Month: February 2013

Short Term Technicals – Yellow Light

Forex Kong Got something to say?

The past two days of solid USD strength have created a couple of concerns on a purely short-term technical level, as well with extremely light trading volume all week and the G20 meeting wrapping up here tomorrow – let’s just say..I’ve had better.

With a number of mixed signals across asset classes, the SP 500 pushed to its highs, gold / silver taken directly to the doghouse and the Yen rolling over ( or not) – it’s just as well to clear the deck, clear one’s head, regroup and read up over the weekend. Interestingly my heart hasn’t really been “in it” here this week – and as a result my trading has suffered. I took my first small weekly loss in months, and will chalk it up as yet another lesson learned. You can’t turn your back on this thing for a second – short of having your pocket picked and or face blown off. I know this….you know this.

Looking ahead – we will get whatever “news” out of the completion of the G20 meetings, and prepare for another week out on the battlefield. At risk of sounding like a broken record – I still have little belief that any “USD rally” will be anything more than a blip – but of course stranger things have happened.

Thankfully my short-term technical system has again done it’s job in keeping me nimble and not tied to any particular trade / concept. We’ve considered this a near term “top” – so regardless of what further upside may be seen – I will be stepping lightly in following days.

Reading the Tactical Tea Leaves: G20 Aftermath and Currency Realignment

The USD Rally Mirage and Central Bank Reality Check

Let’s get something straight right off the bat – this recent USD strength has all the hallmarks of a technical squeeze rather than any fundamental shift in the underlying narrative. When you’ve got the Federal Reserve still sitting on a bloated balance sheet north of $8 trillion and real rates that remain deeply negative across the curve, calling this a sustainable dollar rally is like calling a sugar rush a fitness plan. The market loves to get cute with these counter-trend moves, especially when positioning gets too crowded on one side. Every swinging dick and their grandmother has been short the dollar for months, and when that happens, you get these violent snapbacks that separate the wheat from the chaff.

The technical damage is real though – no point in sugar-coating it. EUR/USD breaking below that 1.1800 support level and GBP/USD getting monkey-hammered below 1.3500 has the algos and momentum chasers all firing in the same direction. But here’s the thing about technical breakdowns in a counter-trend move – they’re designed to inflict maximum pain on maximum participants. Smart money knows this game, which is why we’re staying light and keeping our powder dry.

Cross-Asset Signals and the Risk-Off Rotation

The bond market is telling a completely different story than equities right now, and that divergence should have everyone paying attention. Ten-year yields backing off from their recent highs while the S&P pushes into blue sky territory – that’s not the behavior you’d expect if this USD rally had real legs. The precious metals getting absolutely demolished is the most telling signal of all. When gold drops $50 in two sessions while real rates are still negative, you’re looking at forced liquidation and margin calls, not a fundamental reassessment of monetary policy.

The yen’s behavior is particularly instructive here. USD/JPY pushing toward 115 should theoretically be signaling risk-on conditions and rising rate differentials. Instead, we’re seeing this move happen alongside equity weakness in Asia and continued dovishness from the Bank of Japan. That’s a classic late-cycle divergence that typically resolves with a sharp reversal in the primary trend. The yen carry trade has been funding risk assets for months – when that unwinds, it unwinds fast and ugly.

G20 Theatrical Performance and Policy Divergence

These G20 meetings are always more theater than substance, but the underlying tensions are real enough. You’ve got the ECB still committed to their ultra-accommodative stance while the Fed talks a hawkish game they can’t actually play. Lagarde knows damn well that any sustained euro strength kills their export competitiveness and makes their debt dynamics even more precarious. Meanwhile, Powell’s caught between an inflation narrative that demands action and a financial system that can’t handle any real tightening.

The emerging market currencies are where the real action is happening though. When you see the Mexican peso and Brazilian real getting hammered alongside traditional safe-haven flows, that’s telling you this move is more about deleveraging than any fundamental USD strength. These currencies have been beneficiaries of the commodities boom and dovish Fed policy – their weakness suggests the market is pricing in a more hawkish Fed than current policy actually supports.

Tactical Positioning for the Week Ahead

Going into next week, the key is staying flexible and not getting married to any particular view. This USD strength has created some technically oversold conditions in the major crosses that could provide excellent fade opportunities for those with strong stomachs. EUR/USD below 1.1750 starts to look attractive on a risk-reward basis, especially with ECB officials likely to start pushing back on excessive euro weakness.

The commodity currencies are where I’m watching most closely though. AUD/USD and NZD/USD have been absolutely destroyed in this move, but both economies are benefiting from the China reopening story and elevated commodity prices. When the technical selling exhausts itself, these pairs could snap back violently. CAD is particularly interesting given the Bank of Canada’s relatively hawkish stance compared to other central banks.

Bottom line – respect the trend but prepare for the reversal. This USD rally will end the same way they all do in this zero-rate environment: suddenly and without much warning.

USD Swing High – Look Out Below

Forex Kong 24 Comments

The USD has formed a “swing high” here as of this early morning / last night – and would be projected to fall over coming days. I’ve been on about this since early this week, and now see further confirmation that indeed – we should make the turn here and expect a lower dollar.

This being said – a number of trade opportunities are now available including long NZD/USD, AUD/USD, EUR/USD as well short USD/CAD and USD/CHF to name a few (a few that I am currently holding).

