Forex Today: USD bounces alongside T-yields in Asia; UK politics/ Brexit in focus

Broad-based US dollar recovery was the main underlying theme that triggered a fresh selling-wave across the fx board in Asia this Thursday. The rebound in the greenback was mainly driven by a recovery in Treasury yields across the curve while the extension of the corrective slide in GBP/USD from the 2019 tops also added to the uptick in the buck. Markets resorted to profit taking on the GBP longs heading into the vote on Article 50 extension later today. The Euro tracked the correction in the Cable and marched towards the 1.13 handle.

Among the Asia-pac currencies, the Aussie was the biggest loser and headed for a test of the 0.7050 support following mixed Chinese data dump, followed by the Yen and the NZD. The USD/JPY pair clinched for-day tops at 111.61 on reports of Japanese growth downgrade while the Kiwi returned below 0.6850 levels.

On the related markets front, the Asian equities traded mixed, led by the declines in the Chinese stocks while both crude benchmarks traded modestly flat, with WTI having eased-off multi-months near 58.50 levels. Gold futures on Comex slipped and edged back towards the 1300 levels.

Main Topics in Asia

US Pres. Trump: In no rush to complete China trade deal – Reuters

Gold Technical Analysis: Rejected at 4H 200MA, hourly RSI diverges in favor of bears

Japanese Govt considering a slight downgrade in its monthly report for March – Nikkei

UK Press: PM May is preparing a third meaningful vote on Brexit on March 20

China Jan-Feb data dump: Retail sales rise 8.2%, industrial output drop 5.3%

China NBS: China’s economic growth in Jan-Feb within reasonable range

Tapering? BOJ’s ETF purchases hits lowest since 2016

Sources: US aims to cut Iran oil exports to under 1 million bpd from May – Reuters

Ex-National Economic Council Head Cohn: US desperate to sign trade deal with China

Key Focus Ahead

Markets remain focused on the Brexit-related developments amid a no deal Brexit rejected by the UK lawmakers and the Brexit extension of 2 months seeming the most likely bet, as rumor mills talk of the third meaningful vote on the UK PM May’s Brexit deal next week. Meanwhile, the EUR calendar remains a thin-showing, with the German final CPI release dropping in at 0700 GMT, following the Swiss producers and import prices at 0730 GMT.

In the NA session, the US weekly jobless claims, import prices and  the Canadian new housing price index are due at 1230 GMT. At 1400 GMT, the US new home sales data will be eyed for fresh dollar trades. In the American afternoon, at 1900 GMT, the UK parliamentary vote on Article 50 extension is scheduled while New Zealand’s business PMI and visitors arrivals data will be published at 2130 GMT and 2145 GMT respectively.

EUR/USD has reversed last week’s post-ECB sell-off, whats next?

EUR/USD’s drop to 21-month lows below 1.12 has been reversed, but the relief could be short-lived, as the US 10-year treasury yield has bounced up from three-month lows seen earlier this week.  

GBP/USD revisits sub-1.3300 area as UK MPs eye deadline extension

Investors may concentrate on how the UK members of parliament (MPs) can agree over delaying Article 50 deadline today. On the data front, initial jobless claims for the week ending on March 04 and January month new home sales are on cards.

GBP Soars 2% on Brexit Vote, 1.35 Next?

Having had years to reach an agreement, expectations for a 2 month extension are low but if May puts in the request and the EU accepts it (and there’s no reason for them not to),  GBPUSD  could extend its rally to 1.35.  

WTI Technical Analysis: Ichimoku Cloud is bullish, double tops broken, eyes on $60.00bbls

The price is now testing the territory on the 58  handle, breaking the double-top highs. Bulls look to  higher grounds while holding above the $57.93bbls and the horizontal prior resistance line going back to mid-Nov 2018.