2023 In Review: A Look Back At The Highlights Of The Year

The year 2023 commenced after two years of economic uncertainty and heavy inflation across Europe and North America, home to leading financial markets, with major currencies such as the euro and the US dollar, and financial hubs including London, New York, Chicago, Frankfurt, and Toronto.

These continents, where major stock exchanges operate and the S&P 500, NASDAQ, and FTSE 100 indices represent the top stocks of the top listed companies in Britain and the US, witnessed a dynamic interplay of economic recovery, inflation challenges, and policy adjustments.

The European and North American economies had spent 2023 recovering from a sustained period of inflation and cost of living issues (Britain and mainland Europe), and in the US, yet more bank collapses and a close call with state insolvency as the US Government had to raise the debt ceiling to stop it defaulting on its existing commitments, highlighting the country's huge national debt.

Inflation did decline during 2023, but central bank policy on both sides of the Atlantic favoured continued increases in interest rates, despite the US inflation going down from 11% in mid-2022 to around 3.1% now, and the British inflation rate is 3.9% now whereas it was also in double figures during 2022. Now, we move on to looking at specific markets.

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EUR/USD Extends Rally While USD/JPY Revisits Support

EUR/USD gained bullish momentum above the 1.0985 resistance. USD/JPY is declining and showing bearish signs below the 142.85 level.

Important Takeaways for EUR/USD and USD/JPY Analysis Today

• The Euro remained in a bullish zone and climbed above the 1.0985 resistance zone.

• There is a key bullish trend line forming with support near 1.1020 on the hourly chart of EUR/USD at FXOpen.

• USD/JPY is trading in a bearish zone below the 143.40 and 142.85 levels.

• There was a break above a major bearish trend line with resistance near 142.25 on the hourly chart at FXOpen.

EUR/USD Technical Analysis

On the hourly chart of EUR/USD at FXOpen, the pair started a fresh increase above the 1.0930 zone. The Euro climbed above the 1.0985 resistance zone against the US Dollar.

The pair even settled above the 1.1020 resistance and the 50-hour simple moving average. Finally, it tested the 1.1040 resistance. A high is formed near 1.1044 and the pair is now consolidating gains.

If there is a downside correction, the pair might test the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the 1.0929 swing low to the 1.1044 high at 1.1020. There is also a key bullish trend line forming with support near 1.1020 and the 50-hour simple moving average.

The next major support is near the 50% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the 1.0929 swing low to the 1.1044 high at 1.0985.

If there is a downside break below 1.0985, the pair could drop toward the 1.0930 support. The main support on the EUR/USD chart is near 1.0910, below which the pair could start a major decline.

On the upside, the pair is now facing resistance near 1.1040. The next major resistance is near the 1.1065 level. An upside break above 1.1065 could set the pace for another increase. In the stated case, the pair might rise toward 1.1120.

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Disclaimer: This article represents the opinion of the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand only. It is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, or recommendation with respect to products and services provided by the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand, nor is it to be considered financial advice.

FTSE 100 Continues Pre-holiday Rally: Is 8000 in Sight?

Almost a year ago, the FTSE 100, which is a prestigious index comprising the most prestigious blue-chip stocks of companies listed on the London Stock Exchange, hit 8,000 points for the first time in history.

The euphoria that accompanied this historic breakthrough in mid-February 2023 echoed a similar response in 2021 when the index broke the 7,000 barrier for the first time ever. However, the brief venture above the 8,000 mark was relatively short-lived, and since then, the FTSE 100 index has languished anywhere between the mid-7,200 range up to the 7,700s during the last three quarters of this year.

Before the markets made their annual break for the holiday season that has just passed, the FTSE 100 index began to show a steady upward climb, which has been relatively consistent since October 27's low point of 7,259 at FXOpen.

Now, with the markets reopening this week, the FTSE 100's upward direction has continued to demonstrate buoyancy, and the possibility of reaching the lofty heights of 8,000 points is once again being openly discussed by market participants.

As the London trading session opened this morning, the FTSE 100 index jumped from 7,715 to 7,742 at FXOpen, giving further weight to opinions in mainstream media last week that a revisitation of the 8,000 mark may be in sight.