If you’ve been reading here at all over the past few months you’ll already know that I generally “buy around the horn” with smaller orders throughout a given few days – in order to catch the largest part of the move right at the start. (please research previous articles – this strategy is in there).

This has been a touch tricky here as of late with some real volatility out there – and currencies moving wildly….although as of this morning, I would be far more confident in putting some money to work.

For you equities guys – this “should” translate into higher stock prices (as unreal as this sounds) and for those still struggling with gold and silver (as am I) – likely as good a day for you to catch up on some yard work / house cleaning / snow shovelling etc…as I don’t expect a single things to budge.

…..Hope you all have a good day out there today.

The Dollar Reversal: Strategic Positioning for Maximum Profit

Technical Confirmation and Market Structure

The swing high formation we’re seeing in the USD isn’t just some random price action – it’s a textbook reversal pattern that’s been building for weeks. When you look at the daily charts across major pairs, you’ll notice the dollar has been struggling to make new highs despite multiple attempts. This failure to break through key resistance levels, combined with weakening momentum indicators, tells us everything we need to know about where this market is headed.

The real confirmation comes from watching how the dollar reacts to support levels it previously held with conviction. We’re seeing clean breaks below these levels with no meaningful bounce-back attempts. That’s institutional money moving, not retail traders getting shaken out. When the big players start repositioning against the dollar, you don’t want to be caught on the wrong side of that trade.

Risk-on sentiment is clearly building beneath the surface, and currency markets are always the first to telegraph these shifts. The correlation between dollar weakness and risk asset strength isn’t some academic theory – it’s a fundamental driver that’s been playing out for decades. Smart money recognizes this relationship and positions accordingly.

Commodity Currency Opportunities

The commodity currencies – particularly NZD and AUD – are setting up beautifully here. These pairs have been coiled tight against the dollar for weeks, and when that spring finally releases, the moves tend to be explosive. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has been more hawkish than most anticipated, and with global growth concerns starting to ease, commodity demand should pick up significantly.

AUD/USD specifically looks primed for a major breakout above the 0.6800 level. Australian employment data has been surprisingly robust, and if China continues its reopening trajectory, Australian exports will benefit tremendously. The technical setup shows a clear cup and handle formation on the daily chart – exactly the kind of pattern that produces sustained moves rather than fake breakouts.

Don’t overlook USD/CAD on the short side either. Oil prices have been quietly building strength, and the Bank of Canada’s hawkish stance provides fundamental support for the loonie. The pair has been rejected multiple times at the 1.3500 resistance zone, suggesting we’re due for a meaningful correction lower.

European Markets and Cross-Currency Dynamics

EUR/USD presents perhaps the most compelling risk-reward setup of the bunch. The European Central Bank’s aggressive tightening cycle is finally starting to show real effects on inflation expectations, while the Federal Reserve is clearly shifting toward a more dovish stance. This divergence in monetary policy creates the perfect storm for euro strength against the dollar.

The technical picture supports this fundamental view completely. We’ve seen multiple false breakdowns below 1.0500 that quickly reversed, indicating strong institutional buying at those levels. When price repeatedly fails to break a significant support level, it’s usually preparing for a move in the opposite direction. Target the 1.1200-1.1300 zone for initial profit-taking, but don’t be surprised if this move extends much further.

USD/CHF offers another high-probability short opportunity, especially given Switzerland’s role as a safe haven during periods of dollar weakness. The Swiss National Bank has been less aggressive with interventions lately, allowing the franc to find its natural level against major currencies. Technical resistance at 0.9200 has held firm, and a break below 0.8900 should accelerate the decline significantly.

Position Management and Risk Considerations

The “buying around the horn” strategy becomes even more critical during these major trend changes. Rather than trying to time the exact bottom or top, you’re building positions gradually as the new trend establishes itself. This approach protects you from the inevitable whipsaws that occur during transition periods while ensuring you capture the meat of the eventual move.

Keep position sizes manageable during this initial phase. Even with high conviction setups, market volatility can produce unexpected price spikes that test your resolve. The goal is staying in the game long enough to profit from the larger directional move, not getting knocked out by short-term noise.

Monitor central bank communications closely over the coming sessions. Any hints of policy shifts from major banks could either accelerate these trends or cause temporary reversals. The key is distinguishing between genuine policy changes and routine jawboning designed to manage expectations.

Currency Crossroads – G20 Jitters

Forex Kong 2 Comments

The Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (also known as the G-20, G20, and Group of Twenty) is a group of finance ministers and central bank governors from 20 major economies.

The G7 (also known as the G-7) is an international finance group consisting of the finance ministers from seven industrialized nations: the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, and Japan.

The G7 has already met this week – and hopes to present a unified message to the smaller contributing countries of the G20 set to meet here on Friday and Saturday – ie………..”let’s not pull another Chavez (Venezuelan Pres. who just devalued their currency by 32% last week… and practically overnight) and leave us to do the devaluing on our own”.

Japan is clearly in the doghouse (as seen kicking ass in the current currency war) and it will be more than interesting to see what comes out of it all. At this point the currency war is really heating up  – and the markets are more or less at a stand still…frozen like a deer in the headlights.

Frankly – standing clear of it  is about the best advice I can give – as volatility is up and direction is unclear.

The USD weakness is right on track as suggested –  but thus far, the waters are choppy to say the least. Unfortunately for tonight and likely tomorrow – no trade may very well be the best trade.

