+40,000 TYU5 112.5 calls, 2, total volume over 52,700, open interest at 163,678 coming into the session.
Sep'25 options expire Friday
FOREX: Greenback Pops Into WMR Fix on Volume Spike, Rising Curve
Aug-18 14:58
Greenback picking up into the WMR fix, helping trigger fresh daily lows across EUR/USD, GBP/USD and new daily highs for USD/CAD and USD/JPY.
USD strength being driven partly by the run higher in the US curve - but also a sizeable uptick in EUR futures at 1047ET/1547BST. ~1000 contracts traded inside two minutes for a cash equivalent of ~$150mln. While the last few minutes have seen activity pick up, overall volumes on the day are very low: EUR futures are close to 30% below average for this time of day.
While the USD's benefiting from the higher US curve, it's the opposite for GBP. Which is slipping despite a further backtrack in BOE rate cut pricing for 2025 (year-end implied rates now ~3.85%, or pricing just 12bps of rate cuts over the next three meetings).
No specific headlines or newsflow behind the USD rally in recent trade - with low volumes and light liquidity the suspected driver. We mentioned earlier today the preference for markets to adopt a more neutral setting into Jackson Hole on Friday - evident in last week's CFTC data showing the net short trimmed off multi-year lows.