Theresa May's European voyage: a difficult evening for the pound

Company does not offer investment advice and the analysis performed does not guarantee results

So, the epic with Brexit continues: today Theresa May arrived in Brussels, where two important meetings will be held in the evening - first, she will discuss the prospects of the "divorce process" with the President of the European Council Donald Tusk, and then – with the head of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker. According to some information, May will also meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The British Prime Minister is trying to find a way out of the current impasse: the "maximum" task at the moment is to agree with Europeans on the final date of the back-stop, while receiving the corresponding guarantees of a legal nature. Let me remind you that the main stumbling block in the British Parliament was precisely the Irish border discussion. According to the draft agreement, the special customs status of Northern Ireland does not have a time limit, which means it can become permanent. Moreover, according to the provisions of the transaction, London will not be able to waive this status unilaterally. Such vague prospects were perceived in hostility by the laborists, unionists, and the "hawkish wing" of conservatives.

According to Theresa May, the majority of deputies support the key points of the deal, but the uncertainty with backstop forces them to vote against the proposed agreement. In turn, Labour states that the problem lies not only in backstop but also in many other aspects. However, conservatives and unionists voice more restrained comments. Thus, the chances of a "soft" Brexit are still there – and this explains the current dynamics of the pound, which paired with the dollar, consolidated at the bottom of the 26th figure.

By and large, now the "ball" is on the side of Europe. If Brussels makes concessions and fixes the final date of the backstop, many British MPs may reconsider their decision in favor of the proposed deal. However, the other scale – the disastrous consequences of "hard" Brexit, which have already been said about.

However, Europe is not in a hurry to meet. At least, the head of the European Council Donald Tusk today said that Brussels will not re-discuss the agreement reached, and even more so will not revise the issue of the Irish border. Nevertheless, the head of the EC said that the European side is ready to think about how to "facilitate the process of ratification by the British side." What exactly Donald Tusk had in mind is unknown, so his words can be interpreted in a fairly broad sense. The head of the European Commission Juncker, in turn, also rejected the hypothetical revision of the transaction. However, he admitted the possibility of a certain compromise: speaking at the session of the European Parliament, Juncker said that in the current situation, certain clarifications are permissible – but without revision of the text of the Treaty.

In other words, on the one hand, Brussels categorically refuses to revise the agreement, but on the other hand, it makes it clear that it is ready to make certain concessions in the context of clarifying and interpreting the agreements reached.

Thus, traders of the pound/dollar pair once again find themselves in agonizing wait: if today the parties do not sound positive signals, the price will collapse once again to an annual low, to the level of 1,2505. If the evening meetings lead to any result (even if of a preliminary nature), the bulls of the pair will seize the initiative and the price will rapidly go up.

The fact is that the GBP/USD pair has a strong unrealized potential for large-scale corrective growth, especially after today's release of data on the UK labor market. The unemployment rate remained unchanged, a record low of 4.1%, but the average earnings jumped by 3.3%, while experts expected a more modest growth – up to three percent. But the increase in salaries in nominal terms for three months was the strongest in the last ten years. The growth of applications for unemployment benefits was a bit disappointing, but the indicator of earnings plays a more important role in this context. Weak wage growth rates for a long time worried the members of the British regulator – in their opinion, this indicator largely determines the stability of inflation growth in the country. But the figures published today show that Average Earnings Index has been growing for the fourth month in a row, exceeding the forecast values.

All this allows the Bank of England to toughen its rhetoric and take a more "hawkish" stance at the next meeting, taking into account the growth of the consumer price index. If not for one "but" - Brexit. If London and Brussels are unable to agree on legal guarantees for the completion of the backstop, the probability of a chaotic Brexit will increase again, and the British Central Bank, in turn, will take a wait-and-see position for a long time - and under certain conditions, will reduce the rate. Therefore, the results of the next negotiations can not be overestimated: not only the fate of the deal depends on them, but also the prospects of monetary policy in Britain.

Analysis are provided by InstaForex

The ECB leaves rates unchanged. Mario Draghi's press conference hit the euro

Company does not offer investment advice and the analysis performed does not guarantee results

The euro was trading fairly volatile in tandem with the US dollar, but then dropped sharply following the beginning of the press conference at which the president of the European Central Bank expressed concerns about a slowdown in the eurozone's economic growth rate at the end of this year.

