 per cent – it will unlikely shift Australian equities. The interest will be on the Australian Dollar and interest rate markets – the A-Dollar fell below 0.7350 again last night as risk-proxies were dumped – however the likelihood rates traders will bring forward their RBA-hike expectations in from 2020 is rather slim.

  9. MaxIG
    Written by Kyle Rodda - IG Australia
    ASX yesterday: The ASX200 put in a very respectable day's trade yesterday. It was looking gloomy at the outset. Market participants were preoccupied with the economic struggles in China and the Friday sell-off on Wall Street. However, the 32-point drop forecast for the Australian market didn't materialise, providing scope for the index to cling-on to the 5600-mark, and forge gains throughout the day. The Australian session ended with the ASX200 1.00 per cent higher. It must be remarked that though positive, it was a day of light news and thin trade. The MYEFO release, coupled with BHP's share buyback and special dividend boosted sentiment, but volumes were quite some way below average, signalling a lack of conviction behind the day's rally.
    ASX today: The gains look quite certain to be unwound this morning, however. SPI futures markets are indicating a 90-point drop for the ASX200, taking us almost squarely to where we were ought to have opened yesterday morning. The Wall Street chaos appears an inescapable lead today. It'll be touched on in a moment, but US shares a copping a battering (again) to start the new week. Financials and growth-stocks might be the barometer today. The banks are receiving a belting, falling yesterday even within the market's overall rally. US tech is heading the losses on Wall Street, as are health care stocks, following a ruling by a Texas judge that Obamacare is illegal. Using recent history as a guide: this is a generally solid indicator that Australia's technology and health care space will be shorted today.

    Australian rates and bonds: Australian traders welcome the RBA Minutes this morning. Though probably ineffectual in the context of the day's trade, it will garner some attention from rates and currency markets, who are pricing in the prospect of a weaker Australian economy in the year ahead. Australian bonds are rallying once again on the prospect of a more accommodative RBA in 2019. The yield on 10 Year Australian Government Bond has fallen to 2.44 per cent, as break-evens in the bond market point to inflation languishing around 1.70 per cent moving forward. ASX 30 Day Interbank Cash Futures contracts have an implied probability of an RBA cut by mid next year at around 10 per cent, with any chance of a hike effectively non-existent now according to rates traders.
    The RBA Minutes: Markets will keep taking their cues from overseas developments to judge the macroeconomic outlook for Australia, given the concerns about a synchronised downturn in the global economy in the coming years. However, today's RBA's minutes will be perused for commentary on the strength (read: deteriorating state) of the Australian consumer. The MYEFO release yesterday forecast wages to grow at 2.5 per cent next year and 3.00 per cent the year after. Given the burden of high private debt levels, a narrowing savings rate and falling property prices, wages growth at the projected rates is unlikely to overcome such drags, meaning future slackness in domestic consumption is likely. It’s this is what is driving the bearishness towards the Australian economy, which risks being hit from both sides if weakness in domestic demand conspires with a marked slow-down in the Chinese economy.
    Australian macro: The problem of the Australian consumer is a medium-to-long-term matter for traders, and the RBA's Minutes will probably take a glass half full approach to the economy, as they are wont to do. The harsh realities of a weaker domestic demand will manifest over time in our markets, especially our embattled banks, which find themselves caught in the global bear market in financials stocks. The Australian Dollar ought also to remain in focus, primarily as concerns about Chinese growth raise issues about our terms of trade. The strength or weakness in the AUD rests on a combination of Fed policy and Chinese fiscal policy. If global-growth jitters persist, the A-Dollar as a risk-off growth- proxy currency should presumably suffer: the next key level of support is at 0.7150, before steep downside opens-up from there.
    Global indices: Coming into the last hour of Wall Street's session, things are looking bleak. If you're an investor or any other kind of equity market bull, you'd be nervous. If you're a bear, then you've experienced another day of vindication. The major European indices were down overnight: the DAX was off by 0.86 per cent and the FTSE100 by 1.05 per cent. US stocks have followed suit: after numerous failures to break-through, support on the S&P 500 and Dow Jones has been breached. The psychological barriers of 2600 and 24,000 have been cleared. Barring another miraculous final hour rally in US shares, the 2 major US indices are poised to register fresh lows at levels not clocked since early-April this year.

    Risk-off today: As can be assumed, it's risk-off wherever you look in global markets. US Treasuries have rallied - the US 2 Year Note is yielding 2.70 per cent and the US 10 Year note is yielding 2.85 per cent. The greenback has been sold consequently, giving the EUR a boost to 1.1350, and the Pound a lift to 1.2630. The Yen is back in the 112-handle as the carry trade unwinds, boding poorly for the Nikkei today. The Australian Dollar is steady against the greenback but weak mostly everywhere else. Gold has rallied to $1245 courtesy of the weaker USD, but oil has been smashed with WTI plunging below $50 on renewed fears of a glut. Spreads on junk bonds have blown-out subsequently, trading as wide as they have been for two-years. Ultimately, The action is culminating in an Asian session that shapes as another one for the Bears, as Santa's rally looks increasingly likely to be skipped this year.
     
  10. MaxIG
    Dear IG community, 

    There will be some changes to some of our Asian markets over the upcoming Lunar New Year, starting Monday 4 Feb. We will continue to make out of hours index prices throughout any breaks (excluding Taiwan and Malaysia).

    See the table below for the relevant information.

  11. MaxIG
    Written by Kyle Rodda - IG Australia
    The themes: Boy oh boy, are we facing a significant week. It promises to be a big one, with so many of the pressing macro-economic issues currently driving market activity set to dominate headlines. Given this is so, and the Thanksgiving hangover kept trade light on Friday, casting an eye ahead and speculating on what the next seven days may deliver the most valuable insights. The themes won’t be foreign to traders: we’ve got the US Federal Reserve and global interest rates, slower global growth, the US-China trade war, Brexit, and the crash in oil prices. The way each unfolds sets the foundations for markets not only in the crucial month of December, but also the start of 2019. Being so, it’s more than likely that whatever the developments in these stories, traders will be perusing the devils in the detail to infer as much they can from them, providing ample fuel for heightened and ongoing volatility.
    The Fed and US rates: The US Federal Reserve remains the major and most powerful driver of financial market activity. The impact of the end of the easy money era is manifesting in markets the world over. The question has long been asked – for the most part of the last decade, in fact – what the effects will be of normalizing Fed policy. We are apparently beginning to get that answer. This Friday welcomes the release of FOMC Monetary Policy Minutes, and the core concern for traders is whether the Fed is showing further signs of burgeoning dovishness. Traders have interpreted the central bank’s recent discourse as reflecting a reduced willingness to keep to an aggressive rate hiking path, amid concerns that growth and inflation (the later a data-point that market participants will also receive this week) has possibly topped-out. It’s resulted in markets pricing-in a 73 per cent chance of a rate hike from the Fed in December; and pricing out all but one hike from the Fed in 2019.

    Global growth: The primary reason for this changing dynamic is there is a prevailing fear that the world is headed for slower economic growth. It’s far from assured, and with a remarkably strong labour markets coupled with still reasonable business conditions, the US remains in good stead to grow at a respectable clip. But the problem remains the world ex-United States, as forecasts increasingly point to a significant (enough) slow-down is Europe and China. This view betrayed itself on Friday in global bond markets: the yield on 10 Year US Treasuries fall precariously near the 3.00 per cent level, in tandem with yields across Asian and Europe – meaning the US Dollar held its bid. Perhaps of greatest concern is that this lift in bond prices hasn’t seemed to shift sentiment within equity markets, as a continued blow-out in the spreads on investment grade and high-yield credit aggravates concerns about over leveraged US corporates.

     
    US-China Trade War: Fears about slower economic growth, the global debt burden and tighter financial conditions will be hard to unwind. The once high-flying US stock market has seen the Dow Jones, S&P500 and NASDAQ shed 5.8 per cent, 8.4 per cent, and 12.67 per cent, respectively, over the past 3 months. The losses will prove difficult to staunch, and momentum still appears skewed to the downside. If there is any hope of sentiment shifting-around this week, one imagines it’ll have to come because of improved relations between the US and China – and a possible beginning of trade negotiations. Overall, the signs are looking positive. US President Trump is mercurial, and the Chinese are stubborn, so the situation is liable to rapidly change. However, so far, the dialogue has been relatively amiable, inspiring hope that the beginning of the end of this trade war could well commence at the weekend’s G20 summit.
    Brexit: The other geopolitical risk hanging over markets is of course that of Brexit. The UK’s and the European Union’s divorce deal will face another flashpoint this week, after almost being derailed over the weekend by Spanish official’s concerns around the Brexit-implications of Gibraltar. The deal has been rubber stamped by European bureaucrats at the weekend’s EU Economic summit, however the view remains that it won’t get through the House of Commons. A vote on the deal won’t be immediately forthcoming, and the official exit date for the UK isn’t until March 29 next year. But markets require far less-meaningful milestones to cast their judgement and get a feel of the likely fate of Brexit. The key-current Brexit agitators, like Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab, not to mention opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, will surely whip up the rhetoric this week – reminding that this Brexit deal is possibly dead in the water, spelling trouble for European equities and the Pound.
    Oil: Commodities are suffering owing to fears about global growth and widespread market-volatility, and this of course is no truer than in oil markets at present. The price of oil tumbled again over the weekend: WTI is trading just above the $US50.00 per barrel level at $50.41, while Brent Crude has spilled through $60.00 to presently trade at $59.32. There is waning optimism amongst oil-bulls that productions cuts can be organized by the world’s largest oil exporters, with the Saudi’s losing control of OPEC, the Russians showing only a tepid determination to intervene in markets, and the US advocating for lower oil prices. It’s a set of circumstances that seems very nearly intractable and will weigh on equities and credit markets – especially one that could very quickly spiral out of control if the massive number of long positions are unwound in the market.