Currency War Fallout: Reading the Tea Leaves

Japan’s Yen Debasement Strategy Under Fire

The Bank of Japan’s aggressive quantitative easing program has essentially put a giant target on their back at these G20 meetings. When you’re systematically debasing your currency to boost exports while everyone else is trying to manage their own economic recoveries, you’re going to catch heat. The USD/JPY pair has been on a relentless march higher, breaking through key resistance levels like they were tissue paper. We’ve seen the yen weaken from around 77 to the dollar back in late 2011 to well over 90 now, and that’s no accident.

The problem for Japan is simple: their export-driven recovery model only works if everyone else plays nice and doesn’t retaliate. But when you’re essentially stealing market share through currency manipulation, other nations get cranky fast. The Europeans are already dealing with their own sovereign debt mess, and the last thing they need is Japan undercutting their export competitiveness even further.

The Domino Effect: Why Venezuela’s Move Matters

That 32% devaluation Chavez pulled wasn’t just some isolated event in South America. It’s a perfect example of what happens when currency wars go nuclear. One day you’re trading USD/VEF at one level, and overnight the entire playing field shifts dramatically. This kind of shock devaluation sends ripples through emerging market currencies and commodity prices, creating exactly the kind of uncertainty that makes forex trading feel like Russian roulette.

What’s particularly dangerous about Venezuela’s move is that it shows just how quickly things can unravel when governments get desperate. Other commodity-dependent economies are watching closely, and if oil prices don’t cooperate or if social unrest continues to build, we could see similar moves from other nations. The message to G20 members is clear: coordinate your monetary policies or risk complete chaos in currency markets.

Trading Strategy in a Currency War Environment

When central banks are actively trying to debase their currencies, traditional technical analysis goes out the window. Support and resistance levels mean nothing when a central bank can print unlimited amounts of money or announce surprise policy changes. The key is focusing on relative strength rather than absolute moves. If everyone’s debasing, you want to be long the currency of the country that’s debasing the least, not the most.

Right now, that’s creating some interesting opportunities in pairs like AUD/JPY and GBP/JPY, where you’re essentially betting that Australia and the UK will be more restrained in their monetary policy than Japan. The Swiss National Bank’s EUR/CHF floor at 1.20 is another perfect example of how artificial these markets have become. You’re not trading economics anymore; you’re trading central bank policy intentions.

The Dollar’s Dilemma: Reserve Currency Blues

The USD weakness we’re seeing isn’t happening in a vacuum. When you’re the world’s reserve currency, you can’t just devalue willy-nilly without serious consequences. The Federal Reserve is caught between wanting to support domestic growth through easier monetary policy and maintaining the dollar’s credibility as a store of value for the rest of the world. That’s a tightrope walk that’s getting more precarious by the day.

The real danger for dollar bulls is that if other major economies coordinate their debasement efforts, the US could find itself in a position where they have to choose between economic competitiveness and reserve currency status. That’s not a choice any Fed chairman wants to make, but if export growth continues to lag while domestic unemployment remains elevated, political pressure could force their hand.

The EUR/USD pair is reflecting this uncertainty perfectly, bouncing around in wide ranges as traders try to figure out which central bank will blink first. The European Central Bank has their own problems with peripheral European debt, but they’re also not keen on letting their currency strengthen too much against a weakening dollar. It’s a three-way chess match between the Fed, ECB, and BOJ, and retail traders are just trying not to get crushed in the middle.

The Federal Reserve Explained

Forex Kong 4 Comments

2% on the day – beer money for sure….as well the following cartoon:

For an additional 8:51 minutes of your time I truly believe you will enjoy this excellent video explanation of the Federal Reserve. In particular the part siting the “owners” of the Federal Reserve, as well the little bit on every man,woman ,child and baby “owing” the Federal Reserve.

(If you are receiving this via email – please click the title and visit the blog directly)

[youtube=http://youtu.be/Oe0fGXzKb1o]

The Fed’s Web: How Central Bank Policy Drives Currency Markets

Understanding the Dollar’s Engineered Weakness

That 2% daily gain isn’t just luck – it’s the direct result of understanding how the Federal Reserve’s monetary manipulation creates predictable currency movements. When you grasp that the Fed operates as a private institution serving its shareholders rather than the American people, forex trading becomes less about technical analysis and more about following the money trail. Every quantitative easing program, every interest rate decision, every jawboning session from Fed officials is designed to transfer wealth from savers to debtors, from Main Street to Wall Street.

The USD index doesn’t move in isolation. It’s pushed and pulled by deliberate policy decisions that create artificial demand and supply imbalances. When Bernanke launched QE3, smart traders weren’t surprised by the dollar’s initial weakness – they positioned themselves accordingly. The same principle applies today. Understanding that the Fed’s primary goal is maintaining the debt-based system allows you to anticipate major currency moves months in advance.

Trading the Debt Spiral Reality

Here’s what most retail traders miss: every dollar created by the Federal Reserve comes with interest attached, making it mathematically impossible to pay off the national debt. This isn’t economics theory – it’s trading reality. The USD/JPY pair, EUR/USD, and GBP/USD all reflect this underlying structural problem. When you’re long the dollar, you’re betting on the Fed’s ability to maintain confidence in an inherently unsustainable system.