All attention today in the afternoon was riveted to the decision of the European Central Bank, which left the refinancing rate unchanged at the level of 0.0%. The European Central Bank also kept the deposit rate at a negative level, -0.40%.

The regulator confirmed that it plans to complete net acquisitions of assets at the end of December 2018, but in the future it is also planned to completely reinvest funds received as a result of QA over a long period even after the first interest rate increase.

With regard to the conditions of monetary policy, the ECB expects rates to remain at current levels at least until the summer of 2019 inclusive.

ECB economists have negatively revised their forecasts for the growth of the eurozone economy over the next three years.

GDP growth is expected to be at 1.9% in 2018, while the September forecast was 2.0%. GDP growth in 2019 is projected at 1.7%, while the September forecast was 1.8%. But GDP growth for 2020 remained unchanged, at the level of 1.7%.

As for inflation, experts predict its growth at the end of the year. It is expected that the EU Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices in 2018 will be 1.8%, while in September it was projected to grow by 1.7%.

However, it should be noted that a sharp drop in oil and other energy prices may adversely affect inflation growth at the end of the year, as was the case with the US consumer price index, which has slowed to zero.

ECB experts predict that inflation in 2019 will be 1.6% against the September forecast of 1.7% and 1.7% in 2020.

The speech of the president of the European Central Bank sharply pulled down the euro.

The ECB president said that the latest economic data were weaker than expected, and the uncertainty associated with protectionism, emerging markets, is still strongly expressed, which may affect the pace of economic growth.

Immediately after saying that a substantial monetary stimulus is still needed, the euro went down against a number of world currencies, as many experts were counting on a different kind of statement.

Draghi also noted that the risks to economic growth prospects are generally balanced, but the balance of risks is shifting downwards.

All this once again confirms the fact that the European Central Bank will continue to closely monitor the incoming economic data, and only a real revival of economic growth, along with the solution of a number of problems related to protectionism and political risks, will make it possible to seriously start discussing the first increase in interest rates in the eurozone after the 2008 crisis.

Analysis are provided by InstaForex

EUR/USD: Weak PMI, the "Yellow Jackets" and the expectation of the Fed

Company does not offer investment advice and the analysis performed does not guarantee results

After Friday's rise to one and a half year highs, the dollar index today slowed down and returned to 96 points. The strengthening of the US currency was due to weak data from China and strong data from the US. However, the dollar rally did not continue due to the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting, the results of which will be known the day after tomorrow.

But on Friday, the dollar bulls were inspired by US data on the growth of retail sales. First, the October data were revised upwards - from 0.8% to 1.1%. Second, in November, the indicator came out better than expected, although it de facto fell to 0.3%. However, following the release of data on inflation growth, Friday's figures provided strong support to the dollar against the backdrop of growth in consumer activity and lending. After all, in addition to the indicator of retail sales, last week data on the growth of industrial production in the United States were published. This indicator jumped by 0.6% in November, being stronger than the forecast (0.3%).

In other words, the US data renewed confidence that the Federal Reserve on Wednesday will not only raise the rate, but will also take a "hawkish" position on the future prospects of monetary policy. Although this issue is quite controversial (due to recent talk about the search for a neutral rate), the fundamental picture for the dollar looks undoubtedly better than the euro.

The single currency came under pressure of not only macroeconomic but also political factors. French PMI indices in the services and manufacturing sector fell under the key 50 mark - for the first time this year. German indicators also came out in the "red zone", showing a slowdown. Composite PMI index in the eurozone sharply fell in December to 51.3 - although last month was at 52.7 points. Weak PMI figures are fully consistent with the slowdown in economic growth in the eurozone, which was recorded in the third quarter of this year – let me remind you that GDP growth in the eurozone slowed to four-year lows.

On top of that, European inflation also brought it down - the consumer price index fell to two percent (with a forecast of 2.1% from the previous value of 2.2%), and core inflation excluding volatile energy and food prices returned to 1%, although experts were confident that the indicator will remain at the October level, that is, at around 1.1%. Against the background of these results, Mario Draghi's position at the last meeting of the ECB looked even optimistic – at least the head of the central bank did not rule out the tightening of monetary policy within the next year.