    ASX200: SPI Futures in the day ahead are indicating a 37 per point drop following Wall Street ‘s soft trade on Friday.  It’s difficult to imagine that the ASX200 will break its strong relationship with activity on Wall Street this week. Trading come the local session on Tuesday will be back to normal, after several days of thin trade: volumes on Friday were around 30 per cent below average. There isn’t a great deal of local data this week, either: Private Capital Expenditure data plus a speech from RBA Governor Philip Lowe is all we’ve got.
    The strength of the bounce for the ASX200 will surely be tested this week, particularly if any one of the litany of macro risk factors causes a spike in volatility.  Much of the buying that has driven the bounce are in the markets safer and larger-cap stocks, implying that an appetite for risk is low, and the buyers are searching out bargains. The next key level of support to keep an eye on to gauge the underline strength in the ASX200’s mini-rally is around 5745, though it must be stated levels well beyond that need to be attained before a definitive turnaround in this market can be called.

  12. MaxIG
    Written by Kyle Rodda - IG Australia
    Market sentiment: The final session of the week is upon us, and though a Friday can throw-up any number of shock events, the week has been a relatively good one for equity market bulls. Of course, this is primarily being led by a stable equity market in the US, but that strength has filtered through global equities to generate positive activity. Naturally, the ASX200 has benefitted from this dynamic, delivering an opportunity of circa 215 points for traders, based off last week’s lows. The risks to markets are still very elevated, but a dip in volatility below a 20 reading on the VIX has investors calmer than they were this time last week. Choppy trade and violent turns in sentiment could arise at any moment, and there is still some way to go to convincingly reverse October’s ugly sell-off. However, for the many who prefer to look on the bright side of life, signs of a turnaround are here.
    Overnight: SPI futures are presently indicating a very modest 3-point dip for the ASX200, on the back of an overnight session where risk appetite was high. Sentiment was boosted by positive Tweets (a statesman like medium for political discourse nowadays, of course) from US President Donald Trump relating to the US-China trade war. The news, coupled with weaker than forecast ISM Manufacturing data, led the USD to abandon its bid higher, pushing the EUR above 1.14 and the Aussie Dollar above 0.7200, as the yield on US 10 Year Treasuries slipped to 3.14 per cent. The strong sentiment was boosted by solid US earnings, building upon the cheer engendered by news in the Asian session that China plans to ramp up its economic stimulus efforts. While fears of a spike in oil prices waned once more, on news that OPEC output climbed by the most since 2016.

    European trade: Winding back the clock marginally further, European markets registered a more tepid day of trading. The DAX was up 0.18 percent while the FTSE finished a sliver higher than flat. Corporate news was lighter relative to the US, but the calendar was filled by numerous economic data and macro events. The biggest was the meeting of the Bank of England, who kept rates on hold and flagged that despite their rosy view on the British economy, their monetary policy settings will probably remain still for the near future. Irrespective, the pound continued to climb, aided by the weaker USD, but primarily on the basis that a Brexit deal will soon eventuate. European trade establishes a significant set-up for its final day of trade, ahead of a slew of PMI prints across the continent.
    ASX200 Yesterday: Reflecting upon yesterday's session for the Australian shares, the modest 0.2 per cent gain belies some of the significant stories moving the market. Trade Balance was gang busters, showing a trade surplus of over $3.0b, courtesy of a climb in iron ore prices generated by the recent round of Chinese economic stimulus. The miners naturally benefitted from the results, which added to already strong daily gains thanks to the announcement of a special dividend and share buyback from BHP. Even in light of the strong day for the materials space, it was the continued swings in the banks that truly dictated trade, after NAB posted results that were judged to not quite as bad as expected. The NAB closed the day higher as a result but was the only of the Big 4 to do so, as investors balance the positive news of signs of successful restructures by the banks, against the broader challenges of slowing credit growth and a cooling property market.
    US tech: A play into big-tech is what is leading Wall Street higher – a conspicuous risk given the tone of the recent market correction. The NASDAQ is the biggest winner of the three oft-watched US equity indices, registering gains of over 1 per cent. It would appear investors see a level of value in the US technology giants, even considering their proven vulnerability to shifts in interest rates expectations. It’s always a risk to bundle every US-tech company together and assume their fortunes are eternally correlated. The internet monoliths, Facebook and Twitter, deliver a vastly different value proposition than that of a Microsoft, Amazon or Apple – the latter whose earnings generally disappointed this morning. News on any one of the tech giants becomes of relevance to the index trader, but for the value-searcher, separating the substantial fundamentals from the fluff is a necessity.

    US equity market risks: The reasoning behind highlighting the (for many) well-worn distinction between the big tech stocks is that, on balance, risk is skewed to the downside across that industry. The US tech industry remains bolstered by money following momentum and flow in the pursuit of the next market unicorn. It’s what in large part keeps the market running higher despite a mix of valuations and tepid market fundamentals. The mega-cap staples in the US technology space can’t be ignored, and as market participants digest Apple results, it should be reminded that the biggest of these companies still appear investor essentials for many. Nevertheless, when reviewing the depth of the NASDAQ and its influence on US equity market strength, lowly dividend yields and relatively stretched valuations mean the performance of US indices overall are very liable to the sort of shocks witness in October.
    US Non-Farm Payrolls: The bounce in equities this week in mind, tonight's US Non-Farm Payrolls is of tremendous significance. Once again -- and as has been so for years -- the key number in tonight's release is the wage growth component, which is forecast to reveal annualised wages growth of over 3 per cent. If realised, it will prove a testament to the roaring power of the current US economy, already posting growth of 3.5 percent and unemployment at 3.7 per cent. Though for Main Street this is a refutably a good thing, a wage growth figure at forecast or above will be un-welcomed by investors, who will need to promptly re-reprice the higher likelihood of an aggressive Fed. This week's play into US equities has been underpinned by a significant drop in bond yields. If markets are forced to factor in an aggressive Fed once more, a replay of October's marked sell-off may return to equity markets.
     
  13. MaxIG
    Market sentiment: Markets put in a mixed day on Friday. The results for global equities were generally poor, but absent were any violent swings in market activity. Individual regions traded -off apparently their own idiosyncratic drivers, characteristic of the diverse web of risks plaguing investors. Chinese indices were the stand-out, climbing more than 2.5 per cent, collectively, while European shares were generally lower, and US stocks were mixed. The mood is still edgy and dour for equities overall, with the weight of an extending list of risks stifling appetitive for riskier assets. There is a growing sense now that the many and considerable challenges facing market participants are here to stay; the matter hence becomes what level of willingness do market participants possess to stomach these and push equity markets higher.
    Risks-elevated: Uncertainty and instability isn't something novel for traders -- it's reigned for the last decade, as is well known. Yet it's proven now that there doesn't necessarily exist the confidence that, with the world's most powerful central banks turning off the liquidity taps, markets have the strength to sustain themselves. To be perfectly fair, 12 months ago, an all-out trade-war, the seeds for huge US twin deficits, a new Italian fiscal crisis, a Chinese economic slowdown, and major regional instability in the Middle East wasn't seriously expected. Without such interferences, perhaps the global economy would have been on stronger footing. It's pointless to speculate, however one can safely assume at this stage of the economic cycle, fundamentals should be presenting as much firmer.
    Economic fundamentals: The way in which this dynamic of higher risk and lower confidence plays out in Australian markets will be curious, as the final stages of the calendar year unfold. The US economy is booming and that will anchor the global growth story until the Fed's interest rate hikes begin to lean on the US economy. For us down under though, it's of lesser relevance than what transpired in the Chinese economy. The massive data dump delivered on Friday out of China was on balance underwhelming: headline growth was lower, while the other tier-2 data releases didn't salvage much. The Australian economy is ticking along relatively nicely it must be said, but our economic fortunes will stay wedded to China's almost undoubtedly, with the effectiveness of Chinese policymakers attempts to stimulate their economy the key variable.
    China: As far as markets go, equity indices seemed to benefit from the latest salvo by some of China's top economic officials about tackling any economic slowdown. In effect, policymakers came-out on Friday and implored market participants that they would ensure that a floor was placed under the recent sell-off across Chinese shares, in the interest of capital safety and financial stability. According to the slew of top-regulators who delivered the message, the massive tumble (30 per cent year-to-date) in Chinese stocks isn't reflective of the nation’s fundamentals, so support, it is argued, can justifiably be provided to align financial markets to the economy.

