Fixed Income and Currency Strategist

Gautam Jain, PhD, CFA

FX & Rates

With the dollar strengthening this month, EM currencies have suffered, which is reminiscent of a similar episode in Q1. However, there is greater differentiation this time around, both on a regional basis as well as at the country level. We go over the outliers to identify the reasons they did not react entirely based on their respective betas. If there is no explanation for the deviation, then the idiosyncratic behavior is likely not justified and may represent a trading opportunity.Separately, the attached file is a snapshot of the EM currency market in which we seek to identify the leaders and laggards among currencies by comparing the performance of each to its history as well as to other currencies based on their respective betas to an EM currency index.

With the dollar strengthening this month, EM currencies have suffered, which is reminiscent of a similar episode in Q1. However, there is greater differentiation this time around, both on a regional basis as well as at the country level. We go over the outliers to identify the reasons they did not react entirely based on their respective betas. If there is no explanation for the deviation, then the idiosyncratic behavior is likely not justified and may represent a trading opportunity.Separately, the attached file is a snapshot of the EM currency market in which we seek to identify the leaders and laggards among currencies by comparing the performance of each to its history as well as to other currencies based on their respective betas to an EM currency index.

FX Dashboard: Winners and Losers in EM FX Amidst Dollar Strengthening

Founder

Olivier Desbarres

Exacting. Excellent. Exceeding. Exemplary.

4X Global Research

4X Global Research was founded in 2017 to provide institutional and corporate clients with the substantive research, high-quality analysis and thoughtful insight on Emerging and G20 economies and financial markets they need to make informed and timely decisions and gain an edge in their investments.

US macro data, including measures of US inflation, non-farm employment, retail sales, manufacturing output, ISM PMIs and consumer confidence indices, have been far less volatile since the peak in global risk aversion in March-April 2020 when the first national lockdowns decimated global growth. However, volatility in most of these monthly metrics remains high relative to history. This is particularly true for core CPI-inflation, non-farm employment, consumer confidence and the ISM non-manufacturing PMI. Yet volatility and directionality in US Treasury yields, including at the short-end of the curve, and in particular the Dollar has been modest in recent months. The Dollar NEER has oscillated in a range of just 1.7% for the past 11 weeks and within that range daily volatility has been very low. Moreover daily volatility in most major currencies has fallen further in the past month, with only a few notable exceptions. Volatility in the S&amp;P 500 has recently picked up but remains broadly in line with the past 12 months and has arguably been spurred by the Evergrande saga rather than by US (or global) macro data releases. Finally volatility and directionality in Brent crude oil prices have also been far more limited in recent weeks.That is of course not to say that US macro data have not mattered and will not matter going forward. They have and they will. At the very least macro data are a key input into Federal Reserve monetary policy which in turn has a strong bearing on US and global financial markets, as evidenced by markets’ reactions to the Fed’s 16th June policy. However, our analysis suggests that financial markets have become somewhat more detached from US macro data releases, even when these have materially deviated from consensus forecasts. At the very least their direct impact on US equity and interest rate markets and global FX and commodity markets has been modest in recent months.

US macro data, including measures of US inflation, non-farm employment, retail sales, manufacturing output, ISM PMIs and consumer confidence indices, have been far less volatile since the peak in global risk aversion in March-April 2020 when the first national lockdowns decimated global growth. However, volatility in most of these monthly metrics remains high relative to history. This is particularly true for core CPI-inflation, non-farm employment, consumer confidence and the ISM non-manufacturing PMI. Yet volatility and directionality in US Treasury yields, including at the short-end of the curve, and in particular the Dollar has been modest in recent months. The Dollar NEER has oscillated in a range of just 1.7% for the past 11 weeks and within that range daily volatility has been very low. Moreover daily volatility in most major currencies has fallen further in the past month, with only a few notable exceptions. Volatility in the S&amp;P 500 has recently picked up but remains broadly in line with the past 12 months and has arguably been spurred by the Evergrande saga rather than by US (or global) macro data releases. Finally volatility and directionality in Brent crude oil prices have also been far more limited in recent weeks.That is of course not to say that US macro data have not mattered and will not matter going forward. They have and they will. At the very least macro data are a key input into Federal Reserve monetary policy which in turn has a strong bearing on US and global financial markets, as evidenced by markets’ reactions to the Fed’s 16th June policy. However, our analysis suggests that financial markets have become somewhat more detached from US macro data releases, even when these have materially deviated from consensus forecasts. At the very least their direct impact on US equity and interest rate markets and global FX and commodity markets has been modest in recent months.