However, it is too early to talk about it. The bulls of EUR/USD are still satisfied with the fact that the European Central Bank completed QE on time, while the next steps of the ECB look too vague. Uncertainty puts pressure on the single currency, as well as the political situation in many European countries – primarily in France. The ongoing protests of the so-called "Yellow Jackets" unnerve the markets, especially against the backdrop of the Italian budget crisis. On Saturday, Paris hosted another (fifth) round of protests: about 70,000 people took to the streets of the city. And although it is almost two times less than in the past, it is too early to talk about the intensity of protest sentiments: most likely, bad weather conditions (almost zero air temperature + heavy rain) are to blame for everything.

Local demands for lower fuel prices have grown into political manifestos - now protesters demand to move to direct democracy through referendums on key issues of the country's life. In other words, the protest movement in France is taking a protracted form with rather unpredictable consequences. On the one hand, many experts say that the protest in its current form is not supported by all the French (much less than during the first wave of rallies). On the other hand, if Macron is forced to resign, then early elections will be held in the country, and the risk of a political crisis will increase in many ways.

Thus, today's corrective growth of the euro-dollar pair is primarily due to the hypothetical problems of the US currency. First, on the eve of the Fed meeting, traders were still anxious over the central bank's further actions. Secondly, there was a risk of a shutdown again in the United States. The US government may stop work on December 22 due to disagreements over the construction of the wall on the border with Mexico. According to the American press, the White House has already begun to conduct advance preparations for the implementation of this scenario.

All this suggests that the EUR/USD pair is unlikely to demonstrate strong volatility until Wednesday – only if Italy or Brexit does not present any surprises in the news plan. From a technical point of view, the pair remains within the downward movement until the price fixes above 1.1360 (the average line of the Bollinger Bands indicator on the daily chart, which coincides with the Tenkan-sen and Kijun-sen lines). In this case, the Ichimoku Kinko Hyo indicator will form a "Golden cross" signal, which will determine further growth to the level of 1.1390 (the lower limit of the Kumo cloud). The nearest target of the downward movement is 1.1280 - the lower line of the Bollinger Bands indicator on the same timeframe.

Analysis are provided by InstaForex

Technical analysis: Intraday Level For EUR/USD for December 20, 2018

Company does not offer investment advice and the analysis performed does not guarantee results

When the European market opens, some economic data will be released such as Current Account. The US will also publish the economic data such as Natural Gas Storage, CB Leading Index m/m, Unemployment Claims, and Philly Fed Manufacturing Index, so amid the reports, the EUR/USD pair will move in a low to a medium volatility during this day.

TODAY'S TECHNICAL LEVEL:

Breakout BUY Level: 1.1440.
Strong Resistance: 1.1433.
Original Resistance: 1.1422.
Inner Sell Area: 1.1411.
Target Inner Area: 1.1384.
Inner Buy Area: 1.1357.
Original Support: 1.1346.
Strong Support: 1.1335.
Breakout SELL Level: 1.1328.

Disclaimer: Trading Forex (foreign exchange) on margin carries a high level of risk, and may not be suitable for all Traders or Investors.The high degree of leverage can work against you as well as for you. Before deciding to invest in foreign exchange, you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite. The possibility exists that you could sustain a loss of some or all of your initial investment and therefore you should not invest money that you cannot afford to lose. You should be aware of all the risks associated with foreign exchange trading, and seek advice from an independent financial advisor if you have any doubts.

Analysis are provided by InstaForex

Technical analysis: Intraday Level For EUR/USD for December 27, 2018

When the European market opens, some economic data will be released such as ECB Economic Bulletin. The US will also publish the economic data such as New Home Sales, CB Consumer Confidence, HPI m/m, and Unemployment Claims, so amid the reports, the EUR/USD pair will move in a low to a medium volatility during this day.

TODAY'S TECHNICAL LEVEL:
Breakout BUY Level: 1.1425.
Strong Resistance: 1.1418.
Original Resistance: 1.1407.
Inner Sell Area: 1.1396.
Target Inner Area: 1.1369.
Inner Buy Area: 1.1342.
Original Support: 1.1331.
Strong Support: 1.1320.
Breakout SELL Level: 1.1313.