    Europe: Although this story did underline a late rally in Chinese shares on Friday, the benefits diminished, if not disappeared, in the grand scheme of things, by the time the European session got underway. Fizzled Brexit negotiations were parsed, but weren't a significant sticking point for European traders, who were apparently more relieved about a modest easing of tensions between European bureaucrats and the Italian government about that countries fiscal problems – even despite a rating cut to Italian debt. The EUR and Pound ticked slightly higher and JPY dipped as anxiety around European political stability and China's growth moderated slightly, while US Treasuries declined throughout the day leading into the North American open, losing its haven bid, edging the yield on the 10 Year note to 3.19 per cent.
    Wall Street: US stocks delivered little in the way of upside, slowed by activity in tech stocks again. Earnings season hasn't delivered the lift so far to US equities as hoped, stifled instead by the effects higher discount rates are having on stretched valuations in growth/momentum stocks. The Dow Jones did close 0.26 per cent higher –  led by strong trade in consumer staples stocks and other defensives, along with financials, which gained on higher bond yields – however the more comprehensive S&P500 was flat. Worries that earnings growth leading into 2019 will be dampened drove the mood in US markets, with the key litmus test for this hypothesis possibly coming this week, as traders prepare for earnings reports from the likes of Alphabet, Microsoft and Amazon.
    ASX: SPI futures are indicating a 12-point drop for the ASX200 against this backdrop, ahead of a day which should be of interest given the possible impacts of a hung parliament in Canberra. In the recent past, when confronted with leadership challenges and the like, it’s proven a drag on the A-Dollar and the ASX200. The banks have borne the greatest brunt, probably due to the regulatory crack down and the perceived unfriendly stance towards property and share investors by the Labor opposition – though it must be said but this risk has already been priced in by investors. Friday’s trade saw the bank witness a continued pop higher from its oversold levels, keeping the ASX200 trading flat for the sustained. Slightly higher commodity prices may aid the Australian share market in the day ahead, however with little real impetus for rally today, perhaps a grind more-or-less sideways can be expected to start the week.

  14. MaxIG
    Written by Kyle Rodda - IG Australia
    Time to give thanks: It’s Thanks Giving in the US, so US traders are away from their desks and equity markets in the country are offline. Perhaps it’s something the bulls can be thankful for: the holiday has resulted in very thin volumes across the globe, giving a subsequent ability to take pause from the unfolding market rout. There is so much information awaiting market participants coming into the end of November and start of December, so surely the opportunity to distract oneself for now by gorging on roast turkey and a few beverages of choice is being welcomed by our American cousins. Presumably, little can fix for too long the underlying anxiety caused by the myriad of fundamental concerns plaguing investors. But that’s next week’s problem, for now – better that we take stock while the American punters sift around for reasons to give thanks.
    Global equities: To capture a theme from last night’s trade: it was – for all intents and purposes – about Brexit. Before delving into that one, let’s take a check on the price action. European equities were down across the board. The volumes for the continent were, as has been touched on, remarkably thin, except for the FTSE, which was down 1.28 per cent on the unfolding Brexit drama. The DAX clocked in a loss of 0.94 per cent for the day, unable to grasp the lead from the Asian region’s mixed but respectable trading day, which saw the Nikkei up 0.65 per cent and the Hang Seng up 0.18 per cent, but the CSI300 down 0.37 per cent. In our local session, the ASX200 was another index that bucked the trend of low activity, continuing its bounce off support around 5600 to close 0.86 per cent higher on volumes 10 per cent above the 100-day average.

    Bonds, currencies and commodities: The US Dollar was weaker, largely due to the bidding higher of the Pound and EUR, with those currencies leaping above 1.28 and 1.14, respectively. The weaker dollar also supported gold, which is trading back at $1227 per ounce. US Treasuries are flat due to the Thanks Giving holiday: the yield on the US 10 Year note is 3.06 per cent. Dulled risk appetite has meant the Yen is modestly stronger, trading just below 113 at time of writing; and the Australian Dollar is off a touch, trading slightly above 0.7250, in tandem with the New Zealand Dollar, which is just holding onto the 0.6800 handle. Oil prices have dipped again, falling about 1.4 per cent, dragging the Canadian Dollar with it; while copper is a little higher for the day.
    Brexit developments: Back to the pressing issues at hand, and the lack of data combined with closed US markets has meant Brexit developments have taken centre stage. In what's been judged a positive step-forward by markets, Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, announced overnight that a draft Brexit proposal had been "agreed at a negotiators level and agreed in principle at a political level" amongst European Union leaders. The news is what sent the Pound on a tear -- and the FTSE100 lower consequently -- following yields on UK gilts, which of course rallied courtesy of the optimism engendered by the announcement. The stage is now set for this weekend's EU economic summit, where it's now very much assumed European leaders will rubber-stamp the Brexit proposal.
    What are the chances? For all the hope that a Brexit deal can be reached, the stark reality is that UK Prime Minister May faces an uphill battle. In what must have been a gruelling three hours or so in front of the House of Commons, the Prime Minister delivered a speech and then fielded questions from parliamentarians on the Brexit proposal. There is such division and disparity in the British Parliament about what Brexit ought to look like, that the likelihood any proposal could unite the very many different and opposing interests appears slim. A no-deal “hard Brexit” remains the probable outcome, spelling trouble for UK and European markets – especially the Pound. How low the Cable could go in this event is difficult to predict: recent lows around 1.2750 would just be the beginning – perhaps the January 2017 low of 1.1990 could be considered the bottom of the range.

    ASX200: Bringing it back home, now: SPI futures are presently indicating the ASX200 will open 29 points lower this morning. It would be awfully surprising if volumes on the Australian share-market bucked the trend today and were anywhere near average. A rudderless market may emerge, whereby trade is choppy, momentum low and price action contained – particularly after yesterday’s relief rally, that added to the bounce by the index off recent lows around 5600. The fortunes of the ASX going forward will inevitably be tied to the themes that emerge from US markets, and as it stands that strongly implies further difficulty for Australian shares. However, the silver lining investors and the bulls may wish to cling onto is the notion that our share market was nowhere near as elevated as that of the US’s, so falls from here may not be as steep.
    ASX: the bigger picture: Once more: that 5600-mark is significant. It amounts to the bottom of a range that was established in 2017 and held steady several months, in what might now be safely described as the markets “accumulation phase”. From the end of that phase in October 2017 to now has seen the registering of a new decade long high, then – in recent months – a strong correction of that move. It suggests a medium-term cycle has been completed, and a bearish impulse has now seized control of the market. The strength of that move ought to be watched for, but the broader global economic slow-down and the peak in the US market suggests a follow through 5600 is highly possible moving into 2019. The broader, secular bullish trend provides the trading channel to work within and judge the bigger picture, with the 5375-level representing the bottom of this trend-channel.

  15. MaxIG
    Markets returning to normal trade: Traders in the US and UK returned to their desks overnight, and if price action is any guide, their verdict of the weekend news flow is “not much has really changed”. This isn’t to say the movements in financial markets in the past 12-18 hours have been ones of major conviction. Afterall, volumes are still light and the extent of the moves in price witnessed were modest. Nevertheless, despite what was notionally a tranquil weekend for financial market news, market participants have seen it fit to continue to take risk off the table, as if nothing has really changed at all.
    Risk-off still the bias: An assessment of risk-conditions finds merit in this notion. Yes, several risk events have been traversed since Friday, but none really provided the market with any reason to change existing biases. Fundamentally, the trade-war is still a growing problem, with sentiment finding itself sapped by the apparent intractability of that issue. Practically, no economic data has been released from any of the major economic powers since last week too, so markets remain mired in the perception that the global economy is on a soft footing. Perhaps a level of uncertainty is gone for now, however the balance of risks have seemingly remained the same.
    Indicators for global growth flashing amber: That’s resulted in some classic risk-off behaviour. Not that the moves were overly frightening, but they were stark enough to take notice. The conspicuous activity was in the bond market – especially US Treasuries. The yield on the 10 Year note fell 5 basis points to 2.26 per cent, which marks its lowest point in almost 18 months. The significance of that milestone is noteworthy, too, and perhaps a small marker of where markets are in the current cycle: the last time yields on 10 Year US Treasuries were this low, it was smack-bang around the time of President Trump’s famous tax-reform package in December 2017.