The reasons for this rally are being viewed by many analysts and commentators in a very basic form, largely centred on the possibility that central banks in Western continents, in which the main headquarters of companies listed in London and included in the FTSE 100 index, may reduce their interest rates as the talks about ending the prolonged policy of increasing them over recent years in an attempt to counter inflation.

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European Stock Index Shows Signs of Weakness

As the comparison chart shows, the ESX50 lags behind the US500. And this trend has been observed since mid-December, a period when central banks around the world published interest rate decisions and set expectations for the future. The divergence suggests that Europe's central bankers are in no rush to join the US turn to lower interest rates — even as investors continue to insist that they will have to accept easier monetary policy soon enough.

According to Bloomberg, after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell signalled that the focus is now on lowering borrowing costs, colleagues from Frankfurt to London said that a further slowdown in inflation cannot be taken for granted. That is, for now in Europe, policy easing is not yet on the agenda.

“We should absolutely not lower our guard,” European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde told reporters in December, while her Bank of England counterpart Andrew Bailey noted there was “still work to be done” in the fight to rein in consumer prices.

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Disclaimer: This article represents the opinion of the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand only. It is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, or recommendation with respect to products and services provided by the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand, nor is it to be considered financial advice.

Market Analysis: AUD/USD and NZD/USD Regain Strength

AUD/USD is moving higher and might climb further above 0.6870. NZD/USD is also rising and could extend its increase above the 0.6370 resistance zone.

Important Takeaways for AUD USD and NZD USD Analysis Today

• The Aussie Dollar started a fresh increase above the 0.6760 and 0.6800 levels against the US Dollar.

• There is a bullish flag forming with resistance near 0.6845 on the hourly chart of AUD/USD at FXOpen.

• NZD/USD is gaining bullish momentum above the 0.6320 support.

• There is a short-term contracting triangle forming with support near 0.6320 on the hourly chart of NZD/USD at FXOpen.

AUD/USD Technical Analysis

On the hourly chart of AUD/USD at FXOpen, the pair started a fresh increase from the 0.6725 support. The Aussie Dollar was able to clear the 0.6760 resistance to move into a positive zone against the US Dollar.

There was a close above the 0.6800 resistance and the 50-hour simple moving average. Finally, the pair tested the 0.6870 zone. A high is formed near 0.6869 and the pair is now consolidating gains.

There was a minor move below the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the 0.6724 swing low to the 0.6869 high.

On the downside, initial support is at 0.6820. The next support could be the 50% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the 0.6724 swing low to the 0.6869 high at 0.6800. If there is a downside break below the 0.6800 support, the pair could extend its decline toward the 0.6760 zone.

Any more losses might signal a move toward 0.6660. On the upside, the AUD/USD chart indicates that the pair is now facing resistance near 0.6845. There is also a bullish flag forming with resistance near 0.6845.

The first major resistance might be 0.6870. An upside break above the 0.6870 resistance might send the pair further higher. The next major resistance is near the 0.6920 level. Any more gains could clear the path for a move toward the 0.7000 resistance zone.

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Disclaimer: This article represents the opinion of the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand only. It is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, or recommendation with respect to products and services provided by the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand, nor is it to be considered financial advice.

The Dollar Stopped Falling

The US dollar is trying to win back losses, trading at 100.800 in USDX, however, key statistics on the labour market were negative: the number of initial applications for unemployment benefits amounted to 218.0k, much higher than 206.0k a week earlier and the expected 210.0k, as a result of which the total number of citizens receiving government assistance increased from 1.861 million to 1.875 million, putting pressure on the US currency. Market participants expect an adjustment in monetary policy from the US Federal Reserve, and also hope for a threefold reduction in borrowing costs next year. According to a CNBC survey of 300 leading investors, most expect the transition to dovish rates to begin in the second half of 2024, with some predicting it will begin in March.

EUR/USD

The EUR/USD pair is trading in the main range of 1.1083-1.1060, with the price trying to resume growth after a correction the day before, when it retreated from six-month highs at 1.1138. Immediate resistance can be seen at 1.1145, a break higher could trigger a rise towards 1.1177. On the downside, immediate support is seen at 1.1066, a break below could take the pair towards 1.1000.

