Market Quick Take - October 15, 2020

Market Quick Take - October 15, 2020

Macro
John J. Hardy

Chief Macro Strategist

Summary:  The US equity markets saw a fresh slide yesterday, and the last two sessions of declines, together with a slide in the futures overnight, have now wiped away all of the steep rally from Monday in the S&P500 index. Sentiment may be weakening on fading US stimulus hopes. Elsewhere, sterling traders are buffeted by Boris Johnson canceling his Brexit deadline and Aussie traders by RBA considering longer term asset purchases.


What is our trading focus?

  • Nasdaq 100 (USNAS100.I) and S&P 500 (US500.I) - US equities saw a weak session yesterday and the selling continued overnight in the index futures. Very downbeat reaction to large bank earnings noted below were one concern, although technically, the major indices have room to consolidated further without reversing the recent rally wave after the steep rally from September lows. The next support areas come in around 3,410 for the S&P 500 and the more well defined 11,600 area in the Nasdaq 100.

  • USDJPY and other JPY crosses – the weak risk sentiment of the last few sessions and likely more significant, the drop in long safe haven bond yields has helped boost the JPY, with USDJPY having a look at the often pivotal 105.00 level yesterday without breaking it. The lack of JPY volatility has been notable for quite some time and a break below 105.00 that actually holds for a time (as opposed to the previous tests below, which quickly found support and failed to stay below for more than a week) could bring a reassessment of the yen.

  • GBPUSD and EURGBP crunch time is pushed back – but how far? - sterling jumped significantly yesterday after Boris Johnson announced that he would not pull out of Brexit talks today – suggesting that these are at least promising enough to offer some hope for an agreement in principle in the coming weeks. This sent GBPUSD back above 1.3000 and EURGBP to a new low daily close below 0.9050 - but traders may be reluctant to take sterling much higher until it sees a headline pointing to an amicable agreement – or the opposite. And the crunch phase for whether an agreement is possible may not arrive until later this month or in early November, according to both sides in the talks.

  • Brent Crude Oil (OILUKDEC20) and WTI Crude Oil (OILUSNOV20) - Oil poked higher again yesterday and the December Brent contract is near the range highs since September around 43.50 and the 200-day moving average is dropping into view not far above that level. The November WTI contract has a similar setup with its range high at 41.50 and has actually criss-crossed the 200-day moving average (now below 41.00) in recent sessions. The US API inventories in dropped over 5 million barrels last week, and the market will eye the latest weekly supply figures from the US DoE due later today.

What is going on?

  • Ugly action in big US banks after earnings reports - Goldman Sachs managed to avoid a significant sell-off yesterday, although it did post a modestly negative session despite the best earnings results in years on strong trading-driven revenue. But Bank of America and Wells Fargo both suffered ugly sell-offs yesterday of more than 5%, Bank of America as it failed to capitalize on the volatile trading environment to the degree its competitors did and its consumer unit saw a 17% decline from the year prior. Wells Fargo, like every other large US bank reporting so far, was able to set aside fewer funds than expected for loan losses than expected, but sold off on the announcement of a $1 billion charge to deal with a long standing customer abuse scandal and another $718 million restructuring chart. The bank’s revenue handily beat expectations, but the guidance was less optimistic on net interest income prospects in Q4 than, for example, Bank of America, which thinks it saw the bottom in Q3. At yesterday’s closing price, Wells Fargo is below its lowest weekly close since 2009.

  • Australia RBA Governor Lowe considering further easing measures – this was a surprise to the market, which took the Aussie and Australia’s bond yields sharply lower overnight, if modestly so. Governor Lowe said that the RBA’s board is discussing whether extending its purchase out the curve (currently the RBA has a 3-year yield-curve-control policy) would help the Australian labor market. Lowe commented that Australia’s 10-year yield is higher than “almost everywhere in the world”, although at some 0.84% before his comments (and 0.77% after), it is not far north of, for example, the US 10-year treasury yield of 0.71%.

  • France imposes a curfew to slow the Covid-19 resurgence - in the greater Paris area and several other major French cities that will not allow people out on the streets from late evening until morning, with further measures to follow if virus measures don’t improve in the next 10 days.

  • iTraxx Volatility for Investment Grade and High Yield corporates is rising again. European corporate bond volatility has dropped to levels seen at the beginning of March, however as Covid-19 cases continue to rise and winter approaches, volatility seems to start rising again.

  • The New York Fed has unveiled Treasury purchase scheduled for the second half of October. The NY Fed that is buying Treasury securities at a rate of $80bn a month, has released the schedule covering the end of the month. Out of the $40, almost half are being invested in the belly of the curve, with maturities up to 7 years. Around $4bn will go to Treasuries with maturity from 20 to 30 years.

What we are watching next?

  • US pre-election stimulus prospects are fading fast. US President Trump seems in full campaign mode and Republicans are in an uproar after Twitter and Facebook refuse to allow links to a NY Post hit piece on Biden. The Biden campaign called it a “Russian disinformation” attempt. With no deal on stimulus, at least 13 million US workers could face a complete lack of income with key elements of the prior stimulus deal set to expire on December 31.

  • US Q3 earnings season continues and picks up further next week. Another large bank – Morgan Stanley – reports today, while next week features market cap heavyweights like Tesla, Intel, Amazon, and Netflix.