    An end of a cycle? Recall, it was the implementation of this massive cutting of corporate taxes that ignited the US economy, and by extension the US equity market. The dynamic fuelled market sentiment, and was a major catalyst behind the several record highs achieved by the S&P500 in 2018. Though only a crude measure, the fact the US 10 Year bond yield is back at where it was at that stage of history speaks volumes of current market perceptions. Markets are anticipating a global economic slowdown – an end to some small cycle – that will weigh on US growth, and probably force the US Federal Reserve to cut interest rates.
    A split between the market and policymakers: In fact, such an attitude is being baked into rates-market pricing – an 80 per cent chance of a rate-cut from the US Federal Reserve is priced-in before year end. This view is deeply at odds with what the Fed has flagged to the market in all its communications so far this year. Regardless, perhaps somewhat like the beginning of this year, whereby a breakdown in financial conditions more-or-less halted the Fed’s rate-hiking cycle, markets are assuming the Fed will again be bent to its will. And this is where the risk lies: if markets have got this wrong, heightened volatility is the (almost) certain outcome.
    Bullishness is absent right now: The problem right now, as it relates to risk assets, is that rather than solid earnings that’s propelled US stocks to its most recent record high, it’s been a lowering of interest rate expectations that’s really been responsible for bring about that phenomenon. Perhaps, this is what’s making the current pullback in the S&P500 so worrisome. Discount rates keep falling, just as they have been all year, however US equities remain in a short-term downtrend. The signal is that markets are positioning for an economic slowdown, at least just right now, brought about by the deterioration in trade-relations between the US and Chinese governments.
    Stock market softness persisting: As such, the S&P500 sold off in the final hours of US trade, pushing that index to psychological support around 2800, and bringing closer the completion of a much-watched head-and-shoulders pattern for that index. A caveat here: the action could be something of a manifestation of end of month flows. But judging by market activity in Europe too, where stocks also dipped, the lion’s share of this price dynamic does look attributable to a significant risk-off sentiment. It’s something that will apparently plague the ASX200 today, too: SPI Futures are pointing to a 44-point drop at this morning’s open.

    Written by Kyle Rodda - IG Australia
  16. MaxIG
    Sentiment weaker; but ASX to rise: SPI Futures are indicating an 11-point gain at the outset for the ASX200 this morning. It's perhaps a surprising result, given overnight activity. The chorus of pundits calling an economic slowdown grew louder, backed up by weak data and some unfavourable headlines. The Australian Dollar is better reflecting the dynamic: it's fallen through the 0.7100 level to eye support at 0.7040. Perhaps the weaker A-Dollar is behind some of the expected lift in Aussie stocks – along with a trifle greater optimism for the fortunes of Aussie banks after NAB’s rate hike yesterday. Whatever way in which we start the day today though, it will occur within the context that pessimism about global increased just a little bit in the last 24 hours.
    Australian employment: Australian employment data portrayed a mixed picture of the Australian labour market yesterday. The headlines were attractive. The unemployment rate fell to a very solid 5.0%, supported by jobs growth of 21k in the month of December. Digging deeper however, and the outlook is slightly less rosy. The fall in the unemployment rate was primarily due to a decline in the participation rate, and perhaps worse still, the data showed a -3k contraction in full time jobs. Nothing to panic about, by any means. But it does highlight a level of spare capacity in the economy, and further slack in the labour market. It suggests an economy still some way off meaningful wages growth and inflation for which the RBA is waiting.

    Australian Dollar and rates: Markets ran with the positive headline number, regardless of the fine print, happy enough with seeing a jobs market nominally at full employment. The Australian Dollar lifted, supported by an increase in Aussie bond yields, and a slight unwinding of rate cut bets by the RBA in 2019. It all proved rather short-lived however, following the announcement that NAB would be increasing its standard variable mortgage rate, in line with its Big 4 peers. The Aussie Dollar fell through feeble support at 0.7120 on this news, as traders factored in the likely negative consequences that higher rates will have on highly leveraged households, and therefore future domestic consumption.
    Asian equity indices: The ASX responded positively to the NAB news however, with traders welcoming the implications for earnings growth in one of the market's mostly heavily weighted constituents. It was a positive day overall for the ASX200, which managed to add 0.4 per cent for the session to close at 5865. The modest upside developed within what was a rudderless day for Asian equities. China Bulls are attempting to squeeze as much from the optimism surrounding trade talks and new PBOC stimulus. While Japanese equity markets were controlled by the Bears for the day, after Japanese PMI numbers crept closer to the contractionary zone, as the trade war continues to bite Japan's export heavy-economy.
    Global PMI data: It was a day for PMI Manufacturing figures across the global economy. Comparable data was released right across Asia, Europe and the US overnight. Though there were upside surprises, the data, which is considered a strong forward-looking indicator for global growth, was mostly disappointing. Indeed, the US and French number were better than forecast. But the big concern is the marked decrease – into contraction territory – of the German numbers, which apparently contributed significantly to a big miss in the overall European Manufacturing PMI figure. It supports the growing notion that Europe's economy, if not that of the rest of the world, is trending toward a downturn.
    ECBs increasing dovishness: This fear (more-or-less) was explicitly enforced by European Central Bank President Mario Draghi last night, following that central bank’s monetary policy meeting. Markets were pricing in a very dovish Draghi, but the price action suggests that he may have “out-doved’ market participants expectations. He emphasized carefully that risks to the European economy have “moved to the downside”. The Euro tumbled below 1.13, breaking trend, and German Bunds rallied in response, with the yield on the 10 Year Bund dipping to 0.17 per cent. Rate hikes from the ECB have continued to be taken off the table now, falling to an implied probability of 25 per cent that the bank will hike at all this year.

    Wall Street’s mixed day: There's an hour left in trade for Wall Street and US stocks are heading for a mixed-to-slightly-lower session. The NASDAQ is up based on better than expected earnings from US chipmakers. But the sentiment was controlled by (misinterpreted) comments from Trump trade-war ambassador Wilbur Ross that the US and China are "miles and miles" away from a trade pact. The S&P is dancing with that crucial level again at 2630 - a developing pivot point between bullishness and bearishness. It's still a risk-off day, however. US Treasuries have caught a bid on haven appeal, and the US Dollar and Japanese Yen are up courtesy of the nervousness in the market. It's probably not a make or break day; just further confirmation that the recovery might be due for a pullback.
    Written by Kyle Rodda - IG Australia
  17. MaxIG
    Mixed trade across the globe: Global equity indices have traded mixed in the last 24 hours. Asian trade was soft, European trade was poor, while US indices look as though they will deliver another day in the green. This may not be such a bad thing: perhaps the differing performance across regional indices is a sign of a more discerning market place. Panic about the global economic landscape has subsided for now, allowing traders to take a more nuanced view of the asset class. There is a degree of divergence happening again between US equities and the rest of the world – though it must be said the ASX is still following the lead of Wall Street. Optimism about fundamentals in the US is progressively being restored; that of the rest of the world is still in doubt.

    US macro-outlook apparently strong: The notion the US economy is still on solid footing was supported by strong economic data last night. Both unemployment claims and the Philly Fed Manufacturing Index beat expectations, boosting confidence that the labour market and business activity is strong in the US. As has been repeated many-a-time throughout the recent stock-market funk, economic fundamentals could well be secondary or tertiary to other forces previously supporting equity markets. There are still doubts about the future of financial conditions (read: Fed tightening) and the state of the profit cycle. While the US economy is delivering strong data however, the perma-bears and recessionistas should remain sidelined – at the very least, on the basis that the US economy doesn’t yet appear to be spiralling into recession.
    Risk-appetite higher: Price action reflects the change in attitude of market participants. US Treasuries have ticked higher as interest rate traders price out rate cuts from the US Fed in 2019. The yield on the US 10 Year note has climbed to 2.72 per cent, and the yield on the US 2 Year note has reached 2.55 per cent. Even more promisingly, the curve is taking on a slightly healthier shape. It’s still quite unattractive, that’s undeniable. But the 2-to-10 spread is widening, as markets price a better economic outlook and a more accommodative Fed. The lift in oil prices has helped this – one point that is still understated and underestimated by many. The recent rebound in the price of the black stuff has led US 5 Year Breakevens back to 1.65 per cent.
    The elusive goldilocks zone: It will still stay a tight rope walk for equities, especially in the US. The financial system is arguably inherently unstable, and policymakers’ job puts them in the invidious position of keeping markets at an equilibrium, despite this instability. Hence, it’s never the case that markets aren’t at risk of losing balance and falling towards one extreme or another. The particular issue with the set of circumstances market participants find themselves in now is that the tight rope is narrower, and the risks have closed-in tighter around them. Economic data needs to remain strong to keep the recessionistas at bay on one side, but not so strong that it results in the necessity of a hiking US Federal Reserve.
    US earnings season the new priority: So far, so good for US markets, but of course we are only half-way through January, and there’s a long path ahead of traders, given the risks out in the market place. Focus has been set on US reporting season, given the radio-silence in the trade-war, along with the more dovish-Fed. The financials sector cooled its run on Wall Street overnight, after Morgan Stanley’s results bucked the industries trend of beating forecasts this earnings season. It hasn’t proven so far enough to undermine Wall Street’s recovery. The real interest in gauging US corporate strength will come when the tech-giants begin to report next week. For now, though, keep your eyes peeled for Netflix’s results out this morning: it’s often a volatile stock, and there are big expectations for that company’s latest results.
    Risks being shrugged off: Back on the risks to market sentiment, and whatever little issue has been hauled at markets this week has been effectively shrugged off. The news about Huawei facing charges in the US on tech theft didn’t undermine sentiment for long. And the bigger headline story this week, the UK parliamentary vote on Brexit, has actually engendered positivity. The GBP for one is edging higher, with the Cable eyeing off 1.30 now. A better indicator of traders’ attitude towards the UK economy is in bond-spreads. The spread between US 10 Year Treasuries and 10 Year UK Gilts has narrowed further to 142 basis points, as markets price in the chance that UK will be heading for another referendum – one that could well yield a Bremain result.