The euro quotes were put under pressure by the continuing uncertainty regarding further actions (by the ECB) in the field of monetary policy. Previously, it was assumed that the European regulator, like the US Federal Reserve, would begin a cycle of easing monetary policy, but recent comments by ECB board member Robert Holtzman have somewhat changed these forecasts. The day before, in an interview with Bloomberg, the official said that it was too early to talk about the beginning of a reduction in borrowing costs in the region, while admitting that the measures taken by the department led to a noticeable weakening of inflation. The potential for the EUR/USD pair to resume its upward dynamics after the Christmas holidays remains.

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Bitcoin Price Starts the Year with Bullish Sentiment

The first Bitcoin block, also known as the genesis block, was mined on January 3, 2009 at 18:15:05 UTC. 15 years have passed and the value of Bitcoin is in the tens of thousands of US dollars.

In the first days of 2023, bitcoin was worth about $16,600 — and, as it turned out, this was the minimum. After all, then the BTC/USD rate went up and by the end of 2023 reached $44,000. The change was more than +150%!

On January 3, 2024, the price was already above $45,000, giving hope to the bulls that 2024 will be no less successful. If in the coming 2024 BTC/USD repeats the progress of last year, this will mean exceeding the psychological mark of USD 100,000 per coin!

What will influence the price of Bitcoin in the first half of the year?

→ Expected approval of applications for BTC ETF by the SEC regulator. On the one hand, approval will allow a wide range of people to simply invest in Bitcoin, which should increase demand. On the other hand, waiting for approval takes too long. And if it happens, it is possible that a price reduction may occur according to the “buy rumours, sell facts” principle.

→ Approximately, halving will occur in April. This will happen after the 210,000th block is mined. After the halving, miners' block rewards will be reduced from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC. It is believed that this should reduce the supply of coins on the market —  accordingly, the price of BTC/USD may rise (and history suggests this).

→ Fed rate cut. Easing monetary policy can serve as a driver for the growth of investment in risky assets, which is Bitcoin.

The BTC/USD daily chart shows that:

→ the price of Bitcoin is within the ascending channel;

→ the price broke through the resistance level of $44,400 per coin.

In this case, a comparison with the recent breakdown of the level of 38,000 is appropriate. If the price acts in the same bullish manner, it may consolidate above 44,400, without even testing this former resistance level.

If the demand for Bitcoin does not exhaust itself, the price may reach the upper boundary of the channel and drift towards the psychological mark of $50k. A return below the $44,000 level will mean a big setback for the bulls and will give reason to consider bearish scenarios, up to a breakdown of the current channel.

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Disclaimer: This article represents the opinion of the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand only. It is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, or recommendation with respect to products and services provided by the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand, nor is it to be considered financial advice.

EUR/USD, GBP/USD, and USD/JPY Market Analysis

Today, investors are focusing on the December minutes of the US Federal Reserve meeting, which will help clarify the regulator’s plans for the near future: more than 70.0% of analysts expect that officials may resume the program to reduce borrowing costs in March. Also during the day, December data on the index of business activity in the manufacturing sector from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) will be published: a moderate increase in the indicator is expected from 46.7 points to 47.1 points. It is worth noting that a similar index from S&P Global presented the day before did not meet analysts’ expectations, falling from 48.2 points to 47.9 points with neutral forecasts.

EUR/USD

According to EUR/USD technical analysis, the EUR/USD pair is showing slight growth, correcting after a rather sharp decline the day before, as a result of which the local lows of December 20, 2023, were updated. The single currency is trading near the 1.0960 mark, and market participants expect new drivers to appear in the market. Immediate resistance can be seen at 1.1000, a break higher could trigger a move towards 1.1047. On the downside, immediate support is seen at 1.0947, a break below could take the pair towards 1.0869.