The carry trade opportunities become obvious once you understand this dynamic. Countries with central banks that haven’t fully embraced the debt spiral model often provide better currency stability. The Swiss National Bank’s intervention patterns, the Bank of Japan’s yield curve control, even the ECB’s negative interest rate policies – they’re all responses to the Fed’s monetary dominance. Smart forex traders position themselves ahead of these policy reactions, not behind them.

Watch the Treasury auction results. When foreign central banks reduce their Treasury purchases, it signals potential USD weakness ahead. These aren’t random market events – they’re the logical outcome of a system where every participant understands the game but hopes to exit before the music stops.

The Real Drivers Behind Currency Volatility

Forget the economic calendars filled with meaningless data releases. The real currency drivers are the Fed’s balance sheet expansion, the Treasury’s debt issuance schedule, and the primary dealers’ positioning. When Goldman Sachs or JP Morgan – both significant Fed shareholders �� change their currency recommendations, they’re not providing analysis. They’re signaling policy direction.

Major currency pairs reflect this reality daily. The EUR/USD doesn’t move based on European economic data – it moves based on ECB policy responses to Fed actions. The GBP/USD volatility isn’t about Brexit anymore – it’s about the Bank of England’s ability to maintain sterling stability while the Fed exports inflation globally. Even commodity currencies like AUD/USD and CAD/USD dance to the Fed’s tune because commodities are priced in dollars.

This is why traditional fundamental analysis fails most retail traders. They’re analyzing symptoms while ignoring the disease. The disease is a monetary system designed to concentrate wealth through currency manipulation. Once you accept this reality, trading becomes clearer.

Positioning for the Inevitable Reset

That 8:51 video reveals what every serious forex trader needs to understand: the current monetary system has an expiration date. The mathematical impossibility of servicing exponentially growing debt with linear economic growth means currency relationships will eventually reset. The question isn’t if, but when and how.

Smart positioning means understanding which currencies offer real alternatives to the dollar system. The Chinese yuan’s gradual internationalization, Russia’s gold accumulation, even the EU’s attempts at strategic autonomy – these aren’t political moves, they’re monetary preparation for the post-dollar world. Trading these longer-term themes while capturing shorter-term volatility requires understanding both the current system’s mechanics and its inevitable evolution.

Keep stacking those 2% daily gains while positioning for the bigger picture. The Fed’s owners didn’t create this system to lose money – but they also know it won’t last forever. Neither should your current trading strategy ignore these realities.

Economic Collapse – Food Stock Piles

Forex Kong 21 Comments

Seriously I couldn’t resist.

With respect to the large storms pounding the Eastern U.S, as well it being the weekend –  just one more little video to really get you thinking. You are at home – the T.V sucks, and I can’t imagine you’d dig this one up on your own so enjoy…or not.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/Fkk95XLXW0I]

Your thoughts / opinions / views are always wanted and deeply respected so fell free to comment on this…if you can help yourself from “not”. I for one appreciate the straight forward exchange between these two lovable creatures – regardless of the content. Take it for what it is…….a cartoon no less.

When Markets Storm Like Nature: Reading Between the Lines

Look, that little exchange you just watched isn’t just cartoon banter – it’s a perfect metaphor for how most traders approach volatile markets. One character represents the emotional trader, reactive and scattered. The other? The systematic thinker who sees patterns where others see chaos. Just like those storms hammering the East Coast right now, forex markets don’t give you advance notice before they unleash hell on your portfolio.

The beauty of weekend reflection – especially during market-moving events like severe weather – is that you get to step back and see the bigger picture without price action yanking you around every five minutes. Those storms aren’t just inconveniences; they’re economic disruptors that smart traders position for before Monday’s open.

Storm Patterns and Currency Correlations

Here’s what most retail traders miss: severe weather events create predictable currency flows, but not in the way you’d expect. When major storms hit economic centers like New York or Boston, the immediate knee-jerk reaction is to assume USD weakness. Dead wrong. The real money flow happens in the recovery phase, when insurance payouts, federal disaster relief, and reconstruction spending flood the system.

Take Hurricane Sandy as a textbook example. EUR/USD initially spiked as traders fled to European safe havens, but within weeks, the dollar strengthened as reconstruction efforts required massive capital repatriation. The yen showed similar patterns during Japan’s natural disasters – initial weakness followed by sustained strength as overseas assets got liquidated to fund domestic rebuilding.

The key is positioning for the second and third-order effects, not the obvious first reaction. While everyone’s watching the immediate storm damage, you should be analyzing which currency pairs will benefit from the inevitable economic response six to eight weeks out.

Reading Market Sentiment Like Weather Radar

That cartoon dialogue you just watched? Pure market psychology in action. One character reacts to surface-level information while the other processes deeper structural realities. This is exactly how professional traders separate themselves from the retail herd. They develop what I call “weather radar vision” – the ability to see approaching volatility systems before they hit your charts.

Consider how the VIX behaves during natural disasters versus geopolitical events. Storm-related volatility typically shows sharp spikes followed by steady normalization as the physical threat passes. Currency volatility follows similar patterns, but with longer tail effects due to economic reconstruction needs. The GBP showed this perfectly during the 2007 floods – initial panic selling followed by months of gradual strength as rebuilding efforts supported domestic demand.

Smart money doesn’t trade the storm itself; they trade the cleanup. While retail traders panic about immediate disruption, institutions are already positioning for infrastructure spending, insurance sector rotations, and commodity price adjustments that follow major weather events.

Macro Implications of Natural Market Disruption

Weekend storms like these create perfect case studies for understanding how external shocks ripple through currency markets. The Federal Reserve doesn’t adjust policy for temporary weather disruptions, but they absolutely factor in extended economic impacts from severe seasonal patterns. This creates asymmetric trading opportunities for those paying attention.

Look at agricultural commodity currencies during drought cycles or flood seasons. The AUD and NZD become hypersensitive to weather patterns affecting grain exports, while the CAD responds to energy infrastructure disruptions. These aren’t random correlations – they’re systematic relationships that create exploitable trading edges.

The really sophisticated play is understanding how climate disruption affects central bank communication strategies. When the ECB discusses economic resilience, they’re not just talking about financial stability – they’re acknowledging that European agriculture and energy infrastructure face increasing weather volatility that impacts monetary policy transmission mechanisms.

Positioning for Post-Storm Opportunities

Here’s your actionable takeaway: major weather events create temporary dislocations in currency pairs tied to affected regions, but the real profits come from understanding the recovery trade. Infrastructure rebuilding drives materials demand, insurance payouts affect capital flows, and government disaster response impacts fiscal policy expectations.

The USD typically strengthens during reconstruction phases due to repatriation flows and domestic spending increases. Commodity currencies benefit from materials demand. Safe haven currencies like CHF and JPY often give back initial gains as normalcy returns and risk appetite recovers.

Most importantly, these events test your ability to think beyond immediate price action. Just like that cartoon exchange – are you reacting to surface noise, or processing the deeper structural forces that drive sustainable currency trends?

Long EUR/USD At 1.3170 – Watch Me

Forex Kong 4 Comments

I rarely trade this piece of junk, in that the fundamentals rarely align to offer me the kind of moves I look for. In this case though – as the USD looks to have made its “counter trend rally” over the past few days, coupled with some additional fundamental factors, I will be exploring several “long EUR” trade ideas through Monday and possibly Tuesday before seeking entry.

I generally stay away from the EUR as fundamentally it is a complete mess. As well the EUR has external forces pushing and pulling at it (as it is the second most widely held currency on Earth) that often effect its movement with little or no fundamental reasoning. It’s hard to call it a safe haven, it’s not commodity related, and its current economic position has it sitting in the junk pile so – what’s a guy to do?

I consider it a trade – and nothing more.

What might be interesting to some of you (looking to improve your short  term trading skills as well your fundamental analysis) would be to watch the EUR this week against a number of different currencies, and observe a few things you likely won’t expect to see.

I won’t give it away now but….as the EUR may rise against the USD in value – perhaps it may fall against a few others. Can you spot them? Can you tell me “why”?

It’s great to be back in the saddle again  – and I look forward to another profitable week trading with you.

Dissecting the EUR’s Complex Web of Cross-Currency Relationships

Why the EUR Defies Traditional Analysis

The problem with the EUR isn’t just its messy fundamentals – it’s the fact that nineteen different economies are pulling this currency in different directions simultaneously. While traders love to analyze single-country currencies like the AUD or CAD through straightforward commodity correlations, the EUR forces you to weigh German industrial data against Italian debt concerns, French political uncertainty against Spanish unemployment figures. This is precisely why I avoid it most of the time. You can have stellar German manufacturing PMI data completely negated by concerns over ECB monetary policy divergence with the Fed, or worse yet, some political drama out of Rome that sends the entire currency bloc into a tailspin.

But here’s what makes this current setup different: the USD’s counter-trend rally appears to be losing steam just as we’re entering a period where EUR cross-rates might tell us more than EUR/USD ever could. The smart money isn’t just looking at dollar strength or weakness in isolation – they’re examining how the EUR performs against currencies that actually have coherent monetary policies and economic narratives.

The Cross-Currency Puzzle Most Traders Miss

Here’s where it gets interesting, and why I mentioned you might see some unexpected moves this week. While EUR/USD might climb as dollar strength wanes, keep your eyes glued to EUR/JPY, EUR/CHF, and particularly EUR/GBP. The yen has its own fundamental story playing out with potential BOJ intervention concerns, the Swiss franc remains the ultimate safe haven play regardless of what the SNB attempts, and sterling has its own economic data calendar that could easily outpace whatever weak sauce the eurozone delivers.

I’ve seen too many traders get caught up in the EUR/USD move and assume it translates across all EUR pairs. Dead wrong. The EUR could easily gain 100 pips against the dollar while simultaneously losing ground to the pound or getting crushed by yen strength. This is exactly the kind of market dynamic that separates profitable traders from those who think forex is just about picking direction on one pair and calling it a day.

Reading Between the Lines of Central Bank Policy

The ECB’s current position is laughably predictable – they’re trapped between persistent inflation concerns and an economy that can’t handle aggressive rate hikes without triggering a recession across multiple member states. Compare this to other central banks that can actually make decisive policy moves without worrying about political fallout from nineteen different finance ministers. The Fed might be pausing their hiking cycle, but at least they can pivot quickly when conditions change. The ECB? They’re stuck in committee hell.

This policy paralysis creates opportunities in the cross rates that most retail traders completely ignore. When you see EUR strength against the USD, ask yourself: is this EUR buying or USD selling? More often than not, it’s the latter, which means other currency pairs might offer cleaner, more profitable setups than trying to ride the EUR/USD wave.