    A trade-war sentiment boost? There’s an hour left in Wall Street trade at time of writing, and sentiment has apparently received the boost it was looking for: news has crossed the trading terminals that the “US weighs lifting China trade tariffs”. Volume has spiked on the news and the S&P500 has broken resistance at 2630. It’s contentious whether this story has merit. Conflicting reports are coming out suggesting there is more to the story than just the headline. A Treasury spokesperson has leapt out to say that neither Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, nor trade Ambassador Robert Lighthizer have made any recommendations to ease tariffs. It’s causing markets to whipsaw. This one might be a live issue this morning. Keeping abreast of its developments in the day ahead could prove beneficial.
    ASX keeps grinding: In line with US cash equity markets, SPI Futures are dancing around as traders try to process the news delivered to them. At present, that contract is suggesting an approximate 20-point jump for the ASX200 this morning, up from about 15 before the news release. Whatever the extent of the rise, traders were pricing a positive start for Australian shares this morning. The ASX200 kept defying gravity yesterday, closing trade 0.26 per cent higher at 5850. Indicators relating to the conviction of the session’s move were lacking once more. It’s still January however, and activity is generally lower this time of the year anyway. The ASX200 index looks now to chase down its 200-day EMA at 5910, which itself could prove a significant hurdle.

    Written by Kyle Rodda - IG Australia
  18. MaxIG
    The headline news: The trade-war headlines are coming in thick-and-fast, with none of them truly substantial. Nevertheless, they have proven sufficient to belt market sentiment around, and dictate financial market activity, once again. A re-cap of the (dis-jointed) narrative is handy, for the benefit of context. Yesterday our time, markets trembled on news that, at one of his notorious “MAGA” rallies, US President Trump announced he thought the Chinese “broke a [trade] deal”. Stock markets fell. Then last night our time, markets bounced on news that US President Trump announced he has an “excellent” alternative deal with China, and he and China President Xi were in communications. Stock markets jumped.
    More volatility looks likely: It’s been something of a wild ride in financial markets in the last few days – perhaps made worse by the relative calm that has preceded this latest outbreak of trade tensions. The S&P500 is demonstrating much greater volatility now, with the VIX still elevated and trading around the 19-mark. More than likely, this patch of turbulence isn’t behind market participants yet. Of course, the next 12-18 hours will be crucial, as the 12:01AM (ET) deadline to strike a trade-deal nears. The balance of risks, at a cursory glance, looks as though one won’t arrive, and that means ****-for-tat tariff increases from the US and China tonight.
    Moves in markets sentiment driven: What this fundamentally means for financial market activity isn’t precisely known. Analysis on the subject seemingly relies on some crude and intuitive heuristics: the textbook suggest that tariffs lead to higher prices, lower consumption, less trade, and weaker economic growth. And rationally, this is probably true, and will manifest over time if tariff increases are implemented, and stick-around, long term. But for now, at least in the hard stats in the available financial data, the consequences of high barriers are yet to truly manifest in forecasts. The market behaviour witnessed this week is sentiment driven, meaning volatility will remain heightened while trade uncertainty exists.
    S&P500 closes above resistance: Given that the trade-war isn’t clearly manifest in fundamentals yet, the pullback in Wall Street stocks is more a function of market psychology rather than anything essential to the market, at least in the short term. Just as new all-time highs invited the herd into the market, and pushed the S&P500 into overbought territory, the re-inflammation of US-China trade tensions has prompted the herd to sell-out, dragging the market lower. Picking tops and bottoms, over whatever time scale, is a mugs game. But the fact the S&P500 has managed to close above 2855 support is a positive signal for market-bulls.

    Other market-risks being overlooked: Perhaps the biggest risk, given this preoccupation with the trade war currently, is that it ignores the more fundamental factors in the market. The biggest of these, as it purely applies to the longevity of Wall Street’s bull run, is of an interest rate shock from the US Fed. Granted, such a shock is a low probability. Regardless, given that the recent highs in US equities were engineered by central bankers’ dovishness, it pays to be privy to the relevant data - especially as it applies to inflation, which the Fed Chair Jerome Powell maintains is low only due to “transitory” factors.
    US inflation data tonight should be watched: That makes US CPI figures the crouching tiger of financial market risks this week. All of this hysteria related to what’s proven a mis-pricing of trade war risks has seemingly led to the ignoring of potential fundamental pressures. This isn’t to suggest that some sort of inflation shock ought to be expected from US CPI data. But based on economist estimates of the data, consumer inflation on a quarterly basis ought to print another robust 0.4 per cent tonight. One print won’t change the trend in the market; however, it could add to the story that market rate expectations are out of line with reality.
    AGB yields fall; weakens currency, strengthens stocks: Such an issue is unlikely to trouble the Australian economy. Inflation expectations have diminished greatly, and that factor, combined with concerns about Australia’s growth outlook in the fact of deteriorating US-Sino trade-relations, has seen 10 Year Australian Government Bond yields tumble to all-time lows this week. The fact has also driven the AUD/USD to multi-year lows in the past two-days; with both the lower yields and the lower currency a net-benefit to the ASX200. As far Aussie stocks today: SPI Futures are suggesting the index will open 9 points higher, ahead of a day highlighted by the RBA’s statement this morning.

    ALSO SOMETHING A LITTLE EXTRA TODAY: The Uber IPO tonight
    One of the more highly anticipated IPO’s in recent memory launches tonight: that of Uber Inc. In the last 24 hours, the company has reached a valuation for its IPO, publishing that it will float at $US45 per share. This equates to a raise in equity capital of about $US8.1b; and comes in at the lower end of analyst estimates.
    In the last month, IG has run a grey-market that’s allowed clients to speculate on what the market-cap will be for Uber Inc, come the close of it’s first post-IPO day’s trading. Using this order flow as a guide, IG’s grey-market price currently suggests that Uber Inc.’s market cap will come to about $US85b – well below the $US100b initially expected by equity analysts.
    Written by Kyle Rodda - IG Australia
  19. MaxIG
    ASX: SPI futures are indicating an 11-point drop at the open, on the back of a day that saw the ASX200 close just shy of 0.6 per cent. The local session could be characterised as being somewhat lacklustre: the lion's share of the day's losses came shortly after the open, volume was below average, and market breadth finished at 26 per cent. Most sectors finished the day in the red, but naturally it was a pullback in bank stocks that contributed greatest to the markets falls. The materials space made a very humble play higher in afternoon trade it must be said, courtesy of a tick higher in iron ore prices, to sit near the top sectoral map by close. But at just shy 0.1 per cent, the day's recovery wasn't anywhere near sufficient to salvage the day for the ASX200.
    Financial sector: As it presently stands: where goes bank stocks so goes the ASX200. Not a revolutionary idea of course, given financials' weighting in the Australian index. However, with buying impetus missing across the ASX currently, combined with overall bearish sentiment, the effects of the bank-trade are much more pronounced. Having popped higher from oversold levels last week, the financial sector pulled back in this week's opening stanza by 0.76 per cent, accounting for about 14 points of the ASX200's total losses. The down trend appears still intact for the financial sector, auguring poorly, as one ought to infer, for the Australian stock market.

    Domestic risks: The fortunes of the big banks mirror many of the issues afflicting the Australian economy now. The weekend's Wentworth by-election outcome, which has delivered Australia another hung-parliament, is one; another is the possible regulatory crack following the Financial Services Royal Commission, coupled with the likely election of a hard-line Labor opposition come the next election. The most compelling explanation for the banks' weakness (at least yesterday) was another poor auction-clearance figure on Saturday. The local property market looks in a very shabby state as it stands, exacerbating concerns regarding the feeble position of Australian households and consumption in the broader economy.
    House prices and households: Granted cooling house prices have predominantly afflicted the Sydney and Melbourne markets, and prices remain elevated relative to historical standards. Amid higher global borrowing costs and by some measures unprecedented indebtedness, soft credit conditions in the Australian economy is a risk to the property market and households alike. Ultimately, the concern is whether with income growth slowing, savings dwindling and interest rates bottoming, the loss of the "wealth effect" will stifle demand in the economy even more. On balance, prevailing wisdom suggests that gradually improving economic fundamentals will cushion the ill effects of a property slowdown. However, the fragile state of the Australian consumer means the broader economy is increasingly vulnerable to external shocks.
    China: Of course, the biggest and most pertinent of possible external shocks to the Australian economy is the health of the Chinese economy. Trade on China's financial markets yesterday proved the power and willingness of its policy makers do whatever it takes to stabilise its markets and economy, particularly in the face of the escalating US-China trade war. Though it's never easy to say, volumes at 136 per cent of CSI300's Average-Volume-At-Time suggest that possible and massive intervention by Chinese policy makers was at play. This isn't to say that the entire flow of funds into equity markets came from (effectively) the state's pockets, more that whatever liquidity injected into them certainly stoked investors animal spirits.