Macro Data Dog Not Wagging FX Market Tail

With the US dollar and EM currencies on aggregate trading in a range for much of the year, their volatilities have dropped to the lowest level since the start of the pandemic. Since a drop in volatility engenders a carry-trade environment, we test this hypothesis on EM currencies and conclude that indeed currencies with high risk-adjusted carry have been outperforming, and vice versa. A currency that we continue to like from the perspective of improving carry is the Chilean peso.Separately, the attached file is a snapshot of the EM currency market in which we seek to identify the leaders and laggards among currencies by comparing the performance of each to its history as well as to other currencies based on their respective betas to an EM currency index.

With the US dollar and EM currencies on aggregate trading in a range for much of the year, their volatilities have dropped to the lowest level since the start of the pandemic. Since a drop in volatility engenders a carry-trade environment, we test this hypothesis on EM currencies and conclude that indeed currencies with high risk-adjusted carry have been outperforming, and vice versa. A currency that we continue to like from the perspective of improving carry is the Chilean peso.Separately, the attached file is a snapshot of the EM currency market in which we seek to identify the leaders and laggards among currencies by comparing the performance of each to its history as well as to other currencies based on their respective betas to an EM currency index.

FX Dashboard: Are EM Currencies in a Carry-Trade Environment?

The ruble has lagged the rally in oil prices, which is partly by design following the establishment of the fiscal rule by the Russian authorities. While the benefit of the improvement of the current account should be felt over the medium term, the factors that have been relevant in the near term have been monetary policy and the risk of sanctions. Both of these are now behind in our view, indicating that the ruble should broadly be driven by its beta to EM FX in the near term.Separately, the attached file is a snapshot of the EM currency market in which we seek to identify the leaders and laggards among currencies by comparing the performance of each to its history as well as to other currencies based on their respective betas to an EM currency index.

The ruble has lagged the rally in oil prices, which is partly by design following the establishment of the fiscal rule by the Russian authorities. While the benefit of the improvement of the current account should be felt over the medium term, the factors that have been relevant in the near term have been monetary policy and the risk of sanctions. Both of these are now behind in our view, indicating that the ruble should broadly be driven by its beta to EM FX in the near term.Separately, the attached file is a snapshot of the EM currency market in which we seek to identify the leaders and laggards among currencies by comparing the performance of each to its history as well as to other currencies based on their respective betas to an EM currency index.

FX Dashboard: Russian Ruble Is Lagging the Rally in Oil

We suggest taking profits on our long-standing recommendation to buy the Mexican peso against the Canadian dollar. The peso has been among the best-performing currencies in EM this year helped by the central bank’s surprise rate hike at the last meeting. The Canadian dollar, meanwhile, has underperformed following last month’s dovish taper by the central bank. We remain constructive on the peso but opt to close the trade as we see the risk that the central bank conveys a dovish message at the next meeting even as it raises the policy rate.Separately, the attached file is a snapshot of the EM currency market in which we seek to identify the leaders and laggards among currencies by comparing the performance of each to its history as well as to other currencies based on their respective betas to an EM currency index.

We suggest taking profits on our long-standing recommendation to buy the Mexican peso against the Canadian dollar. The peso has been among the best-performing currencies in EM this year helped by the central bank’s surprise rate hike at the last meeting. The Canadian dollar, meanwhile, has underperformed following last month’s dovish taper by the central bank. We remain constructive on the peso but opt to close the trade as we see the risk that the central bank conveys a dovish message at the next meeting even as it raises the policy rate.Separately, the attached file is a snapshot of the EM currency market in which we seek to identify the leaders and laggards among currencies by comparing the performance of each to its history as well as to other currencies based on their respective betas to an EM currency index.

FX Dashboard: Take Profits on Long Mexican Peso Vs Short Canadian Dollar

Russia

The Russian ruble is the official currency of The Russian Federation. 

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RUB (USDRUB CURNCY)

FX Dashboard: Winners and Losers in EM FX Amidst Dollar Strengthening

In the latest bout of dollar strengthening, we go over the outperformers and underperformers among EM currencies to identify potential trading...

Gautam Jain, PhD, CFA

Macro Data Dog Not Wagging FX Market Tail

US Dollar, Treasury yields, US equities and even crude oil price detached from still volatile US macro data (inc inflation, payrolls and consumer...

Olivier Desbarres

FX Dashboard: Are EM Currencies in a Carry-Trade Environment?

As the volatilities of the US dollar and EM currencies have dropped, we test the hypothesis and conclude that EM FX is in a carry-trade...

Gautam Jain, PhD, CFA

FX Dashboard: Russian Ruble Is Lagging the Rally in Oil

In the short term, the ruble is less dependent on oil prices and more on monetary policy and sanctions risk. With both of these drivers behind, the...

Gautam Jain, PhD, CFA

FX Dashboard: Take Profits on Long Mexican Peso Vs Short Canadian Dollar

We suggest taking profits on our long-standing recommendation to buy the Mexican peso against the Canadian dollar. The peso has been the best...

Gautam Jain, PhD, CFA

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52-week Range

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