Timing Your Entry and Managing the Trade

My plan for Monday and Tuesday isn’t just about finding long EUR setups – it’s about finding the right EUR setup against the right currency. The timeframe matters here too. While I might be looking at a short-term long EUR/USD position, I’m simultaneously watching for potential short EUR opportunities against currencies with stronger fundamental backing or clearer monetary policy directions.

The key is patience and selectivity. Just because the USD appears to be finishing its counter-trend rally doesn’t mean every EUR pair is suddenly a buy. I’ll be watching European session opens, paying attention to any overnight developments from Asian markets, and most importantly, monitoring how EUR cross-rates behave during the first few hours of London trading. That’s where you’ll see the real institutional money making their moves, not in the retail-heavy New York session.

Remember, trading the EUR requires treating it like the political and economic frankenstein that it is – respect the complexity, trade the technicals, but never forget that nineteen different economies can torpedo your position faster than any single economic data point ever could.

Currency War Reality Check – Video P2

Forex Kong 6 Comments

I’ve inserted the following video for some light weekend viewing, and strongly encourage anyone receiving blog posts via email – to quickly skip over to the blog to watch it directly. The situation outlined in the video below is not for the faint of heart.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/kdPkaCTdxBU]

Regardless of how extreme this may be……does it really sound that far fetched?

When Currency Wars Turn Nuclear: The Reality Behind Extreme Market Scenarios

The unsettling reality is that extreme market scenarios aren’t born in a vacuum – they’re the inevitable result of decades of monetary policy madness, currency manipulation, and global economic imbalances that have reached critical mass. What might seem like doomsday predictions today could very well be tomorrow’s trading headlines, and savvy forex traders need to position themselves accordingly.

Consider the current state of major currency pairs. The USD/JPY has witnessed unprecedented intervention levels, with the Bank of Japan desperately defending the yen while the Federal Reserve maintains its hawkish stance. Meanwhile, EUR/USD continues to reflect the European Central Bank’s struggle with inflation and energy crises that make their monetary policy decisions increasingly desperate. These aren’t normal market conditions – they’re the precursors to the kind of extreme scenarios that catch unprepared traders completely off guard.

Central Bank Desperation Creates Black Swan Events

When central banks run out of conventional ammunition, they resort to increasingly extreme measures. We’ve already witnessed negative interest rates in Europe and Japan, quantitative easing programs that dwarf entire national economies, and currency interventions that would have been unthinkable just two decades ago. The Swiss National Bank’s shocking abandonment of their EUR/CHF peg in 2015 wiped out entire trading accounts within minutes – and that was just a warm-up act.

Today’s environment is exponentially more fragile. The Bank of England’s bond market intervention during the Truss administration mini-budget crisis demonstrated how quickly modern financial systems can approach the brink of collapse. Currency markets don’t just reflect economic fundamentals anymore – they’re hostages to political incompetence and central bank desperation. When the next crisis hits, the moves won’t be measured in pips – they’ll be measured in complete currency regime changes.

Debt Dynamics and Currency Collapse Patterns

The mathematics of sovereign debt has reached levels that defy historical precedent. Japan’s debt-to-GDP ratio exceeds 260%, while the United States continues to finance massive fiscal deficits through money printing disguised as sophisticated monetary policy. The European periphery remains one political crisis away from another sovereign debt meltdown, and this time, the European Central Bank’s toolkit is already depleted.

Smart money recognizes these patterns. When currencies collapse, they don’t do it gradually – they fall off cliffs. The Turkish lira’s descent, the Argentine peso’s repeated devaluations, and the Lebanese pound’s complete destruction all follow similar trajectories. First comes the denial phase, where central banks burn through foreign reserves defending unsustainable exchange rates. Then comes the capitulation phase, where currency pegs are abandoned and free-floating exchange rates reveal the true extent of economic mismanagement.

Commodity Currencies and Resource Weaponization

The weaponization of energy and commodity supplies has fundamentally altered forex dynamics. The Russian ruble’s dramatic recovery following initial sanctions demonstrated how quickly currency values can shift when backed by essential commodities. Countries with significant natural resource exports – Canada, Australia, Norway – find their currencies increasingly divorced from traditional economic metrics and tied directly to geopolitical resource flows.

This trend accelerates during crisis periods. When supply chains break down and international trade relationships fracture, currencies backed by physical resources maintain value while fiat currencies backed by nothing but government promises collapse. The AUD/USD and USD/CAD pairs now trade more on energy price expectations and resource availability than on traditional interest rate differentials or economic growth projections.

Positioning for Maximum Disruption Scenarios

Professional traders understand that extreme scenarios require extreme positioning strategies. Traditional risk management approaches fail when entire currency systems face existential threats. The key is identifying which currencies possess genuine backing – whether through commodity resources, fiscal discipline, or geopolitical stability – versus those operating on monetary policy fumes and political wishful thinking.

Gold’s recent price action reflects institutional recognition of these realities. When measured against weakening major currencies, precious metals aren’t just inflation hedges – they’re currency system collapse insurance. Similarly, currencies from countries with minimal debt burdens and substantial resource bases offer refuge when the current monetary system faces its inevitable reckoning.