    Overnight: China's powerful stance yesterday may in time be considered much akin to ECB President Mario Draghi's "whatever it takes" moment. The follow through in Chinese equities will be closely observed today, to witness what lasting impact the actions have. Overnight though, the carry over effect into the European and North American session diminished throughout the day, muted by other, more regional concerns. The Italian fiscal crisis took a temporary back seat and supported the narrowing of European sovereign bond spreads. However whipsawing sentiment regarding the likely outcome of Brexit led to another dip in the Pound below 1.30 and in the Euro below 1.15. The macro-fears weighed on European stock indices, dragging the majors by up to as much as -0.5 per cent.
    US session: The US Dollar caught a bid on last night’s macro-dynamic as traders modestly increased buying of US Treasuries. Gold dipped as a result, while in other commodities, oil climbed on supply concerns amid heightened tensions between Saudi Arabia and the West, and Dr. Copper was flat. Fundamental data was very light, with positioning underway leading into the massive ECB meeting and US GDP prints in coming days. North American equities saw an inversion of Friday’s theme: growth/momentum stocks, such as the FANGs, were generally higher, while the industrials-laden Dow Jones pulled back 0.50 per cent. The meaty part of earnings season is about to get underway in the next 24-48 hours – and may well dictate the theme in US equity markets adopt for the next several weeks.
  20. MaxIG
    New headlines to chase: The discourse in markets shifted early this week to where the next upside catalyst would come from. It needn't be substantial; just enough to fuel sentiment and attract buyers back into the market. In the last 24 hours, market participants received what they'd be yearning for: the combination of an in-principle deal in US Congress for border-security funding, along with the announcement that the US-China trade-truce deadline could be extended, has stoked bullish sentiment. These stories are more headlines than substance, however one thing traders ought to have heard ad nauseum recently is that, indeed, this is a headline driven market. So: for the last 12-18 hours in the financial world, markets have shown all the trappings of a renewed risk-on impulse.
    Short-term bullishness depends on Trump: It can be for some an uncomfortable thought: the key variable for both the US government funding and trade-was issues is the mercurial US President Donald Trump.
    The US President, it must be said, has outwardly advocated for a resolution to each concern. The worry for markets may be though whether Trump maintains his balanced temperament on the matters, and that there isn't an ulterior motive held by the President on either issue that could subvert the market's positivity. There isn't a clear timeline, other than those which have been imposed upon the President, to arrive at a decision regarding border funding or the trade-truce extension. Traders are taking bullish positions, but while doing so must surely be in a heightened state of vigilance, at least until firm validation for the rally arrives.
    Global growth concerns deferred: The activity at the margins driving price activity in financial markets overnight speaks of slightly diminished fears relating to the global growth slow down. It has to be said that the weakening growth outlook for the world economy is still hurtling like a freight train towards markets; the news last night simply increased hopes that perhaps there may be some tapping of the brakes when it comes to this phenomenon. Growth sensitive currencies were the major beneficiaries of last night's trade-headlines: the Australian Dollar, for one, is edging back to the 0.7100 handle. The US Dollar took a breather from its recent rally, as global bond yields climbed, and credit spreads narrowed – for the first time in several sessions. The confluence factors naturally gave a boost to stocks.
    Fear is falling, thanks to a friendlier Fed: Considering the balance of evidence, and the irrational, momentum chasing that pushed Wall Street to all-time highs in September 2018 may not be present right now. Fear is diminishing too: the VIX has fallen into the low 15s as of last night – a level also not seen since September 2018. If one were to infer a crude message from current market behaviour, it might be that maybe the Fed-engineered panic in Q4 2018 has been full remedied now. Of course, it was ultimately the Fed which fed to markets the medicine they were craving – the prospect of higher global rates and tighter financial conditions has evaporated. The strength in fundamentals is indeed waning, but appropriate conditions are in place for traders to take greater risks.

    US stocks recovery possesses substance: Wall Street is registering its best performance in several days on the back of the risk-on dynamic, though it's worth remarking volume has been below average and doesn't do much to validate the market's strength, just on an intraday basis. Market breadth conversely is portraying a broad willingness to jump into equities, with over 80 per cent of stocks higher for the S&P500 on the session -- at time of writing -- led by cyclical sectors and the high multiple tech stocks. What has been encouraging recently about US equities' recovery in 2019 is the substance behind it: the Russell 2000 (a deeper index made up of relatively smaller-cap stocks) is outperforming, and the SMART Money index suggests a market supported by buying from large institutional investors.
    ASX to be guided by global growth: As a trickle-down effect, the circumstances are favourable for Australian equities too, especially as our central bank joins the chorus of policymakers backing away from rate-hikes. Given the power of the RBA pales in comparison to that of the Fed, supportive monetary policy is eclipsed by the global growth outlook as the major determinant of the ASX’s direction. It does help in a meaningful way that market participants are receiving soothing words from central bankers, especially as our economy shows signs of slowing, as evidenced by yesterday’ weak home loan figures. The proof of what market participants see as the main risk to the Australian economy is in the price action, however: since the “Trump-trade-war-truce” news overnight, implied probability of an RBA rate cut in 2019 is once again back below 50%.
    ASX200 demonstrates will to power-on: The overnight lead has SPI futures pricing in a 27-point jump at the open for the ASX200. If realized, the index ought to challenge and likely break in early trade the resistance level at around 6100/05. From here, on a technical basis, the market meets a cluster of resistance, established during the period in September 2018 when the ASX traded range bound for the better part of a month. It’s been repeated frequently by the punditry that the market is overbought at these levels. Technically that appears true. But momentum is still in favour of the bulls, so for those with further upside in their sights, perhaps a break and close above 6100 this week could be the signal for some short-term consolidation, before the ASX200 builds strength for its next move higher.

    Written by Kyle Rodda - IG Australia
     
  21. MaxIG

    OPEC preview

    By MaxIG,

    Please see the following analysis from Chris Beauchamp, Chief Market Analyst at IG, a global leader in online trading.
    OPEC preview
    OPEC faces a difficult task this week, as it aims to prop up the oil price without antagonising the US or putting too much strain on state finances by cutting production too much.
    The current state of demand and supply
    After being in deficit for 2018 and 2019, the oil market is expected to shift back to surplus next year:

    Crude output continues to rise despite the decline in Iranian output:

    Crude oil seasonality
    Usually oil weakens in the first two months of Q4, but it then tends to pick up from the first half of December, beginning a steady rally into the summer.

     
    Expectations
    Current forecasts suggest a cut of 1.4 million barrels per day will result from the meeting. Anything less than this would likely cause another drop in prices. The meeting may not go with an explicit number, merely creating an agreement to restrict supply. Again, this is unlikely to be well-received by the oil market.
     
    Saudi Arabia – walking a tightrope
    Saudi Arabia faces a difficult balancing act. On the one hand, it must avoid letting the oil price fall too far and hurt its finances (and those of the others in OPEC, though that is less of a concern). On the other, it will seek to avoid cutting too far, too fast, since this might lead to a sharp bounce in the oil price, which would annoy the White House.
    Saudi Arabia knows that it has outraged world opinion with its actions regarding Jamal Khashoggi, and that only the lack of outright condemnation from the US has saved them from serious consequences. Trump’s decision to equivocate on the subject, while not conditional on keeping oil prices down, may waver if they cut output by a significant amount.
    But then again, with a defence budget running at 10% of GDP (almost five times the global average and three times the US budget in GDP terms), plus large state spending commitments, Saudi Arabia has to look at some cuts in order to restore balance to its finances.
    The FT reports that the Saudi energy minister has argued that cuts of at least a million barrels per day are needed.
     
    Russia
    Although not an OPEC member, Russia is Saudi’s other major partner in the oil market. Russia too is caught between wanting to boost prices and keeping its oil wells going at full production. Putin is aware that falling oil revenues put pressure on the Russian state, at a time of austerity for the Russian economy. Recent attempts to raise the pension age have not gone down well, and the president faces falling opinion poll ratings. Russia is arguably happy with the current state of affairs, but may be persuaded of the benefits of cutting production in return for higher prices.
    A smaller than expected cut, however, might have the opposite effect, sending prices lower and resulting in lower output for Russian wells. This would not go down well in Moscow.
     
    The rest of OPEC
    Saudi Arabia could look to persuade other members to cut production. Nigeria and Libya were left out of the last round of cuts, due to the fact that their output was still recovering after shocks arising from political troubles.
     But both are keen to keep producing to boost state revenues, while others like Iraq and Iran are also rather cool on the idea of reducing output.
    Saudi Arabia faces a tough task convincing the rest of the cartel to cut output, particularly if it does not set out its own production cuts.
    All trading involves risk.
      Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 79% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading Spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

    Professional clients can lose more than they deposit.

    The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs bought through a share dealing account, a stocks and shares ISA or a SIPP can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
      No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication.
      Prepared by IG Markets Ltd.
       
  22. MaxIG
    Written by Kyle Rodda - IG Australia
    Overnight bounce: A bounce in equities has finally arrived, unwinding some of the week’s heavy losses. As it currently stands, the NASDAQ – ground zero for much of the recent market correction – is leading the pack, up 1-and-a-half per cent for the day, followed by the S&P, which is up 0.8 per cent, and the Dow Jones, which is up 0.65 per cent. Volumes are down generally speaking, so the recovery today lacks bite – though the Thanksgiving holiday in the US may somewhat be behind this, meaning an apparent lack of conviction in this relief rally could be explained away. Meaningful price action in other areas of the market that gives a solid read on the current psychology of traders is absent: US Treasuries have been comparatively inactive, with yields remaining contained across the curve, and the US Dollar is slightly lower, without demonstrating remarkable activity itself.

