Quarterly Outlook
Fixed Income Outlook: Bonds Hit Reset. A New Equilibrium Emerges
Althea Spinozzi
Head of Fixed Income Strategy
Access both platforms from your single Saxo account.
Gold revival still depends on the dollar
Ole Hansen
Head of Commodity Strategy
Gold is trading back above $1,200/oz as it continues to recover from its mid-August nadir. A continued recovery could eventually trigger an accelerated rally due to short-covering from hedge funds currently holding a record short. For now, the key source of inspiration for gold traders remains USD, and this is true for both bulls and bears.
The strong dollar surge following the collapse of the Turkish lira was halted in mid-August when President Trump criticised the Federal Reserve while saying that Jerome Powell had not been the cheap money chairman he had hoped for, and as a result the dollar was too strong.
(Some other reasons for the latest dollar weakness and renewed appetite for risk can be found here in John Hardy’s latest forex update.)
Gold is currently challenging the next area of resistance at $1,217/oz with a break above opening up for a move to $1,235/oz. Continued dollar weakness is needed to trigger a short-covering rally from funds holding a record short.
Since then the greenback has continued to lose ground despite firm signals, as per the recent Federal Open market Committee minutes and last Friday's Jackson Hole speech by Powell suggesting the Fed is readying more rate hikes. One of the best performing major currencies has been the euro (+3.5% from its mid-August low) which despite worries about Italy has been supported by macroeconomic data that continue to beat estimates.
The Citi Economic surprise index, which measures economic data surprises relative to market expectations, shows the current divergence between the Eurozone and the US where data have warned about a dollar turnaround for some time now, with data weakening relative to expectations.
The Citi Economic surprise index, which measures economic data surprises relative to market expectations, shows the current divergence between the Eurozone and the US where data have warned about a dollar turnaround for some time now, with data weakening relative to expectations.
The Chinese yuan maintains a very high historical correlation to gold and the two have continued to recover after the People's Bank of China sent a signal (through the use of various measures) in mid-August that a USDCNY rate above 7 was unlikely to be tolerated. Since then, the yuan has advanced by 1.9% while gold has added 3.4%.
The market will now increasingly be looking for signs of if and when hedge funds begin to abandon their record net-short position in COMEX gold futures. During a six-week period up until August 21, they accumulated a record short of 79,000 lots, some 3.3 times bigger than the previous record from December 2015.
A recovery in gold may attract an even bigger interest in silver given its relative cheapness. The XAUXAG ratio currently trades at 81 (ounces of silver to buy one ounce of gold); silver has only traded above this level on a few occasions over the past 10 years.
Latest Market Insights
Quarterly Outlook
-
-
Quarterly Outlook
Equity Outlook: Will lower rates lift all boats in equities?
Peter Garnry
Chief Investment Strategist
After a period of historically high equity index concentration driven by the 'Magnificent Seven' sto... -
Quarterly Outlook
FX Outlook: USD in limbo amid political and policy jitters
Charu Chanana
Chief Investment Strategist
As we enter the final quarter of 2024, currency markets are set for heightened turbulence due to US ... -
Quarterly Outlook
Macro Outlook: The US rate cut cycle has begun
Peter Garnry
Chief Investment Strategist
The Fed started the US rate cut cycle in Q3 and in this macro outlook we will explore how the rate c... -
Quarterly Outlook
Commodity Outlook: Gold and silver continue to shine bright
Ole Hansen
Head of Commodity Strategy
-
Quarterly Outlook
FX: Risk-on currencies to surge against havens
Charu Chanana
Chief Investment Strategist
Explore the outlook for USD, AUD, NZD, and EM carry trades as risk-on currencies are set to outperfo... -
Quarterly Outlook
Equities: Are we blowing bubbles again
Peter Garnry
Chief Investment Strategist
Explore key trends and opportunities in European equities and electrification theme as market dynami... -
Quarterly Outlook
Macro: Sandcastle economics
Peter Garnry
Chief Investment Strategist
Explore the "two-lane economy," European equities, energy commodities, and the impact of US fiscal p... -
Quarterly Outlook
Bonds: What to do until inflation stabilises
Althea Spinozzi
Head of Fixed Income Strategy
Discover strategies for managing bonds as US and European yields remain rangebound due to uncertain ... -
Quarterly Outlook
Commodities: Energy and grains in focus as metals pause
Ole Hansen
Head of Commodity Strategy
Energy and grains to shine as metals pause. Discover key trends and market drivers for commodities i...
Disclaimer
The Saxo Bank Group entities each provide execution-only service and access to Analysis permitting a person to view and/or use content available on or via the website. This content is not intended to and does not change or expand on the execution-only service. Such access and use are at all times subject to (i) The Terms of Use; (ii) Full Disclaimer; (iii) The Risk Warning; (iv) the Rules of Engagement and (v) Notices applying to Saxo News & Research and/or its content in addition (where relevant) to the terms governing the use of hyperlinks on the website of a member of the Saxo Bank Group by which access to Saxo News & Research is gained. Such content is therefore provided as no more than information. In particular no advice is intended to be provided or to be relied on as provided nor endorsed by any Saxo Bank Group entity; nor is it to be construed as solicitation or an incentive provided to subscribe for or sell or purchase any financial instrument. All trading or investments you make must be pursuant to your own unprompted and informed self-directed decision. As such no Saxo Bank Group entity will have or be liable for any losses that you may sustain as a result of any investment decision made in reliance on information which is available on Saxo News & Research or as a result of the use of the Saxo News & Research. Orders given and trades effected are deemed intended to be given or effected for the account of the customer with the Saxo Bank Group entity operating in the jurisdiction in which the customer resides and/or with whom the customer opened and maintains his/her trading account. Saxo News & Research does not contain (and should not be construed as containing) financial, investment, tax or trading advice or advice of any sort offered, recommended or endorsed by Saxo Bank Group and should not be construed as a record of our trading prices, or as an offer, incentive or solicitation for the subscription, sale or purchase in any financial instrument. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, would be considered as a marketing communication under relevant laws.
Please read our disclaimers:
- Notification on Non-Independent Investment Research (https://www.home.saxo/legal/niird/notification)
- Full disclaimer (https://www.home.saxo/en-gb/legal/disclaimer/saxo-disclaimer)