Month: February 2015

U.S Dollar Strength – A Nightmare For U.S Businesses

Forex Kong 15 Comments

I’m pleased to see that the mainstream media is finally catching up – with these headlines “now” spattered across the news at Google. Are you finally coming to understand the effects of a strong U.S Dollar? Or are you just thrilled that you can power your generator an extra day or two on the cheap?

Strong_USD_Feb_News_Forex_Kong

Strong_USD_Feb_News_Forex_Kong

As we’ve discussed here earlier – a stronger U.S Dollar is The Fed’s worst nightmare ( as debts payable in USD skyrocket out of control ) and is killing U.S Exports.

The “less than expected GDP” print here this morning isn’t even the half of it, as these numbers are goosed along with “all” U.S Data in a sad attempt to mask what’s really going on. The near term “sideways trading” in USD has done little to excite traders, as with the current gong show playing in The E.U / Greece.

USD has “appeared” to be the “best of the worst” with all paper currencies essentially losing value at breakneck speed.

With commodities stretched about as low as one can imagine, and USD now stretched about as far as “America can bear” it’s really only a matter of time ( a short time ) before the elastic band snaps back in “epic fashion”.

You won’t get out in time. You’ll hang on until you are swimming in a sea of red, looking for a lifeline unless you keep your eyes peeled and have the courage to “sell” when everyone else on the planet is buying.

 

Nothingness Becomes Somethingness – Patience Required

Forex Kong 18 Comments

I remember a time (not too long ago)  when I would return home from my morning walk along the beach – excited to see how the markets where behaving.

Ahh the good ol days, when I’d get back to the house eager to pull up my charts and see the profits. Seeing the market moving “exactly as I anticipated” and revel in the knowledge that “I’ve got this thing figured out”.

Well……

When things have traded sideways for this long…those days are now few and far between.

I’ve weathered the storm countless times throughout my career, and have endured extended periods of “nothingness” before but…..this time……this time has been nothing but a cruel exercise in both “patience” and “self-discipline”.

Frankly….I can’t remember the last time I came back to the computer and saw anything of interest. Just day after day of the same “up and down” intraday shakeouts. The same flatlined “nothingness”. The same ol day-to-day “grind” as price action essentially grinds to a halt.

It’s dull. It’s boring. It sucks the life out of hopeful traders looking to “catch a trend” when all they continue to see day after day…..is the same ol thing.

Nothingness.

At least for those of us who’ve “seen this all before” one can take solace in the fact that these extended periods of “nothingness” are almost always followed by periods of “somethingness” ( however short ) and that perseverance, patience and self-discipline always pays off in the end.

We can’t make the market move any faster,

We just plan to be on the right side of it when it does.

 

USD/JPY – A Disturbance In The Force

Forex Kong 29 Comments

Finally! Something of significance!

If you take a look at two pairs such as GBP/JPY as well GBP/USD as a “control” – you’ll see that over the past few days of general GBP strength “both pairs” have been moving higher essentially ruling out any real movement in either JPY or USD.

Zooming in closer and taking a look at each of these pairs on much smaller time frames ( take the 15 minute for example ) you’ll blatantly see the “post Fed minutes” move has GBP/USD pushing higher and GBP/JPY falling off a small cliff.

THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO SEE! ( Yoda may not ).

Yoda_trading

Yoda_trading

Suggestion that both USD as well JPY are finally moving “regardless of the currency they are pitted against”.

Obviously the same thing can be seen just taking a look at USD/JPY as  a pair unto itself but….in this case ( looking wider at many pairs ) we see clear suggestion that USD and JPY are moving ( in opposite directions) to  a much larger degree.

The Nikkei has also taken quite a “fast dip” here post Fed minutes so it’s pretty fair to say that markets aren’t particularly pleased with “something”.

Any bets on where The SP 500 and The Canadian TSX are likely headed next?

US Dollar Rinse Job – Now Complete

Forex Kong 25 Comments

The U.S Dollar as well as U.S equities have failed to breach the highs from Fridays “Sell Risk” post.

Equity markets look to be rolling over here “again” at the 2040-2060 level, while USD takes out the last of the smaller traders.

One can assume that things are now “hanging in the balance” with respect to an outcome with the current “Greece situation” but in all….I really don’t think it matters.

The markets move on much larger time frames, and whatever is to become of Greece ( all will turn out fine in my view ) will just be another silly headline geared to moving the masses.

Greece is not leaving the EU Zone. It will continue to “hang in there” as well continue to keep you up at night – if you let it.

Countdown till the “real action” starts, as we are flat as a pancake “yet again”.

**FEBRUARY 12TH UPDATE – ALL TRADES HAVE NOW BEEN INITIATED!! PLEASE FOLLOW IN THE MEMBERS AREA:

FOREX KONG MEMBERS AREA

The Week Ahead – For Traders And Morons Alike

Forex Kong 11 Comments

Chinese Manufacturing PMI came in Saturday with a miss at 49.8 – again signalling that the world’s “economic power house” is now in contraction, so I wouldn’t be expecting a big “up day” tomorrow morning.

One needs to “completely ignore” the current slew of media headlines as every Central Bank / manipulated media outlet on the planet is on “full alert” to do whatever they possibly can to assure the general investment community that “all is well – there is nothing to worry about at all”. Right.

European stocks have had their “booster shot” due to the QE announcement from The ECB, but have now been rejected at the previous highs.

$FTSE_Feb_1_Forex_Kong

$FTSE_Feb_1_Forex_Kong

As totally frustrating as the last few weeks ( if not months ) of trading has been, we’ve now seen the injection of another “trillion” in proposed asset purchases and still…..even still – markets can’t move any higher. Tops are long, tops are drawn out, tops are a pain in the ass but……now with The ECB “done” – seriously…….what’s left from the CB’s to push this thing any higher? Zip.

EUR / USD finally showing solid signs of bottoming / finding a low.

EUR_USD_Feb_1_Forex_Kong

EUR_USD_Feb_1_Forex_Kong

Interesting to note The CRB Commodities Index, as one could entertain the scenario that money comes out of ridiculously bloated / bullshit pumped up stocks, and flows into commodities.

$CRB_Feb_1_Forex_Kong

$CRB_Feb_1_Forex_Kong

The U.S Dollar rampage should conclude here pronto – as it’s exhausted to say the least. Two “doji candles in a row” signalling obvious “indecision” and with commodities looking to bottom out we understand the correlation. A weaker US Dollar ( finally ) = rising commodity costs.

$USD_Feb_1_Forex_Kong

$USD_Feb_1_Forex_Kong

The SP 500 along side “risk in general” has been weak for some time now…but still hasn’t “kicked off” on any kind of lasting downtrend. The whipsaws / sideways trading has been a pain, but all with conclude here shortly.

Even if The SP “does” get a bounce to around 2040 area…it doesn’t make a hair of difference medium term. The next leg down will bring tears to your eyes, fear to your wife and a fat hole in your account should you decide to stay the course.

$SPX_Feb_1_Forex_Kong

$SPX_Feb_1_Forex_Kong

The Canadian TSX as well as virtually all equities indexes globally are about to take the pain as The Nikkei ( suggested to reverse a few days ago ) has also hit overhead resistance and now looks to dump.

Currency wise little has changed really – as the general theme of long JPY vs the commodity currencies as well short USD vs E.U currencies still stands.