    Risk assets: Certain assets have benefitted from the lull in panic-selling. To preface: the VIX has receded to a reading of 20, from highs around 23 yesterday. In currency land, the Australian Dollar and New Zealand Dollar, as risk proxies, have ticked higher to 0.7265 and 0.6795. Obviously, the reduced anxiety amongst traders has meant the converse is true for haven currencies like the Japanese Yen, which is trading above 113 today. The Euro and Pound remain in the 1.13 and 1.27 handle respectively, most unmoved by the day’s sentiment. While credit spreads, which have blown out recently as risk-sentiment evaporated, have finally come-in. To counter the notion of complete risk-off: Gold has caught a bid, to trade at $US1227, or thereabouts, with its rally attributable largely to a modestly weaker greenback.
    Global indices: But overall, risk appetite has been ever so slightly whetted, even if it is only temporary. European equity indices were well into the green, aided by a skerrick of positivity generated by good news relating to the Italian budget crisis. The DAX was up 1.61 per cent and the FTSE added1.47 per cent, shaking-off the mixed lead from Asia, which saw the Hang Seng up 0.51 per cent and the CSI300 up 0.25 per cent, but the Nikkei down 0.35 per cent and the ASX200 down 0.51 per cent. A bounce in commodity prices has fed into and supported the solid sentiment in equities, especially as it relates to oil, which rallied off its lows to trade just below $US54 in WTI terms and hold within the mid-$US63 handle in Brent Crude terms.
    Slow news day: If this all sounds dry, it’s because that in the context of the volatility experienced in the past week – if not almost 2-months – it very much is. Little has catalysed the overnight bounce. The major themes are still hovering about, and the questions implied by them have barely been answered. The big data release overnight – in fact, it’s probably the biggest for the week – was US Core Durable Goods numbers, and they disappointed. That release, very marginally, added to the chorus of pundits suggesting that the US Federal Reserve’s hiking path may be a little flatter than recently thought. As far as what can be inferred from the data, the US economy is cooling off, implying the “data dependent” Fed will lack the reason to aggressively hike interest rates.
    Fed-watch: A lot of these matters relating to the Fed will be clarified when a slew of board members speak next week. The markets attitude though is simpler to read: Fed Funds futures have reduced their bets on the number of rate hikes from that central bank to 2 and a bit from here. December’s telegraphed hike is being priced again at a 75 per cent chance, but after, if traders are a good barometer, rates in 2019 are looking very flat. A more dovish Fed, in the absence of developments in other issues like the Trade War or Brexit, is what is aiding the staunching of risk-off sentiment. It opens the risk now that markets could be all too wrong, and a spike in volatility will arrive if traders were to once again adjust expectations.

    A softer outlook: But with the volatility we’ve seen in markets, corporate earnings petering out, and economic growth cooling, the assumption of a more reserved Fed isn’t outlandish. It perhaps reflects the broader risks in the markets and economy too: the Trade War is ongoing, Brexit is falling apart, China is slowing, oil is tumbling, and Italy’s fiscal situation could blow up any day. Given such a landscape, an inevitable pull back by the Fed, timed with lower activity in financial markets, is very understandable – the game of chicken being played by markets and the Fed may have been won by the former. It could all turn on a dime very quickly of course, but as it stands now, the current environment is leading market participants to the conclusion that a period of soft growth, lower earnings growth and a more neutral Fed is upon us.
    ASX200: So: as it all related to the Australian share market in the here and now: our bounce today, according to SPI futures, will begin with an approximately 25 point jump at the open. Yesterday’s performance was naturally poor, but some solace can be taken in the fact the market bounced off the 5600-support level. The edging higher throughout the day’s trade was helped by a solid run from CSL, which rallied after Morningstar upgraded that company’s stock to “buy”. The banks also experienced some buying; however, breadth was very low, revealing the lack of conviction in yesterday’s modest upward swing. Today ought to see a broad pick-up, in sympathy with Wall Street’s trade: meaningful technical levels within reach on the daily chart are hard to find, but maybe the barometer is how closely a track towards the 5700 can be established.

     
  23. MaxIG
    Written by Kyle Rodda - IG Australia
    Panic stations, still: The behaviour in financial markets is resembling cats trapped in a burning room: the air is unclear, it’s unbearably hot, and people are scrambling to find an exit – or at least, somewhere appropriate to hide. The chaos is one thing, but the true issue – as is always the case, when these situations become particularly fraught – is no one can really describe why this is going on exactly. Now, we all know the stories: the Fed has equivocated and that’s confused the heck out of markets; US-China relations are hot-and-cold; future global growth expectations are being unwound; Brexit is on-again-off-again; and a breakthrough in oil markets out of the OPEC meeting hasn’t emerged. These issues are ongoing, so it’s not any sort of surprise that they’d all be weighing on markets in some form. The confusion is why they are all conspiring to create such fireworks now.
    Risk-off: Maybe traders have just taken too many hits in the last 3-months, and the bulls are effectively tapping out. A premature call, here, to be sure, however there seems so little motivation to hold onto riskier assets. It seems that collectively, a clear strategy to handle the volatility isn’t yet to emerge. The classic plays into safe-havens can be seen: US Treasuries are going on a tear presently, for a variety of reasons to be discussed shortly. An unwinding of the Yen carry trade has pushed the USD/JPY to 112.50. And gold is looking at a break-out above resistance at $1240. Inversely, risk proxies have also been thumped: global equities (needless to say) are getting hammered, the AUD/USD is taking a rinsing, and commodities, led by a 3 per cent tumble in oil, and a 1.1 per cent fall in copper, are plummeting.

    US interest rates: Interest rates traders have taken it upon themselves to signal to the market that the Fed ought not to be going anywhere in 2019 with interest rates. A December hike is still considered locked-in for all intents and purposes, but even a single hike in 2019 is progressively being priced out by markets. It’s an incredibly aggressive play ahead of key Non-Farm Payrolls, where wage growth figures will be assessed for inflation prospects. But whether rightly or wrongly, interest rate markets are calling it: hikes-off, cycle over – the share market and the economy have peaked. The dynamic is showing up right across the US yield curve: the yield on the interest rate sensitive 2 Year Treasury note is at 2.75%, above the 5 Year note, which is at 2.74%; and the benchmark 10 Year Treasury bond is yielding 2.87 per cent.
    Update on the yield curve: Doing the maths: the yield curve is still inverted, and the key spread between the 2 Year and 10 Year Treasuries is about 12 basis-points. For those who believe in the indicator’s efficacy: this still is flashing signs that markets are moving to price in a recession. To be sure, it’s way too early to call such a thing; but what can be inferred with more certainty is that markets believe an economic slow-down is approaching, and the global economy can’t withstand a non-stimulatory US Fed. It’s an indictment on the economic system that it can’t hold itself to together without extraordinary support. Stepping away from the disorder, though: perhaps this big-long cycle of central banks seeking to control the business cycle is seeing such diminished returns, and that the overall structure is no longer viable or sustainable.
    Trade War tensions: First comes the Fed, and then everything else. It has to be when assessing these markets. There are other drivers of the current climate of fear, however, that threaten market fundamentals. The US-China trade war took a nasty turn yesterday when it was reported the Huawei’s CFO has been arrested in Canada, and faced extradition to the United States, on allegations of trade violations. Though a long way from certain, some attributed the mini-flash crash on the CME Futures exchange yesterday to the shock of this news. Nevertheless, US-Sino trade relations have become highly-charged again, with the expectation now the goodwill between the US and China as each nation works towards a trade deal is disappearing. Trade sensitive areas of financial markets got smacked-down consequently: Chinese stocks were walloped, the Yuan plunged to 6.88, and industrial stocks bled.

    US Session: There is about an hour-and-a-half left in trade on Wall Street, and while the isn’t as bad Tuesday’s session, it’s still far from pretty. The Dow Jones is leading losses, down 1.8 per cent, followed closely by the S&P500 which is down 1.42%. The NASDAQ is holding up a trifle better, down only 0.8 per cent. This backed up a day in Europe that saw stock indices across that region shed over 3 per cent. Brexit concerns certainly aren’t helping there. The uncertainty around the day’s OPEC meeting is enervating financial markets. The price of oil is down in the realms of 3 per cent itself, sparking jitters in credit markets and therefore global equities, as traders wait-and-hope for a deal to cut oil production by OPEC. The price of Brent Crude has dived below the $US60.00 handle in the interim, while WTI is buying just above $US51.00 per barrel.
    ASX200: SPI futures are pointing to another down day for the ASX200. That contract is indicating a 23-point drop at the open. It must be remarked that despite the turmoil in overseas markets, Australian shares are holding up rather well. The session closed with a relatively modest 0.2% loss yesterday, clawing back the losses sustained during the US Futures mini-flash crash. Proven again was the thick support for the index in the low 5600s, which provided a solid floor for the market to bounce off yesterday. Repeated challenges of that mark can’t last forever, but it is heartening to know the buyers are there.
    Also positive was a clear rotation within Australian equities yesterday: unlike other parts of the world, traders were discerning enough to rotate into defensives away from cyclical stocks, rather than dumping equities whole-sale. It shows a desire to be exposed to equities at all, at a time where, in some parts of the world, going near the asset class is toxic. A grind lower may well transpire today, with the banks surely to be hurt by falling global yields, the miners to feel the pinch of falling commodity prices, and the energy sector to suffer from oil’s spill. Once again, maybe today can be assessed today on the breadth experienced by markets, and whether defensive sectors can hold it together.