Disclaimer: Trading Forex (foreign exchange) on margin carries a high level of risk, and may not be suitable for all Traders or Investors. The high degree of leverage can work against you as well as for you. Before deciding to invest in foreign exchange, you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite. The possibility exists that you could sustain a loss of some or all of your initial investment and therefore you should not invest money that you cannot afford to lose. You should be aware of all the risks associated with foreign exchange trading, and seek advice from an independent financial advisor if you have any doubts.

*The market analysis posted here is meant to increase your awareness, but not to give instructions to make a trade.

Analysis are provided by InstaForex

Trading plan for 02/01/2019

The start of the new year brings a revival of trade, which for the currency market mainly means USD sales. EUR / USD and USD / JPY are gaining new levels closer to 1.15 and 109 respectively. More pressure concerns only AUD and NZD in the company of the stock market in Asia, where the pressure was created after disappointing data from China.

On Wednesday, the 2nd of January, the event calendar is light in important data releases, but the global investors should keep an eye on PMI Manufacturing data from Germany, France, Spain, Italy, UK and the whole Eurozone being released early in the morning. During the US session, Canada and the US itself will publish their PMI Manufacturing data as well.

EUR/USD analysis for 02/01/2018:

China's December Caixin manufacturing PMI fell from 50.2 in November to 49.7, in line with the official manufacturing PMI, which fell from 50.0 to 49.4. Together with a fall in industrial profits of 1.8%YoY in November from +3.6%YoY in October, and softer retail sales growth (8.1% in November from 8.6% in October), the global investors have a clear indication that the economy is weakening.

The Chinese HSBC Manufacturing PMI is a composite indicator designed to provide an overall view of activity in the manufacturing sector and acts as a leading indicator for the whole economy. When the PMI is below 50.0 this indicates that the manufacturing economy is declining and a value above 50.0 indicates an expansion of the manufacturing economy. Flash figures are released approximately 6 business days prior to the end of the month. Final figures overwrite the flash figures upon release and are in turn overwritten as the next Flash is available. The Chinese HSBC Manufacturing PMI is concluded from a monthly survey of about 430 purchasing managers which asks respondents to rate the relative level of business conditions including employment, production, new orders, prices, supplier deliveries, and inventories.

Let's now take a look at the EUR/USD technical picture at the H4 time frame. The market has broken through the local technical resistance zone located between the levels of 1.1442 - 1.1471 and made a new local high at 1.1495 on its way up. The zone between 1.1493 - 1.1499 is a resistance zone as well so the bulls might have some problems there, but the momentum is still strong and positive, which supports the short-term bullish outlook. In a case of a further rally, the next target for bulls is seen at the level of 1.1533 and 1.1550.

Analysis are provided by InstaForex

EUR/USD. Friday's Jackpot: Nonfarm and European inflation

The foreign exchange market is experiencing a period of increased volatility, showing strong price impulses. The dollar/yen pair has passed more than 400 points in the last day, the pound/dollar – almost 150, the "kiwi" and "loonie" – about 100. In all cases, the dollar for some time significantly strengthened its position, but then just as rapidly fell throughout the market. This difference in mood is due to the changeable fundamental background, which is clearly confusing traders.

The fact is that the dollar last year (especially in the second half of it) actively enjoyed the status of a defensive instrument – even the negative events in the United States increased the demand for the greenback. The US currency had a powerful trump card in the form of the hawkish policy of the Fed, especially against the background of the uncertainty of the rest of the central banks of the leading countries of the world. Now the situation has changed somewhat: the problems in the US are still growing like a snowball, but the position of the Federal Reserve has softened significantly. The results of the December Fed meeting will "chase" the dollar for a long time, especially if the key US economic indicators show a decline in the first half of the year. Some representatives of the American regulator, who had recently voiced the "hawkish" position, added fuel to the fire. Now their rhetoric has changed significantly.

For example, the head of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Robert Kaplan, said today that the regulator should take a wait-and-see position for at least two quarters of 2019. The essence of his position boils down to the fact that the US-Chinese trade conflict has harmed not only the world economy and not only China – but also the United States. In view of this fact, he expects a slowdown in US GDP growth and inflation this year. The Fed, in his opinion, should react accordingly, so as not to aggravate the already precarious situation. Here it is worth recalling that in the autumn of last year Kaplan stated that 4 rounds of increase would follow to the neutral level of the rate (that is, the neutral level would be at the level of 3.25%). As we see, now his opinion has changed dramatically: now he stands for a six-month pause.

