CZK: Koruna Awaits Election Results

• The growing negative correlation between longer-end yields and GBP is extending this morning. The recent drop in spot and renewed fiscal concerns are supporting a bid in vols: 3m implied has been marked higher to 8 points this morning, erasing the summer lull and returning above the YTD average of 7.8 points (which is already well above 2024's 6.9 points).
• In tandem, the front end of the GBP risk reversals curve has deteriorated: dropping to lowest since March against USD and lowest since July against EUR - signalling decent demand for GBP downside insurance covering the rest of 2025 - despite the continued pricing-out of further rate cuts into year-end 2025.
• GBP options activity was ahead of average yesterday, and that trend's persisted into Wednesday: decent demand for downside exposure is the driver here. So far today, close to $4 in puts have traded for every $1 in calls, with 1.31 and 1.29 put strikes garnering the most notable interest. Some of the more sizeable trades across these strikes are consistent with put spreads targeting an October/November expiry - so rolling off just prior to the UK Budget on November 26th with a break-even below ~1.3025 at expiry.
• As a result, the GBPUSD vol surface is leaning further in favour of OTM puts, tipping the GBPUSD SMILE to its sharpest skew since the April Liberation Day vol episode. This raises the risk of GBP/USD downside in the coming months, isolating 1.3144/42 as key support - the 38.2% retracement for the YTD upleg, as well as the August 1st low.
• Scrutiny over UK press will now increase: policy proposals are usually floated in the media ahead of the Budget - allowing ministers to phase-in any fiscal bad news and retain rabbit-in-the-hat style positive policy surprises on Budget Day itself. 

A bear cycle in WTI futures remains intact and the latest bull phase appears to be a correction. This short-term corrective cycle remains in play and Tuesday’s rally reinforces this theme. Initial resistance to watch is $66.56, the Aug 4 high. Key short-term resistance has been defined at $69.36, the Jul 30 high. Clearance of this level would cancel a bear theme. A resumption of weakness would pave the way for a move towards $57.71, the May 30 low. Gold remains in a clear bull cycle. This week’s gains have resulted in a breach of key resistance at $3500.1, the Apr 22 high, and delivered a fresh all-time high in the yellow metal. The break confirms a resumption of the primary uptrend and an extension of the sequence of higher highs and higher lows. The next objective is the $3600.00 handle. Initial firm support to watch lies at $3396.2, the 20-day EMA.

• WTI Crude down $0.15 or -0.23% at $65.43
• Natural Gas down $0.03 or -1.1% at $2.976
• Gold spot up $7.24 or +0.2% at $3540.08
• Copper down $0 or 0% at $464.05
• Silver down $0.07 or -0.17% at $40.7962
• Platinum down $14.54 or -1.03% at $1396.04

The primary trend set-up in Eurostoxx 50 futures is bullish and the pullback from the Aug 22 high appears corrective. However, the contract has breached 5372.85, the 50-day EMA. The clear break of this average strengthens a short-term bearish threat and signals scope for a deeper retracement towards 5166.00, the Aug 1 low and a key support. On the upside, initial resistance to watch is 5392.75, the 20-day EMA. A bull cycle in S&P E-Minis remains intact and the latest pullback is - for now - considered corrective. Price has traded through the 20-day EMA. The key support to watch lies at the 50-day EMA, at 6336.02. A clear break of this EMA is required to signal scope for a deeper retracement. This would open 6239.50, the Aug 1 low and a key support. Moving average studies still highlight a dominant uptrend. The bull trigger is 6523.00, the Aug 28 high.

• Japan's NIKKEI closed lower by 371.6 pts or -0.88% at 41938.89 and the TOPIX ended 32.99 pts lower or -1.07% at 3048.89.
• Elsewhere, in China the SHANGHAI closed lower by 44.576 pts or -1.16% at 3813.557 and the HANG SENG ended 153.12 pts lower or -0.6% at 25343.43.
• Across Europe, Germany's DAX trades higher by 131.7 pts or +0.56% at 23619.2, FTSE 100 higher by 34.78 pts or +0.38% at 9151.14, CAC 40 up 76.31 pts or +1% at 7730.4 and Euro Stoxx 50 up 45.24 pts or +0.86% at 5336.02.
• Dow Jones mini down 21 pts or -0.05% at 45330, S&P 500 mini up 24 pts or +0.37% at 6449.5, NASDAQ mini up 133.25 pts or +0.57% at 23408.25.