The extreme scenarios aren’t coming – they’re already here, unfolding in slow motion while most market participants remain focused on minor technical levels and short-term news events. The traders who survive and profit from the coming currency upheaval are those positioning themselves today for tomorrow’s financial reality.

Currency War Reality Check

Forex Kong 2 Comments

Don’t kid yourself – there is a war going on. I’m not talking about some little skirmish over an Island, or a dispute between two neighboring nations over Immigration – I’m talking about a major, high level tactical war being fought right in front of your very eyes  – only by way of dollars and cents…..with no guns required.

The Pentagon has run its simulations with top advisors from the financial and economic community (not high-ranking Generals and Majors) with the task of “flushing out potential attacks” and “plotting counter moves” with all the other good stuff one would imagine being included in a full scale Hollywood blockbuster. The guns have been replaced with financial instruments, the good guys and the bad guys are now your own government officials and central bankers – and the entire thing plays out in a digital war zone littered with crashed financial institutions, broken down bank accounts, highly manipulated markets and human casualties (financially speaking) in numbers I care not consider.

This is a currency war people – and it does not end well for those unwilling to accept it, and in turn prepare for it.

This headline just out of Venezuela: Venezuela devalued its currency for the fifth time in nine years as ailing President Hugo Chavez seeks to narrow a widening fiscal gap and reduce a shortage of dollars in the economy. The government will weaken the exchange rate by 33 percent to 6.3 bolivars per dollar, Finance Minister Jorge Giordani told reporters today in Caracas.

So……you just woke up and gold is up 33% – and your local loaf of bread just went through the roof. You don’t think this is what’s going on planet wide? How about the Yen recently? Have you checked the current value of the Pound?

Don’t be surprised to find a similar situation in the U.S  – a lot sooner than most care to believe.

No country is willing to sit idle and allow the U.S to continue on its rampage of “easing” and continued flooding of U.S dollars without at least a fight. Unfortunately for many, the Chinese are about “10 moves ahead” with a war plan so complex and intricate it will make your head spin. (A lot more on that later).

In times of war you need to be a soldier – you need to navigate the trenches, and you need to protect yourself and your family.

At best – take interest in what’s going on in the currency world as this is the battle ground….this is where the fight will be lost or won.

The Strategic Battlefield: How Currency Wars Reshape Global Trade

The Federal Reserve’s Nuclear Option

When central banks engage in competitive devaluation, they’re essentially playing with economic dynamite. The Federal Reserve’s quantitative easing programs didn’t just flood domestic markets with liquidity – they exported inflation worldwide. Every dollar printed in Washington becomes someone else’s problem in Tokyo, London, or Frankfurt. The EUR/USD pair has become ground zero for this monetary warfare, with the European Central Bank forced to respond with their own easing measures just to prevent the Euro from strengthening into economic oblivion. This isn’t monetary policy anymore – it’s financial warfare with collateral damage measured in destroyed purchasing power and obliterated savings accounts across continents.

The smart money isn’t sitting around debating whether this is happening. They’re positioning themselves accordingly. When you see massive capital flows into safe-haven currencies like the Swiss Franc, forcing the Swiss National Bank to implement negative interest rates and currency pegs, you’re witnessing defensive maneuvers in real-time. These aren’t market forces – these are calculated responses to coordinated attacks on currency stability.

China’s Calculated Counterstrike

While Western nations have been busy devaluing their way to temporary competitiveness, China has been methodically constructing an alternative financial architecture that will make the current system obsolete. The Chinese aren’t just accumulating gold reserves – they’re building bilateral trade agreements that bypass the U.S. dollar entirely. When China and Russia settle oil transactions in Yuan and Rubles, they’re not making a political statement; they’re laying siege to dollar dominance.

The USD/CNY pair tells this story in devastating detail. Every managed decline in the Yuan isn’t weakness – it’s tactical positioning. China allows controlled devaluation when it serves their export agenda, then stabilizes when they need to demonstrate monetary responsibility. Meanwhile, they’re stockpiling commodities, securing supply chains, and creating currency swap agreements that will leave the dollar isolated when the music stops. The Belt and Road Initiative isn’t infrastructure development – it’s the construction of a post-dollar economic order.

The Commodity Currency Casualties

Resource-dependent economies have become the first casualties in this currency conflict. Look at the Australian Dollar, Canadian Dollar, and Norwegian Krone – these currencies have been battered not by domestic economic weakness, but by the spillover effects of major powers manipulating commodity prices through currency intervention. When the Fed prints money, it artificially inflates commodity prices in dollar terms, creating false signals that lead to resource booms and inevitable busts.

The AUD/USD and USD/CAD pairs have become proxies for this larger conflict. Every swing in these rates reflects not just supply and demand for copper or oil, but the broader struggle between nations trying to maintain export competitiveness while protecting their citizens from imported inflation. Countries like Australia find themselves caught between Chinese demand for their resources and American monetary policy that destabilizes pricing mechanisms. This isn’t a free market – it’s economic warfare with commodity currencies as expendable foot soldiers.

Your Personal Defense Strategy

Understanding this battlefield isn’t academic – it’s survival. The traditional advice of diversifying across paper assets becomes meaningless when all major currencies are simultaneously being debased. Smart positioning means thinking like a central banker: where are the pressure points, what are the likely responses, and how can you position ahead of the inevitable policy reactions?