If the rest of the Fed members move to the "dovish" camp in the same way, the dollar finally loses its foothold. In this context, it is important to listen to Jerome Powell, who will speak at the economic conference tomorrow with his predecessors, Janet Yellen and Ben Bernanke. If the incumbent Fed chief also softens his rhetoric (or at least repeats the main points of the December meeting), the dollar index will continue its downward trend.

However, tomorrow is full of other events. First of all, we are talking about the Nonfarm, which can give an additional impetus to dollar pairs. According to preliminary estimates of experts, the number of people employed in the non-agricultural sector in December should increase by 180 thousand, while the unemployment rate will remain at the previous level of 3.7%. This is a good forecast, so if real numbers meet expectations, then the dollar will avoid another wave of sales.

But as shown today, experts can make a big mistake in their estimates: the American manufacturing index ISM, contrary to all forecasts, fell to the mark of 54.1 - this is the weakest result since September 2016. This unexpected result discouraged dollar bulls, after which the EUR/USD pair was able to return to the 14th figure for a short time. If tomorrow's Nonfarm will present a similar "surprise", then the market reaction will be more extensive.

Another important release on Friday is the dynamics of wages. The indicator of the average hourly wage in the USA has been fluctuating in the range of 0.1% to 0.3% (m/m) for a long time, although in annual terms the indicator has grown slightly (up to 3.1%). For EUR/USD bears, it is important that the indicator does not cross the zero line on a monthly basis and does not "dive" under the three percent mark in annual terms. This indicator is closely monitored by the Fed, so its negative dynamics will affect the position of the US currency.

Also, we should not forget that tomorrow the release of data on the growth of European inflation is expected. The consensus forecast suggests that the consumer price index will drop again - to 1.8%. Core inflation should remain at the same level - 1%. Any deviations from the forecast scenario will cause strong volatility - depending on the direction in which the pendulum will swing. The recovery of inflation indicators will inspire the bulls of the EUR/USD pair, as the chances of a rise in the ECB rate this year will increase. If the price pressure continues to weaken, the euro will be too vulnerable - even against the background of an uncertain greenback.

Analysis are provided by InstaForex

GBP/USD: do not succumb to the illusions of growth

The pound/dollar pair is now extremely unreliable in the context of any forecasts – and in the short term, and even more so in the long term. The general weakness of the US currency can create the illusion of the northern trend of GBP/USD, but in this case it is absolutely impossible to focus on the dynamics of the dollar. "Cable "for two and a half years is completely subject to Brexit, so the vector of price movement here depends only on the fate of the "divorce process".

However, sometimes emotional news related to the prospects of the Federal Reserve's monetary policy still drowns out Brexit. One of those rare occasions happened yesterday. The resonant statement of the head of the Federal Reserve of Atlanta that the regulator can hypothetically reduce the interest rate coincided with the failure of the British parliament to vote for Theresa May's government. The GBP/USD pair remained in its positions (showing even the northern dynamics) only at the expense of the dollar that had sharply fallen throughout the market.

Although in reality there are no reasons for optimism among bulls of the pair, and there was no. Although in reality there are no reasons for optimism among bulls of the pair, and there is no.

On the one hand, the amendments adopted yesterday by British MPs do not entail any serious consequences - at least for today. Members of the House of Commons have adopted amendments to the tax law, thereby limiting the powers of the Cabinet of Ministers in this area in the event of the development of a "hard" Brexit scenario. Now the Ministry of Finance will not be able to change the amount of taxes (thus offsetting the negative effect of "hard" Brexit), if this step is not approved by the deputies. According to legislators, this rule will prevent the country's chaotic exit from the EU: "Now Theresa May must by all means reach a compromise solution with the European Union and the British Parliament," said Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

The logic of this law is to "force negotiations": as many politicians believe, Theresa May has largely conceded to Brussels, and now "frightens" the Parliament by the lack of any alternative to the agreement reached. The above norm, in the opinion of the deputies, will incline the prime minister to additional negotiations with the EU.

British MPs adopted another rule and is very significant of character. Parliament ordered the government to prepare a new Brexit plan if the members of the House of Commons do not vote on January 15 for the proposed draft deal. Moreover, ministers are obliged to present a "plan B" within three days after the failed vote. 308 of the 618 deputies of the lower house of Parliament voted in favour of the proposal, while 297 opposed the idea.

It is not even the essence of the adopted bills that is important here (although their content also speaks volumes) - yesterday's voting showed a preliminary political alignment in the Parliament. And apparently, it is clearly not in favor of "soft" Brexit. The results of the vote suggest that the majority of deputies in the House of Commons are opposed to leaving the EU without an agreement – May's opponents are not only among Labour and other opposition parties, but also among "their" conservatives.

Thus, the British prime minister's "saving strategy" seems to be a fiasco. Let me remind you that the local press this week discussed a possible scenario in which the Parliament approves the deal, but only if Brussels provides additional guarantees regarding the duration of the special regime on the Northern Ireland border. As you can see, the Parliament decided to go its own way, playing ahead. In addition, representatives of the European side also hurried to assure their British colleagues that they will no longer discuss the terms of the deal – under any conditions.

What are the options then? According to the majority of experts, there are not so many of them, or to be more precise, only two: either the prime minister will postpone the vote again, as it was in December, or she will postpone the country's exit from the EU for an indefinite period, using the decision of the European Court of Justice, which at the end of last year clarified the provisions of the 50th article of the Treaty of Lisbon. Both options are negative for the British currency, despite the fact that they save from the "hard" Brexit. The market is quite exhausted by the two-year period of uncertainty, so the prolongation of this regime will be bad news for GBP/USD bulls.

That is why the northern dynamics of the pair now looks unreliable and unconvincing. Long positions on the pair are too risky, especially on the eve of January 15, when a key vote in the British Parliament is to be held. If Theresa May takes one of the two decisions listed above at the weekend, the pound may collapse on Monday for several figures, as it was in mid-December. It will be possible to speak about the confident growth of the "cable" only when the "soft" Brexit becomes a reality – that is, when it receives the approval of the British parliamentarians.

Analysis are provided by InstaForex

EUR/USD. Spotlight on China and Brexit

The economic calendar of the foreign exchange market is nearly empty today. Nevertheless, the most important release of the day caused quite a strong resonance among traders. We are talking about the publication of data on the state of China's foreign trade.

The importance of this indicator is due to the general concern of investors about the slowdown in the world economy. Any facts that somehow confirm this concern have a strong impact on the dynamics of trading – both in the currency and stock market. Today's figures once again reminded the market of the consequences of the trade war, which is still ongoing, despite the intention of the parties to conclude a broad deal.

On the one hand, the surplus of Chinese foreign trade was at an impressive level – the December figure came out at 57.1 billion dollars, reaching a three-year high. Immediately after the publication, the market was optimistic about these figures. But the structure of this release is frankly disappointed, as the performance of imports and exports showed weak dynamics, continuing the trend of slowdown. Thus, according to China's General Administration of Customs, exports from the country (in dollar terms) fell by 4.4% year-on-year. Imports fell more significantly-immediately by 7.6% year-on-year. In other words, Chinese exports and imports in the last month of last year showed the sharpest decline in two years.

According to experts, the lion's share of Chinese imports is imported into the country not for final consumption, but for further production of goods. That is, a significant decrease in imports is a wake-up call, which indicates the upcoming slowdown in the Chinese economy as a whole. According to preliminary data, last year the Chinese economy grew by only 6.6% - this is the lowest rate in the last 19 years. Naturally, such weak results of the second world economy in nominal GDP will provoke a "domino effect". In particular, at the end of last year, the head of Apple sharply reduced the forecast for revenue for the first quarter of 2019 – by 8 percent, that is, from 91 to 84 billion dollars. It is noteworthy that Apple has revised downward quite a fresh forecast: the target of 91 billion was set just two months ago. According to Tim Cook, the negative dynamics associated with the slowdown of the Chinese economy and the "tough" policy of the Federal Reserve.

The situation with Apple is just one example, which is the most recent and revealing. If the economic momentum of the PRC continues to lose its strength, such situations will be repeated more often, not to mention the slowdown of the commodity market with all the ensuing consequences.

A broad trade deal between the US and China could change this state of affairs – at least in the long run. But the parties are in no hurry to disclose the details of the latest negotiations, although the officials promised to publish them "in the near future". More than a week has passed since then, but the cart is still there. The very fact of such silence suggests certain thoughts, the essence of which is reduced to the presence of unresolved problems between Washington and Beijing. And although all this is still speculation, the overall situation in the market remains uncertain.

