Daily Market Analysis and News From NordFX

[Stan NordFX]

Forex and Cryptocurrencies Forecast for August 28 – September 01, 2023​

EUR/USD: Mr. Powell and Mrs. Lagarde - Much Talk, Little Substance

Last week's business activity data from both sides of the Atlantic proved to be exceptionally weak. The euro came under selling pressure due to a decline in Germany's Services PMI from 52.3 to 47.3, which in turn pulled down the Composite Business Activity Indexes not only for Germany but for the entire Eurozone. The former dropped from 48.5 to 44.7, while the latter declined from 48.6 to 47.0. The GDP data for Germany for Q2, released on Friday, August 25, further confirmed that the economy of the united Europe is stagnating. On a quarterly basis, this metric stood at 0%, and on an annual basis, it showed a decline of -0.6%.

American macroeconomic data also failed to please investors. Preliminary business activity data for the United States published on Wednesday, August 23, fell short of expectations. Specifically, the Manufacturing PMI dropped from 49.0 to 47.0, and for the Services sector, it decreased from 52.3 to 51.0. The Composite Index also weakened from 52.0 to 50.4. (Note that a score above 50.0 indicates an improving economic situation, while below 50.0 signifies deterioration.) The published data for U.S. durable goods orders also turned out to be fairly weak. While they had increased by 4.4% in June, they unexpectedly fell by -5.2% in July.

Despite the fact that both European and American statistics were considered dismal by several experts, the DXY Dollar Index continued its bullish rally initiated six weeks prior, while EUR/USD maintained its southerly course. Not even the hawkish rhetoric from Deutsche Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel could bolster the euro. Nagel advocated for the continuation of interest rate hikes to control inflation. In contrast, Nagel's Portuguese colleague, Mario Centeno, called for caution to avoid negatively impacting the Eurozone economy.

This discord among members of the ECB's Governing Council, set against a backdrop of persistently weak economies in Q1 and Q2 and the potential for GDP contraction in Q3 of 2023, has sown doubt among market participants. These circumstances have led to scepticism about whether the regulator will proceed with further rate hikes in September.

The positions of U.S. representatives, speaking on the sidelines of the global central bank symposium in Jackson Hole, appeared more unified. Boston Federal Reserve Bank President Susan Collins and Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank President Patrick Harker stated that the Fed could maintain interest rates at a stable level through the end of the year. However, they refrained from commenting on the timeline for a shift in monetary policy for the following year. Furthermore, according to Susan Collins, the resilience of the U.S. economy to aggressive monetary tightening suggests that the Fed may have to do more than it has already done. Her comments were interpreted as a clear hint towards further tightening of the American regulator's policy, leading market participants to speculate that Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell might also adopt a relatively hawkish stance.

Two pivotal speeches were scheduled for the evening of Friday, August 25, at the Jackson Hole global central bank symposium. These addresses held the potential to either disrupt or amplify existing financial trends. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell was set to speak first, followed by ECB President Christine Lagarde just two hours before the markets closed.

If Powell had confirmed that interest rates would remain unchanged through the year's end, it could have triggered selling pressure on the dollar. Conversely, the ongoing dollar rally might have accelerated if Powell had indicated the possibility of another rate hike. Data from the FedWatch Tool indicated a 39% likelihood of another 25-basis-point rate hike by the end of 2023 ahead of the speech.

In the previous year at Jackson Hole, Powell warned that any rate hikes would inflict "some pain" upon the U.S. economy, a statement that led to a rapid downturn in the U.S. stock market. This time, the U.S. equities market didn't wait for Powell's remarks. Major indices such as the S&P 500, Dow Jones, and Nasdaq saw sharp declines as early as August 24.

So, what did Jerome Powell say this time? Essentially the same message he delivered last year. Quote: "At last year's Jackson Hole symposium, my message was brief and direct. The substance of my remarks this year remains the same: The Federal Reserve's task is to bring inflation down to our 2% target, and we will achieve this," the Fed Chairman assured his audience. He then laid out two potential future scenarios: either maintaining the current rate or raising it. "While inflation has come down from its peak, which is a welcomed development, it remains too high," he said. "We are prepared to raise rates further if necessary and will maintain a restrictive policy stance until we are confident that inflation is sustainably moving toward our target level."

The head of the U.S. central bank also noted that core PCE (Personal Consumption Expenditures) inflation reached 4.3% in July, up from 4.1% the previous month. (July's PCE data will officially be released on August 31.) Overall, Powell's rhetoric was, as is often the case, fairly ambiguous: leaving both possible outcomes open for consideration.

Madam Lagarde's remarks were perhaps even more elusive. "Profound shifts in the functioning of the global economy [...] could lead to greater inflation volatility and more persistent price pressures," she stated. According to the ECB President, "at this stage, it is unclear whether all these various shifts will be permanent. [...] While these changes may still prove to be temporary, central banks need to be prepared for some of them to be more enduring."

In summary, while Powell presented two options, either maintaining or raising the interest rate, Madam Lagarde simply declared that interest rates will remain elevated for as long as necessary to combat inflation. As a result, the daily candle for EUR/USD, after some hesitation, returned to the central part of its range.

Starting the five-day trading week at 1.0872, EUR/USD closed it with an advantage for the dollar, settling at 1.0794. At the time of writing this analysis, on the evening of August 25th following the speeches at Jackson Hole by the heads of the Fed and the ECB, analysts were evenly split: 50% favoring a rise in the pair and 50% expecting a decline. Among the trend indicators and oscillators on the D1 chart, 100% are leaning towards the American currency and are coloured in red. However, 15% of these are signalling that the pair is oversold. Immediate support for the pair is located in the 1.0765-1.0775 range, followed by 1.0740, 1.0665-1.0680, 1.0620-1.0635, and 1.0525. Bulls will encounter resistance in the areas of 1.0845-1.0865, followed by 1.0895-1.0925, then 1.0985, 1.1045, 1.1090-1.1110, 1.1150-1.1170, 1.1230, and 1.1275-1.1290.

The upcoming week will see the release of a significant amount of diverse economic data. The week will kick off on Tuesday, August 29, with the U.S. Consumer Confidence Index and the job openings data. On Wednesday, August 30, preliminary Consumer Price Index (CPI) data from Germany will be released, along with U.S. labour market statistics and GDP figures. Thursday will bring preliminary CPI numbers for the Eurozone, retail sales data from Germany, as well as U.S. unemployment levels and the Core Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (Core PCE Price Index), a critical inflation indicator. On Friday, September 1, another substantial set of U.S. labour market information will be released, including the highly important Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP) data. The week will conclude with the release of the U.S. Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI).

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[Stan NordFX]

GBP/USD: Will the Rate Finally Rise?

Inflationary pressure in the United Kingdom is easing, although it remains the highest among the G7 countries. We have previously noted that while the annual rate of price growth has decreased from 7.9% to 6.8% (the lowest since February 2022), inflation remains elevated. Furthermore, the core CPI metric has remained steady at 6.9% year-on-year, just 0.2% below the peak set two months prior. A surge in energy prices threatens another inflationary spike.

These data and prospects exert significant pressure on the British currency. According to some analysts, they will push the Bank of England (BoE) toward further interest rate hikes. This will likely occur despite rising unemployment rates and the threat of an economic recession. This possibility cannot be ruled out, as preliminary business activity data released on Wednesday, August 23, showed that the UK's Manufacturing PMI dropped from 45.3 to 42.5 within a month, the Services PMI fell from 51.5 to 48.7, and the Composite PMI declined from 50.8 to 47.9. Thus, all three indicators fell below 50.0, signalling a sharp deterioration in the economic landscape.

A number of experts believe that the key interest rate could peak around 6% (currently at 5.25%). Due to accelerating inflationary pressures, the BoE may be compelled to maintain this peak level for an extended period, even in the face of pressure from populist politicians. Should this occur, the pound would have an opportunity to improve its position relative to the dollar.

However, concerning near-term prospects, specialists at Scotiabank do not rule out a further decline of GBP/USD to 1.2400 after breaking the 1.2620 support level. They add that "a rebound above 1.2600 could provide short-term support for the pound, especially considering that the selloff appears to be overstretched." Experts at ING, the largest banking group in the Netherlands, believe that the pair could find support around 1.2500 if the dollar strengthens. Their colleagues at Singapore's United Overseas Bank anticipate that GBP/USD will trade in a range of 1.2580-1.2780. "Going forward," they write, "as long as the pound remains below the strong resistance level [of 1.2720], it is likely to weaken to 1.2530 and possibly even to 1.2480."

After the Jackson Hole speeches on Friday, August 25, GBP/USD settled at 1.2578. The near-term consensus among experts is divided as follows: 60% are in favour of a bullish trend, 20% lean bearish, and the remaining 20% are neutral. On the D1 timeframe, 60% of the oscillators are painted red, with a third of these suggesting the pair is oversold; the remaining 40% are in a neutral grey zone. As for trend indicators, 85% are coloured red, suggesting a bearish bias, compared to 15% in green.

If the pair trends downwards, it will likely find support at various levels and zones: 1.2540, 1.2500-1.2510, 1.2435-1.2450, 1.2300-1.2330, 1.2190-1.2210, 1.2085, 1.1960, and 1.1800. Conversely, if the pair moves upwards, it will encounter resistance at 1.2630, 1.2675-1.2690, 1.2760, 1.2800-1.2815, 1.2880, 1.2940, 1.2980-1.3000, 1.3050-1.3060, 1.3125-1.3140, and 1.3185-1.3210.

Regarding key economic data for the United Kingdom, no major releases are expected in the upcoming week. The focus will be on developments across the Atlantic. However, traders should note that Monday, August 28, is a bank holiday in the UK.

USD/JPY: Higher and Higher

The Governor of the Bank of Japan (BOJ), Kazuo Ueda, is scheduled to speak in Jackson Hole on Saturday, August 26, by which time this review will already have been written. Frankly, we do not expect any groundbreaking statements from him. At this point, we can only rely on the comments from the country's Finance Minister, Shunichi Suzuki. On Friday, August 25, he stated that he is "closely monitoring the impact of the Jackson Hole discussions on the global economy." He added that he cannot offer any specific details regarding the formation of an additional budget to finance economic measures.

It's worth noting that the Bank of Japan (BoJ) recently took a "revolutionary" decision, at least by its own standards, and shifted from rigid yield curve targeting of Japanese Government Bonds (JGBs) to a more flexible approach. However, it set certain boundaries, drawing a "red line" at a yield of 1.0% and declaring that it would carry out purchases to ensure that yields do not exceed this level. Less than a week after this move, the yield on JGBs reached nine-year highs, approaching the 0.65% mark. Consequently, the central bank had to intervene by buying these securities to prevent further increases.

In the Japanese media, Nikkei Asia believes that the budgetary expenses for such operations are expected to rise. Unlike the Finance Minister, they provided a specific figure: 110 trillion yen (over 753 billion dollars) for the year 2024. According to the Nikkei Asia report, the budget request is expected to be submitted by the end of August, meaning within the coming week.

As previously mentioned, the change in yield curve regulation for securities is indeed an extraordinary move for the Bank of Japan (BoJ). However, according to Japan's MUFG Bank, this is insufficient to trigger a yen recovery. Regarding interest rate hikes, MUFG believes that the Bank of Japan may only decide on its first increase in the first half of next year. Only then is a shift towards strengthening the national currency expected.

The yen had an opportunity to slightly strengthen its position last week. Responding to weak economic activity data, U.S. Treasury yields dropped by more than 1.5%. As is well-known, there is an inverse correlation between their yields and the yen. That is, if Treasury yields fall, the Japanese currency rises, and USD/JPY forms a downward trend. This is exactly what we observed in the middle of the week, on August 23, the pair found a local low at the 144.53 level.

However, the joy for yen investors was short-lived, as the pair reached a new high of 146.62 on August 25. As for the close of the trading week, it settled at the 146.40 level. According to strategists at Credit Suisse, the pair will eventually climb higher and reach its primary and long-term target at 148.57.

Regarding the near-term outlook, the consensus among experts appears as follows: A significant majority (60%) anticipate a downward correction for the pair. Meanwhile, 20% expect USD/JPY to continue its upward movement, and another 20% opted to abstain from commenting. On the D1 time frame, all trend indicators are coloured green, while 90% of the oscillators are also green (with 10% in the overbought zone); the remaining oscillators maintain a neutral stance. The closest support level lies at 146.10, followed by 145.50-145.75, 144.90, 144.50, 143.75-144.05, 142.90-143.05, 142.20, 141.40-141.75, 140.60-140.75, 139.85, 138.95-139.05, 138.05-138.30, and 137.25-137.50. The immediate resistance is at 146.90-147.15, followed by 148.45-148.60, 150.00, and finally, the October 2022 high at 151.95.

There are no scheduled releases of any significant statistics concerning the state of the Japanese economy for the upcoming week.

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[Stan NordFX]

CRYPTOCURRENCIES: The Shock is Not Over Yet

It appears that the crypto market is still reeling from the shock of August 17, when bitcoin took a sharp nosedive, hitting a low of $24,296. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index, which had long been in the neutral zone, moved into the fear territory. The leading cryptocurrency dragged the entire crypto market down with it, shrinking it by 10% from $1.171 trillion to $1.054 trillion, barely holding above the psychological level of $1 trillion. On August 17 alone, traders collectively lost over $1 billion across all instruments, marking the biggest loss since the crash of the FTX exchange.

This is a brief description of the recent tragedy. Now let's delve into the causes. We already highlighted the main theories in our last review, and they turned out to be accurate, although they now merit a more comprehensive analysis. Two major news events triggered the downturn. The first was the publication of the July meeting minutes from the Federal Reserve, where the majority of the FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) members expressed the possibility of raising the key interest rate in 2023. A higher rate boosts the yield on the dollar and government bonds, resulting in capital flight from riskier assets.

The second catalyst was an article in The Wall Street Journal, citing documents stating that Elon Musk's SpaceX had sold off its BTC holdings, writing off $373 million in cryptocurrency. Notably, the report did not specify when SpaceX sold these coins. However, as the ensuing panic showed, such details weren't necessary.

In another context, these two pieces of news might not have provoked such a violent reaction. However, prolonged market consolidation, low trading volumes in the spot market, and a large number of derivative positions opened by traders using leverage all contributed negatively. The fall in prices triggered a domino effect, leading to the liquidation of more than 175,000 leveraged positions in 24 hours, according to Coinglass data. Subsequently, the leverage ratio dropped to levels last seen in April.

Now, a week later, following the speech by the Federal Reserve Chair at Jackson Hole, it turns out that a rate hike might or might not happen. In other words, the Federal Reserve may put an end to its monetary tightening cycle and freeze the rate at its current level. This eliminates the first reason for panic. As for the second reason, it turns out that SpaceX had written off its crypto assets back in 2021-2022, rendering this "news" inconsequential.

However, what's done is done. Short-term BTC holders took the biggest hit: 88.3% of them are now in a losing position. This is a concern because these speculators are typically not known for their patience and could begin offloading their remaining crypto holdings, exerting further downward pressure on prices. On the other hand, it's worth noting that long-term holders (those holding for more than 155 days) took advantage of the situation to buy more coins, seeing it as an opportune time to bolster their portfolios.

After the crash on August 17, the voices advocating for a swift bitcoin rebound have become increasingly subdued, while the pessimists have gained momentum. However, even within their forecasts, the term "halving" is frequently mentioned, a concept upon which many influencers place great hopes. For example, an analyst known by the pseudonym Tolberti predicts a continuation of the bearish trend until bitcoin hits a bottom around $10,000 by the time of the halving in April 2024. This prediction is based on BTC's price falling below its 200-week and 20-month moving averages (MAs). Additionally, Tolberti notes the formation of a bearish flag on the chart, indicating a continued negative trend.

According to popular analyst Benjamin Cowen, the current downturn in the leading cryptocurrency may not be its last, and bitcoin will likely continue to fall. He believes that such a bearish trend is consistent with the current global economic trajectory. Cowen also pointed out that similar bitcoin declines happen every four years. "The fact is, every four years in August or September, the year before the U.S. presidential elections, there is a correction in the American market. And bitcoin correlates with U.S. stock market indices. If we look at 2023, we see this as well. In 2019, bitcoin plummeted 61%. In 2015, the decline was about 40%. In 2011, we saw a 'black swan' of 82.5%. That is, every year before the halving and American elections, we see a bitcoin decline," explained Cowen.

Dave the Wave, an analyst who accurately predicted the crypto market crash in May 2021, believes that the current bear market for bitcoin will last at least until the end of the year. The expert used his own version of logarithmic growth curves, which help forecast bitcoin's macro highs and lows while filtering out medium-term volatility and noise. According to his calculations, BTC is currently trading at the lower boundary of these logarithmic growth curves but is still in a "buy zone." Dave the Wave does not rule out that BTC may decline a bit more but anticipates that by mid-2024, specifically after the April halving, it will rise to new highs above $69,000.

According to a number of investors and traders, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) serves as a valuable tool for assessing the condition of an asset. The RSI oscillates between 0 and 100, with values above 70 typically indicating an overbought condition and values below 30 signalling an oversold condition.

The drop in bitcoin's daily RSI from August 17 to 22 below the 20 mark (hitting a low of 17.47) is comparable to the oversold levels seen during the market crash in March 2020, when the entire financial landscape was gripped by fear and uncertainty due to COVID-19. Analysts and traders are now closely monitoring RSI readings, as they could signal a potential bullish reversal in BTC's trend, although they are not a guaranteed indicator. Cryptocurrency markets are known for their unpredictability, and their direction can be influenced by a multitude of factors, among which political and macroeconomic elements play a significant role.

Wall Street legend, analyst, and trader Peter Brandt had already speculated a decline in bitcoin's price back in May. He identified a chart pattern known as a "pennant" or "flag," indicative of bearish implications. He now warns that bitcoin could break from the ascending trend that started in January 2023, as it approaches a critical price zone. The expert clarified that a close below $24,800 would damage both the daily and weekly charts and increase the likelihood that BTC's mid-term bullish momentum will falter.

Another analyst, publishing under the pseudonym Credible Crypto, noted that the current market scenario closely resembles what was observed in 2020. Back then, the leading digital currency's price rose from approximately $16,000 to $60,000 within a few months. According to the specialist, the market leader is now taking a "breather" after price gains earlier this year. He describes this as a normal correction. The current position almost fully mirrors the price dynamics of bitcoin from March to August 2020. What is happening now, in his opinion, suggests that the objective is asset accumulation.

Credible Crypto noted that bitcoin began its "parabolic rally" in 2020 right after such a phase. "Breaking out of the accumulation range last time triggered the next upward move, causing BTC's price to soar," said the expert. According to him, this time around, bitcoin has twice as much time, or about four months, to do it again in 2023. He emphasized that his forecast would be invalidated if the digital gold's quotations fall below $24,800: the same critical support level identified by Peter Brandt.

For the past week, the flagship cryptocurrency has been trading within the $25,500-26,785 channel around a Pivot Point of $26,000, suggesting there is no compelling reason for either its rise or fall. As of the time of writing this overview, on the evening of Friday, August 25, BTC/USD is trading at approximately $26,050. The overall market capitalization of the cryptocurrency market stands at $1.047 trillion (compared to $1.054 trillion a week ago). The Bitcoin Fear & Greed Index remains in the "Fear" zone at a score of 39 points (compared to 37 points a week ago).


NordFX Analytical Group


Notice: These materials are not investment recommendations or guidelines for working in financial markets and are intended for informational purposes only. Trading in financial markets is risky and can result in a complete loss of deposited funds.

#eurusd #gbpusd #usdjpy #btcusd #ethusd #ltcusd #xrpusd #forex #forex_example #signals #cryptocurrencies #bitcoin #stock_market

 

[Stan NordFX]

CryptoNews of the Week

– The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have introduced regulations for the taxation of cryptocurrencies. Officials anticipate that the new rules will "close the tax gap and ensure that everyone is playing by the same set of rules." According to the proposed guidelines, crypto brokers will be treated in the same manner as traditional brokers, such as stockbrokers.
Under the new regulations, the category of "brokers" includes cryptocurrency platforms, payment systems, and certain crypto wallets. The IRS and the Treasury Department emphasized that decentralized exchanges also fall under these rules. These entities are required to conduct customer identification and, starting in 2025, provide tax reporting. The U.S. Treasury expects that the cryptocurrency industry will generate $28 billion in tax revenue over the next 10 years.

– The analyst known as A Chain of Blocks believes that the BRICS nations' intention to move away from the U.S. dollar should draw attention to Ripple (XRP), the fifth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization. According to him, the majority of the member countries view XRP as a viable global payment option capable of facilitating transactions between member states.
At the most recent summit of the group, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that BRICS countries would not use the U.S. dollar for transactions among themselves. However, India's Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, expressed during the same summit that the U.S. dollar would continue to dominate international trade. Puri noted that talk of de-dollarization is premature at this stage. His statement is corroborated by statistical data. Despite calls from BRICS authorities to use national currencies, the dollar's share of international transactions processed through the SWIFT system reached a record 46.5% in July.

– The crypto exchange HashKey Group has submitted an application to the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission for the issuance of cryptocurrency derivatives. If the regulator gives the green light, the exchange's clients will be able to trade futures on bitcoin and Ethereum.
To mitigate financial risks, novice traders will be restricted from executing certain trades. All clients will receive a warning if they invest more than 30% of their capital in cryptocurrencies, and their transaction limits will be reduced. Additionally, account balances can only be replenished using bank cards, creating challenges for residents of countries that have banned cryptocurrency trading.

– Tom Lee, co-founder and chief researcher at Fundstrat Global Advisors, predicts that due to the halving event, the bitcoin price will reach $100,000 per coin. In his view, halvings serve as catalysts for bitcoin price growth, as they reduce the supply of new coins and increase scarcity. Lee also considers factors such as rising demand for bitcoin from institutional investors, corporations, and retail buyers, as well as advancements in technological development and innovations within the bitcoin network. However, he acknowledges that bitcoin could experience significant price volatility on its path to reaching the targeted level.

– In contrast to Tom Lee, Nassim Taleb, a renowned writer, philosopher, and former trader, has a bearish outlook on bitcoin. He argues that bitcoin lacks intrinsic value and is purely a speculative asset, prone to extreme volatility and manipulation. He also criticizes bitcoin for not being an efficient medium of exchange, citing high transaction fees, slow transaction speeds, and low throughput. According to Taleb, bitcoin cannot compete with traditional currencies or other cryptocurrencies that possess superior technical attributes. He predicts that by the end of 2023, the price of bitcoin will drop to $0 per coin.

– British billionaire Jeremy Grantham, founder and chief strategist of GMO, one of the largest investment firms in the world, also has a bearish outlook on Ethereum and the cryptocurrency market overall. He believes that Ethereum is part of a global cryptocurrency bubble that will eventually burst. The billionaire compares cryptocurrencies to historical examples of bubbles, such as the Tulip Mania in the Netherlands in the 17th century, the South Sea Company in England in the 18th century, and the dot-com boom in the United States in the late 20th century. In his opinion, cryptocurrencies lack real value and are fueled by irrational enthusiasm and investor greed. Jeremy Grantham predicts that by the end of 2023, the price of Ethereum will drop to $100 per coin.

– Vitalik Buterin, co-founder and chief developer of Ethereum, has a contrasting view, believing that ETH could rise to $10,000 per coin. He bases his forecast on the idea that the leading altcoin will continue to develop and improve through new technological updates, the implementation of sharding, enhanced security and privacy, as well as the expansion of the DApps and smart contracts ecosystem. Buterin also believes that Ethereum will attract the attention of institutional investors who will use it as a means to diversify their portfolios and hedge against inflation.

– The Israeli government is shifting towards a more lenient approach to cryptocurrency regulation. To that end, a special research group has been created to study the regulation of DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations), which is also conducting public consultations on this matter until September 2023.
Currently, cryptocurrency in Israel is recognized as a financial asset, and any capital gains are taxed at a rate of 25%. If transactions involving cryptocurrency are classified as commercial, the tax rate could be much higher—up to 53%. Lawmakers appear to have recognized the severity of such regulations and are moving towards a more moderate approach: a bill exempting foreign residents from capital gains tax on the sale of cryptocurrency has already passed a preliminary reading in the Knesset, Israel's parliament.
As for mining, profits from this activity are subject to regular income tax (17%). Israeli mining company Kafkamining noted in its blog that conducting such a business in the country is entirely feasible.

– In August, PayPal launched its own stablecoin, PYPL, in partnership with Paxos on the Ethereum blockchain. This raised valid concerns about its demand for transactions due to Ethereum's high fees. Recently, analytics firm Nansen confirmed that PayPal's stablecoin has not yet gained traction among cryptocurrency users. Nansen speculated that the payment giant is likely targeting a different demographic altogether.

– According to Santiment data, only 5.8% of the total bitcoin volume is currently held on exchanges. This marks a historic low for the asset, a level not seen since December 17, 2017.
Analysts believe that several factors have influenced this trend, including a long-term holding strategy. Additionally, faith in bitcoin's potential as a reliable store of value is growing, while confidence in the safety of funds on cryptocurrency exchanges is diminishing. This shift is prompting individuals to opt for self-custody of their assets. Regulatory pressures on leading cryptocurrency exchange Binance, particularly issues with the SEC, have acted as a catalyst for this process. Due to regulatory scrutiny worldwide, bitcoin whales withdrew 5,000 BTC from the trading platform in just one minute.

– According to an analysis published on TradingView by TradingShot, bitcoin could reach the Fibonacci correction level of 0.86 at $50,000 by the end of 2023. The TradingShot analysis focuses on historical readings of the MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence) indicator. Additionally, the analysts point to a support level established based on the last bear cycle's lowest peak. This level has shown resilience, consistently closing all monthly candles above it, with the exception of the sudden crash triggered by the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020.

– Despite BTC trading in a consolidated phase, demand for the leading cryptocurrency appears to be increasing. Over the past 12 months, Google Trends has shown a surge in searches for the keyword "buy bitcoin." Activity from bitcoin whales also corroborates this sustained interest in the primary cryptocurrency; transactions exceeding $100,000 are averaging around 57,400 transactions per week.


Notice: These materials should not be deemed a recommendation for investment or guidance for working on financial markets: they are for informative purposes only. Trading on financial markets is risky and can lead to a loss of money deposited.

#eurusd #gbpusd #usdjpy #btcusd #ethusd #ltcusd #xrpusd #forex #forex_example #signals #cryptocurrencies #bitcoin #stock_market

 

[Stan NordFX]

Forex and Cryptocurrencies Forecast for September 04-08, 2023​

EUR/USD: No to Rate Hike, Yes to Dollar Appreciation!

Market participants continue to scrutinize the macroeconomic backdrop in the United States, attempting to discern (or speculate) whether the Federal Reserve will proceed with further increases to the federal funds rate. Following disappointing consumer confidence reports, weak ADP labour market data, and a slowdown in economic growth in Q2, market chatter has shifted towards the spectre of recession and the potential for a dovish pivot by the American regulator. U.S. economic growth currently remains above expectations. However, the revised GDP assessment still disappointed markets, as it fell short of initial projections.

On the other hand, household expenditures increased by 0.8% month-over-month, the highest rate since January. The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Index, the inflation indicator most closely watched by the Federal Reserve, added 0.2% month-over-month for the second consecutive month. While the growth is modest, it is growth, nonetheless. The core PCE rose by 4.2% year-over-year, aligning with forecasts but exceeding the previous month's figure of 4.1%.

The labour market situation has transitioned from "consistently strong" to "potentially challenging." The number of open job vacancies, as measured by the JOLTS report, dipped to 8.827 million in July for the first time in a long while. For over a year, it had mostly stayed above 10 million, a threshold figure for the Federal Reserve in assessing the strength of the labour market. Additionally, the number of initial unemployment claims increased by 228,000 last week.

The data released on Friday, September 1st, further muddled market forecasts. On Thursday, all signs pointed to a cooling labor market. However, contrary to expectations of 170K, the number of new jobs created in the non-farm sector (NFP) rose significantly from 157K to 187K. In other words, the news is good. On the flip side, the unemployment rate also increased, from 3.5% to 3.8% (with a forecast of 3.5%). So, the news is bad. Additionally, the U.S. Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) also increased, from a previous level of 46.4 and expectations of 47.0, to an actual figure of 47.6. Once again, the news is good. However, it's worth noting that a PMI above 50.0 indicates an improving economic situation, while below 50.0 suggests deterioration. So, is the news bad again?

Overall, these mixed indicators led to a divergent market reaction. On one hand, the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) began gradually improving its position from Wednesday, August 30th, sharply accelerating its gains on Friday. On the other hand, the likelihood of a rate hike at the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting on September 19-20 dropped to 12%. Contributing to the reduced rate hike expectations were the somewhat divergent statements from Federal Reserve officials. We have already covered what Federal Reserve Bank of Boston President Susan Collins, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Patrick Harker, and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said at the global central banks symposium in Jackson Hole in our previous review. Now, we add that Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic believes that rates are already at a restrictive level and that further hikes could inflict additional pain on the U.S. economy.

As for the Eurozone economy, the latest statistics indicate that inflation has ceased to decline, while the money supply contracted due to falling lending volumes. Contrary to Bloomberg experts' forecast of 5.1%, the year-over-year Consumer Price Index (CPI) remained stable at 5.3%. In Germany, the region's largest economy, the monthly CPI also remained static at 0.3%.

In such a situation, one would expect the European Central Bank (ECB) to continue tightening monetary policy. However, the threat of stagflation appears to concern the regulator more than rising prices. Even such a hawkish figure as ECB Executive Board Member Isabel Schnabel confirmed that the economic outlook for the Eurozone is more dire than initially thought, suggesting that the region could be on the brink of a deep or prolonged recession.

Her comments are supported by the state of the labour market. The overall unemployment rate in the Eurozone remains stubbornly high, holding steady at 6.4%. In Germany, the rate has been gradually increasing on a quarterly basis, slowly reverting to levels seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It appears that both regulators, the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank, are losing their appetite for further monetary tightening and are prepared to end their cycles of monetary restriction (or at least put rate hikes on hold). In such a scenario, it is logical that weaker economies stand to lose. Strategists at JP Morgan and Bank of America anticipate the euro to reach $1.0500 by the end of the current year, while BNP Paribas projects an even lower level of $1.0200.

Starting the five-day trading period at 1.0794, EUR/USD closed nearly where it began, settling at 1.0774. As of the time of writing this review, the evening of September 1, 50% of experts are bullish on the pair in the near term, 20% are bearish, and 30% have taken a neutral stance. Regarding technical analysis, nothing has changed over the past week. All trend indicators and oscillators on the D1 timeframe remain 100% in favour of the U.S. currency and are coloured red. Additionally, 15% still indicate that the pair is oversold. The nearest support levels for the pair are situated around 1.0765, followed by 1.0665-1.0680, 1.0620-1.0635, and 1.0515-1.0525. Bulls will encounter resistance at 1.0800, followed by 1.0835-1.0865, 1.0895-1.0925, 1.0985, 1.1045, 1.1090-1.1110, 1.1150-1.1170, 1.1230, and 1.1275-1.1290.

Among the events to watch for the upcoming week, attention should be paid to the speech by ECB President Christine Lagarde on Monday, September 4. On Wednesday, September 6, retail sales data for the Eurozone will be released, along with the U.S. Services PMI figures. On Thursday, September 7, revised Q2 GDP figures for the Eurozone will be published, as will the customary U.S. initial jobless claims numbers. And rounding out the workweek, on Friday, September 8, we will learn about the state of inflation (CPI) in Germany, the main engine of the European economy.

continued below...

 

[Stan NordFX]

GBP/USD: Will the Rate Not Increase After All?

Earlier in the EUR/USD overview, we highlighted the central banks' main question: what's more important – defeating inflation or preventing the economy from sliding into a recession? Although the annual inflation rate in the United Kingdom has dropped from 7.9% to 6.8% (the lowest since February 2022), inflation remains the highest among the G7 countries. Moreover, the core CPI indicator remained at 6.9% YoY, just as it was a month earlier. This is only 0.2% below the peak set two months prior. Additionally, rising energy prices pose a threat for new inflationary surges.

Such data and outlooks, according to several analysts, should have compelled the Bank of England (BoE) to continue raising interest rates. However, there's another factor tipping the scales in the opposite direction. August marked a further deepening of the downturn in the UK's manufacturing sector. Manufacturers in the country reported a weakening economic backdrop, as demand suffers due to rising interest rates, a cost-of-living crisis, export sector losses, and market outlook concerns. According to S&P Global, intermediate goods producers are particularly hard-hit — the B2B sector is facing the steepest decline in production volumes. This affects both new orders and staffing levels, which are being cut back.

The final Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for August stood at just 43.0. The main PMI figure plummeted to a 39-month low, as production volumes and new orders contracted at rates rarely seen, except during major periods of economic stress, such as the global financial crisis of 2008-2009 and pandemic-related lockdown measures.

Against this bleak backdrop, survey results indicate that the country's policymakers will increasingly focus on concerns about the state of the economy rather than on the issue of raising interest rates. The Bank of England's Chief Economist, Huw Pill, stated that while there's no room for complacency regarding inflation, he himself would prefer to keep the rate steady for a more extended period. He announced that at the upcoming BoE meeting on September 21, he will vote to maintain the current rate at 5.25%. Following such a statement, the previously described rule comes into effect – if both regulators lose their appetite for further rate hikes, the weaker economy loses. In the case of the UK/US pair, the former turns out to be the weaker link.

We have previously mentioned that experts at Scotiabank do not rule out the possibility of GBP/USD falling further to 1.2400. Analysts at ING, the largest banking group in the Netherlands, believe that should the dollar strengthen, the pair may find support around 1.2500. Their colleagues at Singapore's United Overseas Bank anticipate that "as long as the pound remains below the strong resistance level of 1.2720, it is likely to weaken to 1.2530, and possibly even to 1.2480."

The pair closed last week at 1.2585. Looking at the near future, 40% of experts anticipate an upward correction, 20% foresee further dollar strengthening, and the remaining 40% expect sideways movement. Among the oscillators on the D1 timeframe, 90% are coloured red and 10% green. As for the trend indicators, the ratio between red and green is 85% to 15%, favouring red. If the pair moves south, it will encounter support levels and zones at 1.2560-1.2575, 1.2545, 1.2500-1.2510, 1.2435-1.2450, 1.2300-1.2330, 1.2190-1.2210, 1.2085, 1.1960, and 1.1800. In the event of an upward movement, the pair will face resistance at 1.2620-1.2635, 1.2690-1.2710, 1.2760, 1.2800-1.2815, 1.2880, 1.2940, 1.2980-1.3000, 1.3050-1.3060, 1.3125-1.3140, and 1.3185-1.3210.

As for significant events concerning the state of the United Kingdom's economy, particular attention should be paid to the Inflation Report hearings scheduled for Thursday, September 7.

USD/JPY: Awaiting Currency Interventions

Generally speaking, if we review the week's outcomes, it can be stated that the Dollar Index (DXY) reclaimed all three pairs, EUR/USD, GBP/USD, and USD/JPY, on Friday, September 01, nearly returning them to where they began the five-day period. This occurred despite significant volatility. For instance, starting at the 146.40 yen mark per dollar, the Japanese currency reached a peak of 147.36, then declined to 144.44, with the final note being played at the 146.21 level.

Fresh statistics indicate that industrial activity in Japan is experiencing a downturn. This is evident from the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) data for the manufacturing sector, which fell from 49.7 to 49.6 in a month, remaining below the threshold of 50 for the third consecutive month. The 50 mark separates expansion from contraction. Against this backdrop, USD/JPY maintains a bullish sentiment, although this could be disrupted by currency interventions from the Japanese authorities. Officials assure that they remain vigilant. For instance, Japan's Finance Minister, Sunaiti Suzuki, recently conducted another verbal (non-financial) intervention. On September 01, he stated that markets should determine currency exchange rates themselves, while emphasizing that sharp fluctuations are undesirable. He also mentioned closely monitoring currency movements. Whether such "incantations" will calm investors concerning the yen remains uncertain. It is plausible that concrete currency interventions, rather than verbal ones, might be required to provide evidence, much like what occurred last November.

In terms of the near-term outlook, much like the previous pairs, the majority of analysts believe that the DXY has gained sufficiently and that it might be time for it to retrace southward, at least temporarily. Regarding USD/JPY, 80% of analysts have voted in favour of such a trend reversal. The remaining 20% continue to hold faith in the dollar's potential for further pair growth. On the D1 timeframe, all 100% of trend indicators are painted in green. Among oscillators, 65% are in this state, while 10% are in red, and the remaining 25% have assumed a neutral position.

The nearest support level is situated in the range of 146.10, followed by 145.50-145.70, 144.90, 144.50, 143.75-144.05, 142.90-143.05, 142.20, 141.40-141.75, 140.60-140.75, 139.85, 138.95-139.05, 138.05-138.30, 137.25-137.50. The closest resistance lies at 146.50-146.60, followed by 146.90, 147.25-147.35, 148.45-148.85, 150.00, and finally, the October 2022 high of 151.90.

Friday, September 08, stands out in the economic calendar for the upcoming week as the day when the GDP figures for Japan's Q2 2023 will be released. There are no other significant statistical releases planned concerning the state of the Japanese economy for the upcoming week.

continued below...

 

[Stan NordFX]

CRYPTOCURRENCIES: Why Bitcoin Soared and Why It Fell Again

The beginning of the past week was exceptionally dull. Its continuation could have been just as uneventful if not for Grayscale. Currently, Grayscale is the world's largest investment firm managing cryptocurrency assets. And now, it has won an appeal against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The judges unanimously deemed the regulator's denial of converting the Bitcoin trust fund into a spot ETF "arbitrary and capricious." The legal battle lasted over a year, and unexpectedly on Tuesday, August 29, the court delivered such a definitive verdict. As a result, within three hours, Bitcoin surged from $26,060 to $28,122, a 7.9% increase, demonstrating the best growth rate in the last 12 months.

Perhaps, the explosive effect could have been even more impressive if not for the insiders. It turned out that someone did know about the court's decision in advance. Just before the court's announcement, this individual placed 30,000 Bitcoins, worth around $780 million, on the exchange. Selling such a volume of coins at the price peak is rather challenging due to low liquidity, thus causing a decline in their selling value. Consequently, the gains of BTC/USD gradually faded away, and it returned to where it started on August 29.

However, despite this decline, many analysts are confident that the current court decision will still have a positive impact on the market. Recall that this summer, eight major financial institutions have already filed applications with the SEC to enter the cryptocurrency market through spot Bitcoin ETFs. Among them are global asset managers like BlackRock, Invesco, and Fidelity. Earlier, the fact that the SEC had previously rejected all similar applications raised concerns. However, everything has changed now following the Grayscale case verdict.

Senior Bloomberg strategist, Eric Balchunas, has already raised his prediction to 95% for ETF approvals within 2024 and to 75% for the possibility of it happening in this year, 2023. According to various estimates, these new funds could attract between $5 billion to $10 billion of institutional investments within the first six months alone, undoubtedly pushing the quotations higher.

Co-founder of Fundstrat, Tom Lee, believes that if a spot Bitcoin ETF is approved, the price could rise to $185,000. On the other hand, Cathy Wood, the CEO of ARK Invest, forecasts a surge in the total cryptocurrency market capitalization to $25 trillion by 2030, representing an increase of over 2100%. Within this projection, ARK Invest's baseline scenario envisions BTC's price rising to $650,000 during this period, while the more optimistic scenario suggests roughly twice that.

The Artificial Intelligence ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, has proposed its optimistic scenario. It envisions the primary cryptocurrency growing to $150,000 by 2024, $500,000 by 2028, $1 million by 2032, and $5 million by 2050. ChatGPT, however, outlined certain conditions. This growth could only materialize if: the cryptocurrency becomes widely adopted, bitcoin becomes a popular store of value, and the coin is integrated into various financial systems. If these conditions are not met, according to the AI's calculations, by 2050, the coin could be valued anywhere from $20,000 to $500,000.

In general, even the latest figure sounds promising for long-term holders of BTC, whose numbers continue to grow. Research from Glassnode reveals that this figure recently reached a record high, indicating the popularity of the hodling concept, a presence of certain optimism, and potential resistance to market fluctuations.

On the flip side, short-term speculators are exiting the market. According to CryptoQuant, the trading volume of bitcoins has hit its lowest level in five years. "Trading volumes are decreasing amidst a bearish trend, as retail investors depart," explains Julio Moreno, Head of Research at CryptoQuant. "Overall, the market remains lacklustre," asserts Gautam Chhugani, an analyst at Bernstein. "This trend isn't necessarily bearish, but participants are still uninterested in trading, as the market awaits catalysts."

Raoul Pal, CEO of Real Vision Group, one of the world's leading financial media platforms, noted that btc's 30-day volatility has decreased to 20 points. However, based on his observations, historically, such low volatility within two to four months led to a robust surge in the first cryptocurrency. According to the analyst known as Credible Crypto, for a truly potent surge, the bulls need to push the first cryptocurrency's price above the key zone of $29,000-$30,000. For now, a significant portion of traders anticipates a decrease in BTC to more favourable buying levels. Yet, when the price surpasses $30,000, according to Credible Crypto, the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) phenomenon will come into play, propelling quotations upwards.

To what extent can the price of the flagship cryptocurrency fall in the current situation? September historically has not been favourable for bitcoin. From 2011 to 2022, BTC on average lost about 4.67% of its value during this period.

Analyst Justin Bennett believes that the bitcoin price could potentially drop to $14,000. This level acted as strong support from 2018 to 2020. Bennett supports his forecasts with a chart showing that the flagship crypto asset has exited an ascending channel that it had been in for about ten months. Bitcoin failed to overcome resistance in the range of $29,000-$33,000, which led to this breakout. Furthermore, a global economic recession could exacerbate the decline. According to Bennett, since the S&P 500 stock index couldn't replicate the 2022 record of 4,750 points, it could now potentially lose a substantial percentage of its value.

However, despite the aforementioned viewpoints, September could still prove favourable for long-term investments within the "buy on dips" strategy. Bloomberg's Senior Analyst, Mike McGlone, compared metrics of the first cryptocurrency to the stock market and concluded that even a drop to $10,000 wouldn't significantly shake the coin's positions. As an example, the expert cited corporate giant Amazon's stocks, which yielded over 7,000% returns in the last 20 years. Yet, BTC far surpasses this figure having grown around 26,000% since 2011. "Even a return to the $10,000 mark would maintain an unprecedented asset performance," notes McGlone. He emphasizes that bitcoin's trajectory of "mainstream migration" is also crucial, as exchange-traded funds and other instruments characteristic of the traditional market emerge.

In addition to the potential approval of spot bitcoin ETFs, the upcoming halving could also influence the coin's growth. Thanks to these factors, according to TradingShot analysts, BTC/USD could rise to the $50,000 mark by the end of this year. However, at the time of writing this review on the evening of Friday, September 1st, it's trading around $25,750. The overall cryptocurrency market capitalization stands at $1.048 trillion ($1.047 trillion a week ago). The Crypto Fear & Greed Index remains in the Fear zone at a reading of 40 (39 points a week ago).


NordFX Analytical Group


Notice: These materials are not investment recommendations or guidelines for working in financial markets and are intended for informational purposes only. Trading in financial markets is risky and can result in a complete loss of deposited funds.

#eurusd #gbpusd #usdjpy #btcusd #ethusd #ltcusd #xrpusd #forex #forex_example #signals #cryptocurrencies #bitcoin #stock_market

 

[Stan NordFX]

August 2023 Results: NordFX Trading Leaders Opt for XAU/USD Once Again​

NordFX Brokerage has summarized the trading performance of its clients for August 2023. The company has also evaluated its social trading services, CopyTrading and PAMM, as well as the profits earned by its IB partners.

- In August, a client from Western Asia, with account number 1692XXX, ascended to the top "golden" tier of the honour podium. This individual earned 85,598 USD through trades involving gold (XAU/USD) and the British pound (GBP/USD).

- Their compatriot, with account number 1683XXX, took second place, also trading in gold (XAU/USD) and earning 44,329 USD from these transactions.

- Completing the top three is a trader from South Asia, with account number 1691XXX, who earned a profit of 43,458 USD. Similar to the first two cases, this impressive result was achieved through trades involving XAU/USD.

The situation in NordFX's passive investment services is as follows:

- In August, the signal Ok my trade within the CopyTrading startups caught attention. In just 10 days, it delivered a 510% profit. What's more significant is that its maximum drawdown did not exceed 16%. Given the aggressive trading strategy, this can be considered an accomplishment. However, it's important to reiterate that aggressiveness and a short lifespan are key risk factors that require special caution when subscribing to such signals.

- In the PAMM service, we continue to monitor the Trade and Earn account. While it was opened over a year ago, it remained dormant until awakening in November. As a result, over the past 10 months, it has achieved a return of 175% with a relatively low maximum drawdown of less than 17%.

The top three IB partners of NordFX received the following rewards in August:

- The highest commission of 12,328 USD was awarded to a partner from Western Asia, with account number 1645XXX, who has led the top three for four consecutive months. Over this period, they have earned just under 45,000 USD in total;

- Following in second place is a partner from South Asia, with account number 1507XXX, who received 9,324 USD;

- Finally, rounding out the top three is another partner from South Asia, with account number 1531XXX, who received a reward of 5,512 USD.


Notice: These materials should not be deemed a recommendation for investment or guidance for working on financial markets: they are for informative purposes only. Trading on financial markets is risky and can lead to a loss of money deposited.

#eurusd #gbpusd #usdjpy #btcusd #ethusd #ltcusd #xrpusd #forex #forex_example #signals #cryptocurrencies #bitcoin #stock_market

 

[Stan NordFX]

CryptoNews of the Week

– 9% of Nigeria's population is aware of the existence of digital assets, surpassing the United States, which has an awareness level of 95%. Of these, 76% have owned or currently own cryptocurrencies, with the most popular coins being bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance Coin, and Dogecoin. The instability of the national currency has driven Nigerians toward the acquisition of digital assets, according to a study by ConsenSys.
Among Nigerian respondents, 70% stated that they understand the fundamental concepts of blockchain technology. They are followed by citizens of South Korea (63%), South Africa (61%), Brazil (59%), and India (56%). Experts note that the level of awareness about this technology is much lower in Europe and the United States compared to African countries. Meanwhile, only half of the surveyed Americans are using digital assets.

– A People's Court in China has declared that cryptocurrency falls under the category of legally protected property. According to the verdict, virtual assets have economic characteristics and should therefore be classified as property that is legally protected.
In light of this, legal experts have put forward a set of measures aimed at combating criminal activities in the realm of cryptocurrency. They have also underscored the need to harmonize criminal and civil laws to address the challenges associated with asset confiscation.

– In a recent Twitter post titled "What's Happening with XRP," Ripple's Chief Technical Officer, David Schwartz, suggested that this particular altcoin could become the global reserve currency. According to Schwartz, a significant portion of the world has already moved away from the U.S. dollar as the reserve currency. Every nation would prefer its own currency to take this position and would not want a rival country's currency to do so. Schwartz believes that this situation could lead to the world transitioning to a digital currency like XRP, which is not controlled by geopolitical competitors.

– The artificial intelligence platform PricePredictions has calculated a projected bitcoin price of $26,228 for September 30. The forecast is based on several key technical indicators, including Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD), Relative Strength Index (RSI), Bollinger Bands (BB), among others.

– In a TradingView publication, an analyst using the pseudonym Tolberti has indicated that the recent fluctuations in bitcoin's price could serve as the year's "bull trap." Tolberti notes that a "Head and Shoulders" pattern, typically a bearish indicator, appears to be forming on the current BTC chart.
Additionally, Tolberti cites several key metrics that bolster his bearish outlook. A particularly telling indicator is bitcoin trading below its 200-week moving average (MA), which is traditionally a sign of extended bearish sentiment. He suggests that bitcoin's value might plummet to $10,000, with a potential market turnaround perhaps occurring as late as March 2024.

– Alistair Milne, the Chief Investment Officer of the digital currency fund Altana, believes that the price of bitcoin could reach $100,000 without the approval of spot Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) in the United States. In his view, the ETF topic merely distracts market participants. It's worth noting that in June, when BlackRock and several traditional financial organizations submitted ETF applications to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the flagship cryptocurrency experienced its most significant growth in over a year, surpassing the $30,000 mark. However, this upward momentum was short-lived.
Milne is confident that issues in the U.S. banking sector, stabilization of risk assets following the completion of the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes and increasing profitability in the crypto-mining sector will drive bitcoin's price upward.

– According to analysts at Cointelegraph, the value of "digital gold" could experience a significant drop in the coming weeks. This forecast is based on the bearish trends emerging in bitcoin derivatives. The BTC price chart leaves little doubt that investor sentiment has not improved following Grayscale's victory over the SEC on August 29, 2023. Consequently, experts anticipate that the leading cryptocurrency's value could decline to $22,000 in the near future.
Cointelegraph analysts believe that the delay in launching spot Bitcoin ETFs has left a negative impact on the market. Furthermore, many experts link market troubles to the U.S. regulatory actions against exchanges like Binance and Coinbase. Multiple sources suggest that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is likely to level charges against the world's largest trading platform and initiate a criminal investigation, focusing on allegations related to money laundering and violation of sanctions against Russian companies.
Currently, market participants are in a state of limbo, unsure of what to expect. This regulatory uncertainty is tipping the scales in favour of the bears. Fear and doubt reign in the derivatives market, creating favourable conditions for those betting on a decline.

– Renowned blogger and analyst Lark Davis has stated that the bitcoin halving scheduled for April 2024 could lead to a 500-600% increase in the cryptocurrency's price, potentially pushing it to around $150,000 or even $180,000. According to additional data from the expert, the launch of spot bitcoin ETFs could attract about $20-30 billion in "new money." Davis asserts that this influx of capital would allow investors to purchase nearly half of all circulating bitcoin on centralized global exchanges (CEX).
Lark Davis also shared a chart comparing the price trajectory of physical gold. He noted that when the first ETF for the precious metal was approved in the U.S. markets, its price initially dipped. However, it subsequently rallied, adding over 110% to its peak value. Davis opined that a similar scenario could unfold for bitcoin.

– At the end of August, the monthly chart for digital gold indicated an exit from the overbought zone according to the Stochastic Oscillator, signalling potential disappointment for bitcoin bulls. This observation was made by experts at Fairlead Strategies. According to the analysts, such a signal often indicates the passing of a local peak. They pointed out that similar scenarios occurred under comparable circumstances at the end of 2017 and the beginning of 2021.
"The decline in the Stochastic Oscillator suggests that the process of establishing a bottom could be prolonged, especially considering the looming Ichimoku cloud serving as resistance (~$31,900)," the report stated.

– Popular analyst and crypto-millionaire William Clemente has stated that interest in the crypto industry has significantly waned recently. According to his observations, the total trading volume of digital assets has dropped to its lowest levels since 2020. Additionally, based on Google search statistics, people are searching for information on bitcoin and cryptocurrencies far less frequently, reaching multi-year lows.
Clemente also highlighted another sign of market participants' apathy. According to him, indicators for realized and implied volatility, as well as the Bollinger Bands' divergence on a weekly timeframe, are near record lows.
Another well-known trader and analyst going by the pseudonym DonAlt concurred with Clemente. He noted that this is precisely what failure looks like but ironically emphasized that there's no turning back now.

– Trader, analyst, and founder of venture firm Eight, Michael Van De Poppe, noted that the markets appear unstable and are generating many doubts. Bitcoin's dominance level is starting to decline, and the majority of altcoins in trading pairs with BTC are beginning to regain their positions. This signifies interest in this asset class rather than a lack of it. Van De Poppe emphasized that this traditionally occurs 8-10 months before a BTC halving.

– Arthur Hayes, co-founder of the crypto exchange BitMEX, stated that bitcoin has been in a bullish trend since March 2023 and is expected to experience a new surge over the next 6-12 months. Hayes believes that the uptrend was triggered by the Federal Reserve's $25 billion banking sector stabilization program in light of the "rescue" of Silicon Valley Bank. According to Hayes, this situation has prompted traders to focus on assets with limited supply, like bitcoin. While this currently only involves a small portion of market participants, their numbers will continue to grow, he is convinced.


Notice: These materials should not be deemed a recommendation for investment or guidance for working on financial markets: they are for informative purposes only. Trading on financial markets is risky and can lead to a loss of money deposited.

#eurusd #gbpusd #usdjpy #btcusd #ethusd #ltcusd #xrpusd #forex #forex_example #signals #cryptocurrencies #bitcoin #stock_market

 

[Stan NordFX]

Forex and Cryptocurrencies Forecast for September 11 - 15, 2023​

EUR/USD: September 13 and 14 - Key Days of the Week

For the eighth consecutive week, the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) is rising, while EUR/USD is declining. The currency pair has retreated to levels last seen three months ago, settling in the 1.0700 zone. It was only the dollar bulls starting to lock in accumulated gains on Friday, September 8, that prevented further declines.

The fundamental backdrop continues to favour the U.S. currency. Business activity, as measured by the Services PMI, shows consistent growth; it rose from 52.7 to 54.5 against a forecast of 52.5. Additionally, data released on September 8th indicated that the U.S. labour market is performing at least adequately. The number of initial jobless claims came in at 216K, lower than both the forecast of 234K and the previous figure of 229K.

On the same day, European statistics appeared decidedly weak. For instance, in Q2, the EU economy grew by a mere 0.1%, despite Q1 growth and market expectations being at 0.3%. In annual terms, with a forecast of 0.6%, the actual growth rate was also lower at 0.5%. Germany's industrial production volume decreased by -0.8% in July, compared to a forecast decline of -0.5%. Meanwhile, despite efforts to reduce it, inflation in Germany remains stable. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) published on Friday, September 8, stayed at 0.3% month-over-month (m/m) and 6.4% year-over-year (y/y).

According to many analysts, the European Central Bank (ECB) finds itself in a predicament. On one hand, to combat inflation, interest rates need to be raised; on the other hand, to assist the economy, they should be lowered. It is quite possible that in its meeting on Thursday, September 14, the regulator will take a pause and leave the key interest rate unchanged at 4.25%. Currently, the likelihood of such a decision is estimated at 35%.

As for the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve scheduled for September 20th, market participants are confident that the regulator will also leave interest rates unchanged. However, the reason in this case is different. While the Eurozone teeters on the edge of recession and stagflation, the U.S. is undergoing a "soft landing." As assured by John C. Williams, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, "monetary policy is in a good place." Of course, the balance could tip one way or the other after inflation data for the United States becomes available on Wednesday, September 13.

That said, a pause in September does not mean the end of the monetary tightening cycle. According to CME FedWatch, the odds of a 25 basis point (b.p.) rate hike in November are at 37%. Even if this hike doesn't materialize, it is unlikely to harm the dollar. Much of the negative sentiment is already priced into the USD, as markets have long been betting on a recession in the U.S. economy and a corresponding easing of the Federal Reserve's monetary policy. Now, it has become clear that a dovish shift is unlikely, and the key interest rate will, at a minimum, remain at the peak level of 5.5% for an extended period.

EUR/USD pair began its descent from a high of 1.1275 eight weeks ago, on July 18, ending the past trading week at 1.0699, shedding 576 points. As of the evening of September 8, when this review was written, 45% of experts predict a rise for the pair in the near term, another 45% foresee a decline, and 10% hold a neutral stance. Regarding technical analysis, nothing has changed over the past week. All trend indicators and oscillators on the D1 timeframe continue to be 100% in favor of the U.S. currency and are coloured red. However, already 30% of the most recent indicators signal the pair is oversold. Immediate support for the pair is located around 1.0680, followed by 1.0620-1.0635, 1.0515-1.0525, 1.0480, 1.0370, and 1.0255. Bulls will encounter resistance around 1.0730-1.0745, followed by 1.0780-1.0800, 1.0835-1.0865, 1.0895-1.0925, 1.0985, 1.1045, 1.1090-1.1110, 1.1150-1.1170, 1.1230, and 1.1275-1.1290.

It's essential to note Wednesday, September 13 in the calendar for the upcoming week, when consumer inflation data (CPI) for the U.S. will be released. On Thursday, September 14, the European Central Bank (ECB) will announce its decision on interest rates. Of course, the subsequent central bank leadership press conference will also be of great interest. On the same day, the number of initial jobless claims in the U.S. will traditionally be published, along with retail sales data and the Producer Price Index (PPI) for the country.

GBP/USD: Peak Rate Continues to Lower

At present, the central question for many central banks, including the Bank of England (BoE), is what takes precedence: taming inflation or preventing the economy from slipping into recession? Indeed, the British economy seems to be heading in the latter direction. The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for the country's manufacturing sector in August stood at a mere 43.0, with the headline PMI dropping to a 39-month low. According to recent data, the PMI in the services sector has declined to 49.5, dipping below the 50.0 threshold into contraction territory for the first time since January.

So, what about inflation? Although the annual inflation rate in the UK decreased from 7.9% to 6.8% (the lowest since February 2022), it remains the highest among G7 countries. Moreover, the core Consumer Price Index (CPI) remained at 6.9% year-over-year, only 0.2% below the peak set two months earlier.

According to the latest survey conducted by the Bank of England's Monthly Decision Maker Panel (DMP) on Thursday, September 7th, British businesses anticipate that the CPI will decline to 4.8% year-over-year within the next year. It is worth noting that the regulator itself aims to bring the CPI closer to 5.0% by the end of this year.

Surveys indicate that under the current circumstances, the country's leadership is prioritizing economic salvation over the battle against inflation. Huw Pill, the Bank of England's Chief Economist, stated that while there is no room for complacency concerning inflation, he would prefer to keep the interest rate stable for a longer period. He added that in the upcoming BoE meeting on September 21, he will vote to maintain the rate at its current level of 5.25%.

According to Reuters, markets are currently pricing in an 85% likelihood that the BoE's final interest rate, after one or two hikes by year's end, will be 5.75%. This projection is significantly lower than July's, when a peak rate of 6.5% was anticipated. It is worth noting that the future 5.75% for the pound is just 25 basis points higher than the current 5.50% for the dollar, a gap that clearly does not favour the British currency. Moreover, the U.S. Federal Reserve's rate could potentially rise by an additional 25-50 basis points.

GBP/USD closed last week at a rate of 1.2465. Economists from Singapore's United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB) anticipate that the pair may test strong support at the 1.2400 level over the next 1-3 weeks. However, they believe that short-term oversold conditions could decelerate the pace of further decline. Expert forecasts are evenly divided, much like those for EUR/USD: 45% predict a northward correction, 45% foresee a continued southward trend, and the remaining 10% point to an eastward move. Among the oscillators on the D1 chart, 100% are coloured in red, with 15% indicating oversold conditions. Trend indicators show a 90% to 10% ratio favouring red. If the pair trends downward, it will encounter support levels and zones at 1.2445, 1.2370-1.2390, 1.2300-1.2330, 1.2270, 1.2190-1.2210, 1.2085, 1.1960, and 1.1800. In case of upward movement, resistance can be expected at levels 1.2510, 1.2560-1.2575, 1.2600-1.2615, 1.2690-1.2710, 1.2760, 1.2800-1.2815, 1.2880, 1.2940, 1.2995-1.3010, 1.3060, and 1.3125-1.3140, as well as 1.3185-1.3210.

In terms of key economic data for the United Kingdom, the unemployment figures set to be released on Tuesday, September 12, are of particular interest. Additionally, the country's July GDP numbers, which will be disclosed on Wednesday, September 13, are also noteworthy.

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