EGBS: Bunds Pare Early Gains, Trend Condition Bearish

Jan-05 10:34
  • The trend condition in Bunds remains bearish, with futures having pared early morning gains. Currently +5 ticks at 127.16, support and the bear trigger in Bunds is located at 126.75.
  • The move away from today’s 127.31 high may have been a function of solid corporate supply and an uptick in European equities. Crude oil futures have been volatile, with markets still digesting the implications of the US’ special operation in Venezuela over the weekend.
  • The German curve is bull flatter, with 30-year yields down 2bps. That leaves 5s30s down almost 2bps to 104.5bps. However, trendline support drawn from the April 2025 low remains intact.
  • Long-end swap spreads are little changed. One focus for EUR rates markets in H1 is the impact of Dutch pension fund flows, with several funds having transitioned to a defined contribution scheme from January 1.
  • 10-year EGB spreads to Bunds have unwound earlier narrowing, now up to +1bp wider on the session.
  • In supply, Slovenia is holding a 10-year syndication today, and we remain on the lookout for start-of-year mandates from several Eurozone countries. Conventional auction supply kicks off tomorrow with Germany.
  • This afternoon’s calendar includes the US ISM manufacturing report, with regional focus on tomorrow’s December flash inflation data from France and Germany.

Figure 1: German 5s30s Curve (Source: Bloomberg Finance L.P)

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Historical bullets

USDCAD TECHS: Bull Channel Breakout

Dec-05 21:00
  • RES 4: 1.4140 High Nov 5 and a key resistance   
  • RES 3: 1.4131 High Nov 21  
  • RES 2: 1.4051 High Nov 28  
  • RES 1: 1.3939/4016 Low Nov 28 / 20-day EMA  
  • PRICE: 1.3865 @ 16:35 GMT Dec 5
  • SUP 1: 1.3853 Intraday low 
  • SUP 2: 1.3840 50.0% retracement of the Jun 16 - Nov 6 bull cycle
  • SUP 3: 1.3812 Low Sep 23 
  • SUP 4: 1.3779 Low Sep 22  

A bear theme in USDCAD remains intact and Friday’s strong sell-off reinforces a bear theme. The pair has breached an important support at 1.3942, the base of a bull channel drawn from the Jul 23 low. The break highlights a stronger bear cycle and signals scope for an extension towards 1.3840 next, a Fibonacci retracement point. Initial firm resistance to watch is 1.4016, 20-day EMA.  

LOOK AHEAD: US Week Ahead: FOMC Decision Dominates, Post Shutdown Data Catch-Up

Dec-05 21:00
  • Next week’s US calendar is dominated by the FOMC decision on Wednesday, with a third consecutive 25bp cut almost fully priced.
  • Expect it to be a contentious meeting however, with many arguing for a pause not least whilst they’re still relatively in the dark on key official data releases following the government shutdown.
  • Fed Chair Powell opted for a surprisingly hawkish tone at the late October press conference, highlighting a deeply divided committee on prospects for another cut in December.
  • The “fog” had appeared to win out until NY Fed’s Williams, a senior permanent voter, gave unusually explicit guidance on still seeing room “for a further adjustment in the near term”. With no pushback from FOMC members or media briefings, it appears this message has approval from the core of the FOMC which should be enough to see a rate cut this month. The likely catalyst was the further increase in the unemployment rate to 4.44% back in September, although subsequent tracking suggests stabilization and jobless claims data don’t show any signs of deterioration.
  • We’ll be looking for the number of hawkish dissents (we’d be surprised if anyone joins Miran dissenting for a 50bp cut) and expect a greater number to object to a cut in the 2025 dot plot, whilst the distribution of dots for 2026 should be in greater focus.
  • As for the economic projections, we expect upward revisions to GDP growth but downward revisions to near-term core PCE inflation with tariff passthrough proving less severe than previously feared.

Aside from the Fed, we also receive two months worth of JOLTS data along with other delayed releases as the shutdown data backlog is slowly caught up. 

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AUDUSD TECHS: Bullish Impulsive Wave Extends

Dec-05 20:30
  • RES 4: 0.6723 High Oct 21 ‘24   
  • RES 3: 0.6707 High Sep 17 and a key resistance 
  • RES 2: 0.6660 High Sep 18
  • RES 1: 0.6649 Intraday high
  • PRICE: 0.6630 @ 16:32 GMT Dec 5 
  • SUP 1: 0.6580/6533 High Nov 13 / 20-day EMA 
  • SUP 2: 0.6517 Low Nov 27 
  • SUP 3: 0.6466/21 Low Nov 26 / 21 
  • SUP 4: 0.6415 Low Aug 21 / 22 and a bear trigger 

A strong impulsive bull wave in AUDUSD remains intact, having printed 10 consecutive sessions of higher highs. Recent gains have cleared a number of important short-term resistance points, strengthening a bull theme and highlighting scope for a continuation higher. Today’s rally has resulted in a breach of  0.6640, 76.4% of the Sep 17 - Nov 21 bear leg. This opens 0.6707, the Sep 17 high and key resistance. Key support to watch is at 0.6533, 20-day EMA.