The EUR/USD pair also cannot determine the vector of its movement. The dollar index drifted at the base of 95 points, and the European currency is under pressure from the uncertain prospects of Brexit and negative data on the growth of industrial production in the eurozone. The indicator came out much worse than expected: year-on-year at – 3.3% (with a forecast of -2.2%), and month-on-month at –1.7% (with a growth forecast of 0.3%). In France, this figure subsided due to long-term protests of "yellow vests" in Germany – because of problems in the automotive industry, and a general decline in the entire industry was recorded in Italy.

Conflicting fundamental picture does not allow EURUSD to demonstrate a strong momentum, so traders have to bargain in a flat in anticipation of a strong infopovod. It is obvious that Brexit, or rather today's discussion of this issue in the British Parliament, will become such an occasion.

At the moment, it is known that the European Union has sent a written appeal to London, which assures the British that the subsequent negotiations in the transition period will avoid the use of the backstop mechanism. In the evening, during Theresa May's speech to the Parliament, we will learn the details of this letter, and so far the market is in limbo – and regarding the prospects of the "divorce process", and regarding the prospects of the US-Chinese trade conflict.

On the technical side, the EUR/USD bulls need to gain a foothold above 1.1530 to demonstrate their advantage. In this case, the Ichimoku Kinko Hyo indicator on the daily chart will form a bullish "Parade of lines" signal , increasing the probability of price growth to the borders of the 16th figure. If the general interest in the risk fades, the pair may already return to the average line of the Bollinger Bands indicator on D1, that is, to the level of 1.1410. A break of this level will send the pair to the lower boundary of the Kumo cloud, that is, to the level of 1.1350.

Analysis are provided by InstaForex

GBP/USD. Results of the day. Cancel Brexit, Brexit transfer, new Brexit negotiations?

The amplitude of the last 5 days (high-low): 94p - 73p - 156p - 112p - 246p.

Average amplitude for the last 5 days: 136p (106p).

The British pound sterling on Wednesday, January 16th, is not moving. Traders, with such a feeling, do not know what to do next. On the one hand, yesterday, a fateful decision was made for Britain. On the other hand, the situation with Brexit did not become clearer. It only became clear that the UK is not exactly leaving the EU according to the Chequers plan. However, whether it will leave the European Union at all and under what conditions it is now is unknown. Today on the agenda in the British Parliament is the question of distrust of Theresa May, initiated by the leader of the main opposition party (Labour), Jeremy Corbyn. If the majority of deputies vote in favor, Theresa May will be dismissed. We believe that this is exactly what will happen. But again, it is not known how traders will react to this event. From our point of view, the resignation of Theresa May will give a chance for new negotiations with the EU, perhaps more productive and beneficial for the United Kingdom, as well as a chance for the country not to leave the EU at all. Thus, Theresa May's resignation could provoke ... the growth of the British currency. In any case, it is best to wait for the evening and find out how the debate in Parliament will end. Inflation, published today in the UK, did not cause any reaction from the market, as it corresponded to the predicted value - 2.1% y/y in December. In his speech today, the head of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, noted that the loss of Theresa May and the strengthening of the British pound means that markets believe in reducing the chances of a disorderly exit of the country from the EU.

Trading recommendations:

The GBP/USD currency pair remains in an upward trend on the eve of a new vote in the British Parliament. Once again, we do not recommend opening any positions in the current situation, as it is associated with increased risks. The pair can again be extremely volatile in the next few hours.

The same applies to sell orders. Any positions you can open, aware of the increased risks and always placing protective Stop Loss orders.

In addition to the technical picture, fundamental data and the timing of their release should also be taken into account.

Explanation of illustration:
Ichimoku Indicator: Tenkan-sen-red line. Kijun-sen – blue line.
Senkou span a – light brown dotted line.
Senkou span B – light purple dotted line.
Chikou span – green line.
Bollinger Bands Indicator:
3 yellow lines.
MACD:
Red line and histogram with white bars in the indicator window.

Analysis are provided by InstaForex

Technical analysis: Intraday level for USD/JPY, Jan 21, 2019

Today, Japan and the US will not release any economic data. So there is a probability the USD/JPY pair will move with a low to a medium volatility during this day.