Currency pairs aren’t just trading opportunities – they’re intelligence reports from the front lines. When you see sudden strength in the Japanese Yen despite decades of intervention, or unexpected weakness in traditionally stable currencies, you’re witnessing tactical moves in a larger strategic game. The GBP/USD pair’s volatility isn’t just Brexit uncertainty – it reflects Britain’s struggle to maintain relevance in a world where currency stability has become a luxury only the strongest can afford.

The endgame is clear: some currencies will emerge stronger, others will be relegated to regional irrelevance, and many will simply cease to exist in any meaningful form. Position accordingly, because neutrality isn’t an option when the entire monetary system is the battlefield.

Angry Birds – And Where We're At

Forex Kong 14 Comments

With the recent purchase of a new Ipad 5 and subsequent purchase of the popular game “angry birds” (I bought the outer space version) it’s fair to say that my trading has suffered as a result . Now , with consideration of “going pro” it’s unlikely I will be able to commit the hours necessary, as well focus on trading so – angry birds it is.

Hardly…….but a real hoot all the same.

Market wise it appears that once again we are offered new opportunities to short USD on it’s rise over the past few days. I see absolutely no fundamental change here whatsoever, and as boring / repetitive as it may seem – I will again look to load short USD against a miriad of the majors.

Zooming out a touch, gold is still flat as a pancake and of particular interest the “TLT”  20 years treasury bond fund sits at a precarious position. A falling dollar as well falling bond prices can most certainly suggest money flowing into stocks (as we’ve been seeing) but is also reflective of higher interest rates, and in turn – pressure on borrowing and tougher times ahead for corporations.

When corporations suffer……stocks sell hard.Watch the bonds, watch the dollar and in series – stocks are the last to go.

Im back at it here full time as always everyone. Let the games begin!

Reading the Tea Leaves: USD Weakness and the Domino Effect

The Dollar’s False Dawn

This recent USD strength we’re witnessing is nothing more than a technical bounce in a larger downtrend. The fundamentals haven’t shifted one iota. The Fed’s still trapped in their accommodation corner, real yields remain deeply negative, and the twin deficits continue to hemorrhage like a punctured artery. When I see EUR/USD pulling back from 1.1200 or GBP/USD retreating from recent highs, I’m not seeing reversal signals—I’m seeing gift-wrapped shorting opportunities for anyone with the patience to wait for proper entry levels.

The key here is understanding that USD rallies in this environment are purely technical in nature. We’re talking about oversold bounces, nothing more. The dollar index hitting resistance around 93.50 tells the whole story. This isn’t a currency finding its footing—it’s a currency bumping its head against a ceiling that’s been reinforced by months of money printing and fiscal largesse.

The Bond Market’s Warning Shot

That TLT position I mentioned isn’t just precarious—it’s downright ominous. When you see the 20-year treasury fund breaking down while the dollar simultaneously weakens, you’re witnessing something far more significant than typical market rotation. This is the bond market firing a warning shot across the bow of anyone still clinging to the “everything’s fine” narrative.

Rising yields in a falling dollar environment screams inflation expectations, and not the good kind that central bankers pray for in their sleep. We’re talking about the type of inflation that erodes purchasing power while wages stagnate. The Japanese learned this lesson the hard way in the early 2000s, and we’re potentially staring down the same barrel. When TLT breaks its major support levels—and it’s dancing dangerously close—expect currency volatility to explode across all major pairs.

The Rotation Play: Following the Smart Money

Money doesn’t disappear—it simply changes addresses. The flow out of bonds and dollars has to go somewhere, and right now that somewhere is looking increasingly like a combination of equities, commodities, and non-USD currencies. This creates a perfect storm for forex traders who understand the interconnected nature of these markets.

AUD/USD becomes particularly interesting in this environment. The Aussie benefits from both commodity strength and carry trade dynamics when the dollar weakens. Similarly, CAD gains from both oil price appreciation and its resource-based economy. These aren’t random correlations—they’re structural relationships that smart money exploits while retail traders chase momentum.

The Swiss franc presents another compelling opportunity. USD/CHF has been coiled like a spring near 0.9200, and any sustained dollar weakness could see this pair cascade toward 0.8800 faster than most anticipate. The SNB’s previous intervention levels are ancient history in today’s macro environment.

Timing the Cascade: Stocks as the Final Domino

Here’s where most traders get it wrong—they assume falling bonds and a falling dollar automatically translate to immediate stock market carnage. Not so fast. Stocks are the last domino to fall precisely because they’re the most liquid and psychologically important market for retail investors and institutional managers alike.

The sequence matters enormously. First, bonds sell off as investors demand higher yields. Then, the dollar weakens as foreign capital becomes less attracted to US assets. Finally, and only after these two dominoes have fallen, do stocks begin their descent as higher borrowing costs and reduced earnings visibility take their toll.

We’re currently in phase two of this sequence. The bond selloff is well underway, dollar weakness is accelerating, but stocks are still being propped up by the “there’s nowhere else to put money” mentality. This creates a temporary sweet spot for currency traders who understand the sequence. EUR/USD longs, GBP/USD longs, and particularly AUD/USD longs all benefit from this interim period where dollar weakness accelerates but equity volatility hasn’t yet exploded.

The game plan remains crystal clear: fade dollar strength, accumulate positions in majors against the greenback, and prepare for the final act when equity markets finally acknowledge what bond and currency markets are already screaming from the rooftops.