  24. MaxIG
    Positioning for the week’s climax: A little water-treading, as all eyes turn to Washington this weekend. And for two-reasons, really: highly anticipated trade-talks between the Trump Administration and Chinese officials – which includes Vice Premier Liu He; and the release of US Non-Farm Payrolls data by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Both promise to be potentially market moving events. Fundamentally, both events come in one-and-two as the week’s most significant macro-economic stories. How each unfolds will provide market participants with some key insights into the financial world – as it stands now and into the future. Is the US economy working to full capacity? Can the US Fed keep stay safely on the sidelines? What’s the potential for a global growth rebound?
    Stocks trade on low activity: With some crucial information promising to be revealed relating to these questions out of these events, financial markets in the last 24 hours have traded on a let’s wait and see mentality. Wall Street traded mixed: the S&P500 hovered in and out of “the green”, as the momentum in US tech stocks stalls. European equities, on balance, pulled back throughout the day, unaided by some weak German economic data. Asian trade was also lacklustre, with the Nikkei trading flat, the Hang Seng down, but Chinese indices generally clocking gains. Despite the mixture of results, the constant was generally a lack of volume in stock-markets, likely symptomatic of a market watching vigilantly for its next cue.

    Bond prices edge higher: On this basis, a rotation into government bonds materialized. Bond markets have settled-down after last week’s hysteria, and considering current fundamentals, have found something of a happy place. The safety has been sought in 10-years: the US 10-tear Treasury yield is down a basis point-or-two to around 2.50 per cent, for one. The US Dollar has been sort-out in general. Less a function of an overall search for liquid assets, the greenback has benefitted more from a fall in the Euro because of poor German Factory Order numbers, as well as another dip in the Pound on sustained concerns regarding Brexit. Speaking to the neutral sentiment in the market: the Japanese Yen is only marginally higher, as is gold.
    Market watch I: trade-talks: So that's how market participants have positioned for the weekend's big events, but what are they looking out for? Because of its political ramifications, trade-talks will be the headline grabber. Arguably, markets are a little exhausted by the trade-war. Holding onto hope can be exhausting; and judging by the diminishing impact of trade-war news, traders are tired of speculation and want substantial answers. A de-escalation in the trade-war is practically priced-in to the markets now. Future strategic consequences aside, the market-moving variable is probably going to be whether US and Chinese negotiators can flag a clear removal of at least some of the tariffs imposed on one another.
    Market watch II: US NFPs: As far as US non-farm payrolls go, the state of the US labour market always sits at the front of the carousel of concerns for market participants. Of late, however, the data itself has taken-on some new dimensions. Whereas in the recent past -- and we are talking in months, to maybe years -- it's been all about wage growth and the inflation outlook, as an extraordinarily low unemployment rate stoked concerns of an inflation outbreak in the US economy, and subsequently higher interest rates. That issue still exists. However, now, markets have to deal with another layer of complexity: the fear that the US economic machine is slowing down; and may lack the capacity to maintain labour market strength.
    Just a bit of profit taking? In our neck of the woods, SPI Futures are suggesting the ASX200 will translate the overnight-action into a 6-point loss at the open today. Australian equites are standing as an outlier, based on futures markets, across the Asian region. Most other futures contracts are pointing to a reasonably positive start for Asia’s major indices. Aussie stocks gassed out somewhat yesterday, proving the most notable laggard across the equity index map. Given it was the outlier, a single domestic cause for the broad-based selling on the ASX is difficult to determine. The market did sell-off from a 70 reading on the RSI, so perhaps we can chuck-out the old cliché and chalk-up the move to “profit-taking”.

    Reactions to an unofficial budget: Lacking a strong lead to follow this morning as markets await tonight’s key risk events, perhaps the curious matter for the ASX today will be how the market react to last night’s budget reply speech from Labor leader Bill Shorten. Aside from some quizzicality as to why the opposition leader kept bandying around the yield on 10 Year bonds as evidence for his economic argument, market participants may take greater notice of the detail contained within the budget-reply than that of the official budget on Tuesday. Markets like to play with and price-in probabilities; and given the balance of probabilities suggests a Labour government come next election, perhaps last night’s policy announcements will create greater impact than those announced on Tuesday.
    Written by Kyle Rodda - IG Australia
  25. MaxIG
    President’s Day: It’s Trump’s market – and we are all just trading in it. It’s perhaps for some – especially market-purists – the uncomfortable reality that, as far as short-term movements and sentiment goes, US President Trump and his policy making is the greatest determinant of the current macro-economic outlook. It cuts in both directions, and certainly the US President is just as prone to deflating the market as he is to inflate it. But almost by his own admission, Trump’s modus operandi is to implement policy and spout rhetoric that feeds the US equity market. For market bulls, there is the argument that this is a welcomed dynamic: we’ve seen the exercise of the Powell-put, and perhaps now traders are witnessing the execution of something resembling a Trump-put.

    Where does Trump want the market? The risk is that President Trump’s temperament and agenda can be difficult to gauge. He giveth to the market, and he taketh, depending on his personal, political priorities. For stages of his Presidency, Trump needn’t pay close attention to the US share market: he inherited improving economic conditions, then fuelled it with massive tax cuts, and stood back to observe the records falling in US stock indices. His hawkishness on international trade and bellicosity towards domestic political wrangling brought much of it undone, as the US President turned a cyclical slowdown in China into a possible trigger for recession in Asia and Europe. The global growth outlook is as downbeat as it has been in several years, and this has manifested in market-pricing.
    Global growth and the trade war: Now of course, President Trump’s policy making isn’t the major – let alone only – dictating market activity and financial market strength. In terms of macroeconomics, the actions of the Fed have proven to be market participant’s primary concern. What makes the US President’s actions relevant to the here-and-now – at the critical juncture that markets are situated within presently – is with the US Federal Reserve succumbing to market pressure and flagging steady interest rates for the foreseeable future, trader attention is fixed on the global growth story. And it would seem that considering this, the primary driver of the global growth outlook is the US-China trade war: the outcome of which will be mostly determined by the stance US President Trump chooses to adopt towards the conflict.
    Markets still jumping at headlines: The gap between the “knowns” regarding current economic conditions and the trade-war, and the “unknowns” regarding how the US President intends to approach these matters, is creating the vacuum of uncertainty that market participants are yearning to fill. As such, headlines are being jumped-at whenever news suggests there’s been a major development in negotiations between the US and China. Traders are less sensitive than they were to stories of trade-war progress, with every headline apparently yielding a diminished return. Nevertheless, if a significant enough story flashes across trader terminals, it apparently still warrants the release of risk-on sentiment. This phenomenon proved true again on Friday, as news that the US and China has agreed in principle on the main topics of trade negotiations moving forward.
    Risk appetite piqued as fear falls: The prevailing view is that, at the very least, an extension of the March 1 trade-negotiation deadline will be implemented. Although arguably amounting to little more than a prolonging of tension and uncertainty, market activity is suggesting market participants are welcoming the modest change in circumstances. Despite looking long in the tooth, the US equity market rally continues, dragging stocks in Europe and Asia largely with it. Bond markets have been steady, however “growth” currencies like the AUD, NZD and CAD have received a boost, at the expense of the US Dollar and Yen. Commodities have generally rallied, while the VIX and High-Yield credit spreads have fallen to levels not seen since shortly after US Federal Reserve Chairperson Jerome Powell’s infamous “a long way from neutral” statement in early-October.

    Where else but America: The general curiosity from here will be how long this broad-based confidence in the market can last. Even in the event that the best outcome can be achieved from US-China trade talks, it is contentious whether it will be enough to turn the tide for the global economy. China is slowing rapidly, and Europe is tiptoeing toward recession, with fewer policy levers to pull in the event economic activity deteriorates. The US economy for now is the beacon of the global economy, and ultimately one must assume that whether it be US stocks, US Treasuries, or the US Dollar, investors will remain attracted to “Made in America”. No economy in a globalized world can resist an international economic slowdown; until then though, market participants may well preference America first.
    Australian markets to follow US today: Australian stocks are on balance benefitting from the American-led recovery in financial markets. The ASX200, unlike its US counterparts, was unable to register a weekly gain last week. But according to the last traded price on SPI Futures, the AS200 ought to add 53 points this morning. The week for Australian markets should be interesting if nothing else: reporting season is underway, and the likes of BHP, Woolworths and Wesfarmers are reporting. The RBA release their policy minutes on Tuesday from their last meeting – an event that ought to be closely watched as rates traders gradually price in that the likeliest course of action for the RBA this year will be to cut interest rates, rather than to hike them or even keep them on hold.
    Written by Kyle Rodda - IG Australia

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