Euro/Yen Decline Will Continue Soon
Weekly Forex Technicals | Written by DailyFX | Apr 09 08 19:55 GMT |
Euro/Yen Decline Will Continue Soon
Do not be fooled by the EURJPY rally back to 160. The larger trend is down, as evidenced by wave structure and the break of a 7+ year trendline. The decline should continue soon.
EURJPY Current Value: 160.92
4/9/2008 1:18 PM
Short Trade PEnding
The weekly chart of the EURJPY shows that a 5 wave bull cycle from the October 2000 low at 88.94 ended in July 2007 at 168.94. Since July, a 3 wave correction has been underway. Waves A and B of that correction are complete and wave C is underway from the October 2007 high of 167.73. Wave C is expected to eventually enter the area of the former 4th wave (which coincides with the Fibonacci zone) that extends from 124.16-141.58. Also, in January, a 7+ year supporting trendline was broken; which supports the assertion that 168.98 is a major top.
Zooming in on the daily, we are treating the decline from 167.73 (top of wave B) to 151.71 as wave 1 of C. This decline has taken the form of a leading diagonal (waves i and iv overlap and wave i through v each consist of 3 waves). The sharp rise from 151.71 is considered wave 2. Second waves usually reverse near the former 4th wave and/or the 61.8% of wave 1. These levels are 161.40 and 161.55. The high yesterday was 161.71. While this is reason to suspect that 161.71 is the wave 2 high, a closer look reveals that the EURJPY will probably spike through 162 before plummeting in wave 3 of C.
In Elliott, form is most important. It is form that has us suspecting that larger wave 2 is not yet complete. Wave 2 has taken the form of a zigzag (a-b-c). Wave c would equal wave a at 162.67. More important though is that wave 5 of c is unfolding as an ending diagonal and one more high is required (above 161.71) in order for the pattern to be considered complete. 162.67 (waves a and c of the diagonal are equal) and 164.30 (78.6% of 167.73-151.71) are potential reversal points. Due to the larger bearish pattern remaining intact as long as price is below 167.73 and that this top may not form until next week, we will publish our specific entry at a later date at FXCMTR.
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Forex Weekly Reports (ActionForex.com)
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Two American economists recently conducted a computer simulation to determine how the role of the US Dollar as the world's reserve currency will evolve over the next decade. Their hypothesis- that the Dollar's preeminence would be maintained- was contradicted by the simulation leading them to conclude that the Euro will overtake the Dollar within the next 10-15 years. This may be hard for many analysts to stomach, since the Dollar's share in global currency reserves is 66%, compared to the Euro's 25%. In addition, the Dollar has held its title for nearly 150 years, and it's difficult to fathom its being replaced.
However, two factors have emerged within the last 10 years, lending support to the argument. First, the US twin deficits have exploded; the current account deficit approximates $800 Billion and the national debt is estimated at $9.4 Trillion. Second, prior to the inception of the Euro, there didn't exist a credible alternative to the Dollar. The Deutsch Mark and Japanese Yen initially seemed like potential candidates, but the German currency was folded into the Euro, and the Japanese economy has soured and taken over by deflation. Then there are peripheral factors, like US monetary policy, which is facilitating inflation and eroding the Dollar. There are also signs that a neo-imperialist foreign policy has overstretched the US, and foreign Central Banks are becoming nervous. The Financial Times reports:
Many developing countries will find it harder to maintain their dollar pegs. They may be reluctant to drop them now but there will come a point when the rise in inflationary pressures becomes unbearable.
Read More: This crisis could bring the euro centre-stage
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Return of the Carry Trade?
After the Fed cut its benchmark lending rate by 75 basis points last week, the Dollar immediately rallied 2.5% against the Japanese Yen, marking its highest daily rise in nine years. Some analysts are at a loss to explain this phenomenon, since a narrower interest rate differential should have produced the opposite effect. Perhaps, the answer can be found in the carry trade, whereby investors sell Yen in favor of higher-yielding currencies. Support for the carry trade typically moves inversely with volatility. For example, when risk aversion rises due to economic uncertainty, investors typically unwind their carry trade positions. With the Fed rate cut last week, however, risk aversion actually fell, and the S&P 500 Index surged. By no coincidence, the Yen fell. Reuters reports:
As U.S. stocks rallied, with investors willing to take on more risk, the dollar recouped some of Monday's sharp losses versus the low-yielding yen.
Read More: Dollar posts biggest gain vs yen in nine years
Japan (Also) Mulls Intervention
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Japan's consumers are notoriously tightfisted, and consequently, its economy is dependent on the export sector to drive growth. Unfortunately, the more expensive Yen is making this sector less competitive. In addition, Japan's new Prime Minister has yet to lay out an economic plan, and the stock market is foundering. A number of creative solutions are being mulled, including one to buy American mortgage-backed securities, in order to head off the international opposition to intervention. The New York Times reports:
That might win Washington’s approval by helping to ease the credit squeeze in the United States, but given such securities’ role in precipitating the crisis of the last several months, it might well set off cries of dismay here.
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The Rising Threat of Intervention
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ECB Executive Board member Lorenzo Bini Smaghi said in a speech on Tuesday markets sometimes overshot, with possible negative implications for the world economy. Since his speech, the dollar has strengthened by almost 2 cents against the euro.
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The strong real has made some Brazilian manufactured exports such as textiles and footwear less competitive. Meanwhile, it also has introduced a boom in imports resulting in a narrowing of the country's trade surplus.
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Read More: Three Strikes Against the U.S. Dollar