The EU will present December inflation statistics within a week, which may affect the ECB's further monetary policy. The German consumer price index may rise by 0.1% in monthly terms after -0.4 and in annual terms from 3.2% to 3.8%. Final inflation data in the eurozone will be published on Friday. The annual rate is expected to accelerate from 2.4% to 3.0%. In addition, investors will evaluate the December report on the American labour market, which may also have an impact on future decisions of the US Federal Reserve.

Based on the lows of two days, a new downward channel has formed. Now the price is in the middle of the channel and may continue to decline after approaching the upper limit.

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Analysts Downgrade AAPL Shares

According to Yahoo Finance, Barclays analysts downgraded AAPL shares to “underweight” and lowered their price forecast: they expect the share price to drop to USD 160 (although AAPL traded above USD 184 yesterday).

Analysts justified their decision by their expectations of a decrease in demand for new iPhone models. “Our checks remain negative on volumes and mix for iPhone 15, and we see no features or upgrades that are likely to make the iPhone 16 more compelling.”

The news caused AAPL's share price to fall 3.6% on Tuesday, its biggest one-day percentage drop since September, and the decline wiped out more than USD 107 billion in market value. Concerns are growing due to:

→ growing competition from companies such as Huawei Technologies Co;

→ strict measures by the Chinese government against foreign-made devices.

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5 Stocks To Consider in January 2024

A new year means a new start. Market optimism appears to be the order of the day as the beginning of 2024 leads a foray into the new era in which the slow recovery of Western economies signalled in 2023.

With tech stocks back in the limelight over the course of recent months, will market conditions favour these even more during the year ahead?

Given that there is a wide range of speculations and expectations relating to a potential change in central bank policy, which would see a move away from the ultra-conservative methods being used on both sides of the Atlantic that have been in place for a long period, with increases in interest rates continuing despite the backdrop of reducing inflation, it may be worth considering that dynamic, modern high-tech companies whose stocks are listed on North American stock exchanges are very responsive to such changes.

In circumstances where monthly commitments are high, a very different corporate policy is often considered at times when the cost of meeting such commitments is considerably lower, allowing companies to reinvest in growth.

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Disclaimer: This article represents the opinion of the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand only. It is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, or recommendation with respect to products and services provided by the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand, nor is it to be considered financial advice.

USD/JPY: The Price Reaches Resistance at 145 Yen per US Dollar

As of Friday morning, the situation on the USD/JPY market deserves attention:

→ the US dollar is on course to demonstrate its strongest week since July 2023. The media writes that markets are adjusting expectations regarding the easing of monetary policy by the Fed.

→ The yen fell about 3% against the US dollar in the first week of the year, which could be its weakest weekly performance since August 2022.

The USD/JPY chart shows that:

→ the price moves within the descending channel (shown in red). Growth at the beginning of the year expanded its boundaries along the principle of a parallel channel.

→ the median line has been broken by the bulls. The price action around 142 shows increased demand. The price could not consolidate below this level in December, serving as a powerful support for ending panic on December 7 and 14-15. Also, demand forces did not allow the price to reach the lower border of the channel on December 28.

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High Hopes for FTSE 100 Deflate After First Week of 2024

At the end of last year, there were a number of interesting speculations regarding the trajectory that the stock of London's most prestigious 100 companies would take in the new year.

The FTSE 100 index had been increasing in value very steadily during the final two weeks of 2023, creating the potential notion that it may venture toward the 8,000 mark once again, revisiting the milestone which it passed in February last year for the first time in history.

One full week of trading has now passed since 2024 began, and the upward direction that was prevailing at the end of December has not continued.

Instead, a steady decrease in value has materialised, with the FTSE 100 index having reduced in value over the five-day moving average from 7,764 on January 2 to 7,680 on the opening bell this morning at the London Stock Exchange at FXOpen. The FTSE 100 had dipped as low as 7,654 on Friday afternoon last week.

Hopes were high for a bumper start to 2024 for the London Stock Exchange's FTSE 100 index, with many analysts having made their predictions at the end of 2023 that it would have a better year in 2024 than it did in 2023.

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Disclaimer: This article represents the opinion of the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand only. It is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, or recommendation with respect to products and services provided by the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand, nor is it to be considered financial advice.