Forex and Bitcoin news for Asia trading Tuesday 20 February 2018
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- WSJ reports - South Korean Cryptocurrency Regulator Found Dead at Home
- Asian equities mostly lower, US equity futures recovering from earlier losses
- NZD traders - more preview for the dairy auction due during London time Tuesday
- South Korea says doesn't plan to oppose joint military drills with US
- Responses to the RBA minutes coming in - a little more confident about the consumer
- US President Trump tweets that the US economy is looking very good
- Former BOJ board member Kiuchi says BOJ to gradually edge away from crisis-mode stimulus
- Voting in Germany today the (political) focus in Europe on Tuesday - what to expect
- Heads up for large forex option expiries due later in the week
- US yields edge higher again ... currencies slip a little against USD
- FX option expiries for 20 February 2018 - 10am NY cut
- SG says more USD correction coming - forecasts include further 6% euro appreciation
- RBA minutes (Feb): Rising AUD would impede pick up in growth, inflation
- Heads up for NZD traders - dairy auction due during London time Tuesday
- Japan finance minister Aso: More or less escaped from economic depression
- Japan economy minister Motegi says country will soon be out of deflation situation
- AUD traders - heads up for RBA today, & something more interesting later (previews)
- Reuters survey shows less than half of firms plan to raise base wages this year
- Chill out everyone - here is why we need more Meddle
- Australia - ANZ Roy Morgan weekly survey of consumer sentiment: 115.3 (prior 119.5)
- Brexit - UK has secret plan to withhold billions to force EU trade deal
- RBA's Bullock says mortgage stress is still relatively low in Australia
- North Korea - experimental light water nuclear reactor appears nearing completion
- NZ Q4 PPIs: Input 0.9% q/q (prior +1.0%) & Output 1.0% q/q (prior +1.0%)
- Trade ideas thread – Tuesday 20 February 2018
- Barclays on the week ahead for GBP (and their forecast for the BoE)
- Psst - did you hear the one about the trader who bought $400 million in bitcoin?
- Economic calendar due from Asia today: A twofer from the Reserve Bank of Australia
Yields on US government debt continued edging higher here in Asia today, with the 2 year note to its highest yield since September of 2008.
There was very little fresh news nor data (there was some, I'll get to it) and forex seemed responsive to the debt moves. The USD gained pretty much across the board, and so we have slightly weaker EUR, CHF, GBP, NZD, yen, CAD gold against the big dollar. AUD is barely changed ( .... coming to that).
Of note were comments from an ex-Bank of Japan monetary policy board member (Kiuchi). He is of the opinion the BOj will 'taper', but not soon - see his comments in the bullets above ... if you were a (not too harsh) judge you say he didn't add much new at all.
We got Reserve Bank of Australia February meeting minutes today. There were no surprises in these, the bank reiterating familiar themes. The Australian dollar didn't do much upon the release but lost ground against the USD as it gained. AUD/USD has subsequently come back a little to be down just small on the session.
Still to come
- Voting in Germany today the (political) focus in Europe on Tuesday
- Heads up for NZD traders - dairy auction due during London time
- NZD traders - more preview for the dairy auction
And, a plug for the Asian time tomorrow:
