AUD: Commodity Correlation Rises
In aggregate, A$ correlations have dipped over the past week. Commodities prices have had the strongest correlation, while yield differential have moved back into negative territory from a correlation standpoint.
- The table below presents the levels correlations for AUD/USD and various cross asset drivers for the past week and month.
- Correlations with yield differentials have dipped. In our last update this was evident in the back end, but the front end remained positive, although this is now in negative territory for the past week. It remains strongly positive for the past month though. The trend in differentials remains against the A$, albeit with a good degree of volatility.
- For commodities, correlations are higher, although more so for aggregate commodities rather than iron ore. Global growth concerns and China's Covid backdrop are likely to remain key drivers of the commodity complex.
- Correlations are lower with respect to global equities and the VIX. The A$ has not enjoyed that much benefit from lower VIX levels, although this may be better reflected against AUD/JPY rather than AUD/USD.
Table 1: AUD/USD Correlations
Source: MNI - Market News/Bloomberg
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US: Def Sec Austin Delivering Remarks On Indo-Pacific Strategy
20:30 ET 01:30 BST: US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin is continuing his ten-day tour of Asia with a speech at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore outlining "Next Steps for the United States' Indo-Pacific Strategy."
- The Secretary's speech will be livestreamed on the Pentagon website: https://www.defense.gov/News/Live-Events/
- Today, Austin met with Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe to discuss "the need to responsibly manage competition and maintain open lines of communication."
USDCAD TECHS: Cements Short-Term Reversal
- RES 4: 1.3077 High May 16 and the bull trigger
- RES 3: 1.2982 High May 16
- RES 2: 1.2896 High May 18 and a key resistance
- RES 1: 1.2813 High Jun 10
- PRICE: 1.2792 @ 16:01 BST Jun 10
- SUP 1: 1.2518 Low Jun 8
- SUP 2: 1.2459 Low Apr 21
- SUP 3: 1.2403/02 Low Apr 5 and key support / 2.0% 10-dma env
- SUP 4: 1.2387 Low Nov 10. 2021
A sharp rally in USDCAD continued Friday, cementing the short-term reversal. Key near-term support has been defined at 1.2518, the Jun 8 low. An extension higher would signal potential for a climb towards resistance at 1.2896, the May 19 high. For bears, a resumption of weakness and a breach of 1.2518 would again expose 1.2459, Apr 21 low and 1.2403 further out, the Apr 5 low and a key support.
US TSYS: Hot CPI, 2Y Yld Over 3% First Time Since 2008
Rates extend lows after May CPI came out higher than est at 1.0% vs. 0.7% est, unrounded 0.974%, core 0.631%. Heavy short end selling on inflation surge has market expecting Fed to hike US into a recession.
- Notably, 2Y yield surged to 3.0611% - the highest level since 2008, while curves bull flattened after some initial volatility in the long end: 2s10s at 9.858 (-12.786) vs. 9.421 low, 5s10s inverted, flattening -7.273 at -9.761 vs. -10.722 low, while 5s30s slipped to inverted low of -6.661.
- Reaction spurred several dealers to up their rate hikes estimates with Barclays now sees a 75bp Fed hike next week. They have also raised their forecast for the terminal rate by 25bp to 3.00-3.25% in early 2023, implying 150bp of hikes after June's meeting. That's the most aggressive June FOMC hiking call that we are aware of, but markets are pricing in a modest chance of such a surprise (15-20% probability per futures).
- GS upped they're hike forecast to 50bp in June, July and September (from 50bp in Jun/Jul and 25bp in Sep).