Economic Calendar Highlights for today (times GMT)

  • 0730 – Sweden Aug. Unemployment Rate
  • 0950 – Hungary Rate Announcement
  • 1230 – US Oct. Empire Manufacturing
  • 1230 – US Weekly Initial- and Continuing Jobless Claims
  • 1230 – US Philadelphia Fed Survey
  • 1300 – UK Bank of England’s Cunliffe to Speak
  • 1430 – US Weekly Natural Gas Storage
  • 1430 – US DoE Crude Oil Inventories
  • 1500 – US Fed’s Quarles (FOMC Voter) to Speak
  • 1600 – ECB President Lagarde to Speak
  • 2100 – US Fed’s Kashkari (FOMC Voter) to Speak on Economic Outlook

Follow SaxoStrats on the daily Saxo Markets Call on your favorite podcast app:

Apple Sportify Soundcloud Stitcher

Quarterly Outlook

01 /

  • Macro Outlook: The US rate cut cycle has begun

    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...
  • Fixed Income Outlook: Bonds Hit Reset. A New Equilibrium Emerges

    Quarterly Outlook

    Fixed Income Outlook: Bonds Hit Reset. A New Equilibrium Emerges

    Althea Spinozzi

    Head of Fixed Income Strategy

  • Equity Outlook: Will lower rates lift all boats in equities?

    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...
  • FX Outlook: USD in limbo amid political and policy jitters

    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 ...
  • Commodity Outlook: Gold and silver continue to shine bright

    Quarterly Outlook

    Commodity Outlook: Gold and silver continue to shine bright

    Ole Hansen

    Head of Commodity Strategy

  • FX: Risk-on currencies to surge against havens

    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...
  • Equities: Are we blowing bubbles again

    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...
  • Macro: Sandcastle economics

    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...
  • Bonds: What to do until inflation stabilises

    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 ...
  • Commodities: Energy and grains in focus as metals pause

    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

Saxo Capital Markets (Australia) Limited prepares and distributes information/research produced within the Saxo Bank Group for informational purposes only. In addition to the disclaimer below, if any general advice is provided, such advice does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider the appropriateness of trading any financial instrument as trading can result in losses that exceed your initial investment. Please refer to our Analysis Disclaimer, and our Financial Services Guide and Product Disclosure Statement. All legal documentation and disclaimers can be found at https://www.home.saxo/en-au/legal/.

The Saxo Bank Group entities each provide execution-only service. Access and use of Saxo News & Research and any Saxo Bank Group website are subject to (i) the Terms of Use; (ii) the full Disclaimer; and (iii) the Risk Warning in addition (where relevant) to the terms governing the use of the website of a member of the Saxo Bank Group.

Saxo News & Research is provided for informational purposes, 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. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. All trading or investments you make must be pursuant to your own unprompted and informed self-directed decision. No Saxo Bank Group entity shall be liable for any losses that you may sustain as a result of any investment decision made in reliance on information on Saxo News & Research.

To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, such 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.

None of the information contained here constitutes an offer to purchase or sell a financial instrument, or to make any investments.Saxo Capital Markets does not take into account your personal investment objectives or financial situation and makes no representation and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the information nor for any loss arising from any investment made in reliance of this presentation. Any opinions made are subject to change and may be personal to the author. These may not necessarily reflect the opinion of Saxo Capital Markets or its affiliates.

Please read our disclaimers:
- Full Disclaimer (https://www.home.saxo/en-au/legal/disclaimer/saxo-disclaimer)
- Analysis Disclaimer (https://www.home.saxo/en-au/legal/analysis-disclaimer/saxo-analysis-disclaimer)
- Notification on Non-Independent Investment Research (https://www.home.saxo/legal/niird/notification)

Saxo Capital Markets (Australia) Limited
Suite 1, Level 14, 9 Castlereagh St
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

Contact Saxo

Select region

Australia
Australia

The Saxo trading platform has received numerous awards and recognition. For details of these awards and information on awards visit www.home.saxo/en-au/about-us/awards

Saxo Capital Markets (Australia) Limited ABN 32 110 128 286 AFSL 280372 (‘Saxo’ or ‘Saxo Capital Markets’) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saxo Bank A/S, headquartered in Denmark. Please refer to our General Business Terms, Financial Services Guide, Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determination to consider whether acquiring or continuing to hold financial products is suitable for you, prior to opening an account and investing in a financial product.

Trading in financial instruments carries various risks, and is not suitable for all investors. Please seek expert advice, and always ensure that you fully understand these risks before trading. Saxo Capital Markets does not provide ‘personal’ financial product advice, any information available on this website is ‘general’ in nature and for informational purposes only. Saxo Capital Markets does not take into account an individual’s needs, objectives or financial situation. The Target Market Determination should assist you in determining whether any of the products or services we offer are likely to be consistent with your objectives, financial situation and needs.

Apple, iPad and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the US and other countries. AppStore is a service mark of Apple Inc.

The information or the products and services referred to on this website may be accessed worldwide, however is only intended for distribution to and use by recipients located in countries where such use does not constitute a violation of applicable legislation or regulations. Products and Services offered on this website is not intended for residents of the United States and Japan.

Please click here to view our full disclaimer.