TODAY'S TECHNICAL LEVEL:
Resistance. 3: 110.20.
Resistance. 2: 109.98.
Resistance. 1: 109.77.
Support. 1: 109.50.
Support. 2: 109.29.
Support. 3: 109.07. (Disclaimer)

Analysis are provided by InstaForex

A preview of the January meeting of the Bank of Japan

Tomorrow, the Bank of Japan will hold its first meeting this year. Traditionally, investors do not expect the Japanese regulator to take any action on the parameters of monetary policy: the central bank will continue to purchase bonds for 80 trillion yen a year, the interest rate on deposits will remain at the level of -0.1%, and the target yield of 10-year government bonds-at about 0%. There are no prerequisites for any radical actions on the part of the central bank now, so the main attention of traders will be focused on the press conference of Haruhiko Kuroda.

Here it is worth recalling that since the summer of last year, a form of "sword of Damocles" hangs over the yen. The fact is that then the Japanese central bank expanded the range of the estimated rate, thus admitting the likelihood of monetary policy easing. And although since then Kuroda has not voiced such intentions on a practical plane ("scaring" only traders with a hypothetical probability), this fact has a background pressure on the yen. It is obvious that the regulator has reserved this scenario for the future, if inflation trends become negative. And given the weak growth rates of wages and inflation, now there is every reason for concern: at the January meeting, traders may well hear hints of a possible reduction in the interest rate to -0.2%.

The fact is that consumer prices excluding the cost of fresh food (this is the main indicator of inflation monitored by the Japanese regulator) in December fell to 7-month lows, continuing a consistent decline. Thus, the Core Inflation Rate in September-October was kept at the level of 1%, while in November it decreased to 0.9%, and in December - to 0.7%. At each meeting, Haruhiko Kuroda recalls that inflation remains below the two-percent target, and achieving it "requires a larger time range than previously thought". However, in this case, it can respond to the current negative trend with sharper wording of the "dovish" character.

Weak growth rates of consumer spending against the background of the decline in the oil market have created fertile ground for reducing inflation. Although oil prices showed positive dynamics during the last month, this is clearly not enough to reverse the situation as a whole. Therefore, tomorrow Kuroda can voice soft rhetoric, thereby exerting pressure on the national currency.

Another intrigue of the January meeting of the Bank of Japan is the possible expansion of the range of fluctuations in yield on 10-year government bonds. According to some experts, the regulator will allow a decrease in profitability in the negative area. Let me remind you that last summer the Japanese central bank decided to limit the fluctuations in yield in the range of -0.2% to + 0.2%. The minutes of the last meeting showed that one of the members of the regulator proposed to expand this range, arguing that the stagnation in this issue will neutralize the positive effect of soft monetary policy in the context of inflation expectations. However, there is no unambiguous position on this issue among the members of the regulator: the members of the Board of Governors of the Bank of Japan disagreed, de facto keeping the parameters of monetary policy at the same values.

What to expect from Haruhiko Kuroda following the results of tomorrow's meeting? First, a "dovish" rhetoric. And although the market has long been accustomed to the soft position of the head of the Japanese central bank, tomorrow it may still surprise the market if it allows an interest rate reduction in the foreseeable future. Second, the regulator may lower its forecast for inflation and GDP growth this year. The probability of such a step is quite high, given the recent inflation trends. Thirdly, Kuroda can comment on the issue of a possible expansion of the yield fluctuation range on 10-year government bonds.

The rhetoric of the head of the Bank of Japan can put significant pressure on the yen, especially if it goes beyond the usual theses (and there are prerequisites for this). In this case, the USD/JPY pair can demonstrate a pulse growth to the first resistance level of 111.05 – this is the upper line of the Bollinger Bands indicator on the daily chart.

In general, from a technical point of view, the Ichimoku Kinko Hyo indicator currently demonstrates one of its strongest signals, the Golden Cross, in which the price fixed above the crossed lines of Tenkan-sen and Kijun-sen, while the Kumo cloud is still above the price chart . This signal indicates the upward direction of the pair. Also, the upward movement is confirmed by the location of the price between the middle and upper lines of the Bollinger Bands indicator, which began to narrow its channel. The support level is the Tenkan-sen line, which corresponds to 108.80. And the resistance level is the upper line of the Bollinger Bands indicator - the price is 111.05.

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