South Korea Central Bank Signals Inflation Concerns as Oil Prices Surge 
Fed May Resume Rate Hikes: BofA Analysts Outline Key Scenarios 
Global Markets React to Strong U.S. Jobs Data and Rising Yields 
Japan Inflation Expectations Rise as BOJ Rate Hike Timing Faces Uncertainty 
RBA Raises Interest Rates to 4.35% Amid Rising Inflation Risks and Middle East Tensions 
Wall Street Analysts Weigh in on Latest NFP Data 
Goldman Predicts 50% Odds of 10% U.S. Tariff on Copper by Q1 Close 
Fed’s Goolsbee Warns Inflation Remains Elevated, Signals Caution on Rate Cuts 
S&P 500 Relies on Tech for Growth in Q4 2024, Says Barclays 
This week’s main focus on the US FED and RBNZ’s monetary policy announcements. The US dollar should strengthen further if the Fed hikes further this year, and that will push NZDUSD lower. The RBNZ took another step down the dovish path in the August Monetary Policy Statement, opening the door further to a rate cut scenario. The dovish signal from the RBNZ’s August MPS should resonate during the months ahead.
We foresee a reasonable chance of a rate cut from the RBNZ (approx. 30%), it seems likely that this is a prospect for 2019, and would require a further loss of momentum in the activity data. The RBNZ laid out a clear path to a rate cut at the August MPS, which required that growth fails to stabilize over 2Q/3Q. Recent tracking data suggest that growth will in fact beat the RBNZ’s low-ball forecast in 2Q (RBNZ 0.5% q/q), as retail volumes surged over the quarter (refer above chart).
NZD is projected to end 3Q’19 at 0.61 (previous 2Q target 0.62).Much as the global growth and reflation impulse has faded this year, the reality is that there have been important domestic drivers of NZD’s slide too.
NZD is our preferred high-beta short within G10 at present as it’s the only DM economy where the market prices a realistic chance of rate cuts over the coming year (around 10bp is priced by mid-19).
NZD is no longer expensive in outright terms (the REER is in line with a long-term average), that being said it is quite a bit more expensive than large parts of EM yet vulnerable to the same pressure from tighter US monetary policy with the additional kicker of course that NZD is now negative carry.
Stay short in NZDUSD via 2m (1%) ITM -0.49 delta put options, in the money call with a very strong delta will move in tandem with the underlying spot FX. Courtesy JPM
Currency Strength Index: FxWirePro's hourly NZD spot index is flashing at 120 levels (which is bullish), while hourly USD spot index was at -47 (bearish) while articulating at (12:19 GMT). For more details on the index, please refer below weblink:
