US-RUSSIA: Kremlin Raises Stakes As Nuclear-Capable Missiles Sent To NATO Border
Military tensions between Russia and the US continue to escalate ahead of the 8 August deadline for Russia to agree a ceasefire in Ukraine. Over the weekend, President Donald Trump redeployed nuclear submarines in the context of perceived verbal threats from National Security Council Deputy Chair Dmitry Medvedev. Following this, Kremlin spox Peskov says that Russia "considers itself entitled to take any appropriate measures to deploy intermediate- and shorter-range missiles (INF); it is now not limited in any way."
- The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on 4 July that it would no longer abide by the provisions of the defunct Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. Trump pulled out of the INF Treaty in 2019, claiming persistent breaches by Russia, mirroring those first made by the Obama administration in 2014 following the annexation of Crimea.
- On 1 August, President Vladimir Putin confirmed the nuclear-capable Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile had entered service (it is widely assumed to have already been used in a strike on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro in November 2024) and would be deployed in Belarus, which borders three NATO member states.
- As NYT reports, "The announced collapse of the I.N.F. Treaty and tensions with Russia over Ukraine have raised worries in the West of a return to a dangerous Cold War-style arms race, in which extremely fast Russian missiles armed with nuclear weapons could reach European capitals in a matter of minutes, with little warning or ability to mount a defense."
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USDCAD TECHS: Trend Outlook Remains Bearish
- RES 4: 1.4111 High Apr 4
- RES 3: 1.4016 High May 12 and 13 and a key resistance
- RES 2: 1.3920 High May 21
- RES 1: 1.3674/3776 20- and 50-day EMA values
- PRICE: 1.3607 @ 16:12 BST Jul 4
- SUP 1: 1.3557 Low Jul 03
- SUP 2: 1.3540 Low Jun 16 and the bear trigger
- SUP 3: 1.3503 1.618 proj of the Feb 3 - 14 - Mar 4 price swing
- SUP 4: 1.3473 Low Oct 2 2024
The trend needle in USDCAD points south and this week’s move down reinforces current conditions. S/T gains between Jun 16 - 23 appear to have been corrective. Key support and the bear trigger is 1.3540, Jun 16 low. Clearance of this level would resume the downtrend and open 1.3503, a Fibonacci projection. Pivot resistance is at the 50-day EMA, at 1.3776. A clear break of this average would signal scope for a stronger recovery.
AUDUSD TECHS: Bull Cycle Remains In Play
- RES 4: 0.6700 76.4% retracement of the Sep 30 ‘24 - Apr 9 bear leg
- RES 3: 0.6688 High Nov 7 ‘24
- RES 2: 0.6603 High Nov 11 ‘24
- RES 1: 0.6590 High Jul 01
- PRICE: 0.6548 @ 16:05 BST Jul 04
- SUP 1: 0.6521 20-day EMA
- SUP 2: 0.6468/6373 50-day EMA / Low Jun 23 and a reversal trigger
- SUP 3: 0.6357 Low May 12
- SUP 4: 0.6275 Low Apr 14
The trend set-up in AUDUSD remains bullish and the pair is holding on to its recent gains. The latest break higher maintains the bullish price sequence of higher highs and higher lows, the definition of an uptrend. Moving average studies are in a bull-mode position, highlighting a dominant uptrend. Sights are on 0.6603 next, the Nov 11 2024 high. Key short-term support has been defined at 0.6373, the Jun 23 low.
EURJPY TECHS: Northbound
- RES 4: 171.88 High Jul 19 ‘24
- RES 3: 171.28 1.382 proj of the Feb 28 - Mar 18 - Apr 7 price swing
- RES 2: 171.09 High Jul 23 ‘24
- RES 1: 170.61 High Jul 03
- PRICE: 170.22 @ 16:04 BST Jul 04
- SUP 1: 169.04 Low Jul 02
- SUP 2: 167.87 20-day EMA
- SUP 3: 167.13 Low Jun 20
- SUP 4: 165.66 50-day EMA
EURJPY traded higher on Thursday resulting in a print above 170.47, the 76.4% retracement of the Jul 11 - Aug 5 sell-off. A clear break of this price point would strengthen bullish conditions and signal scope for extension. This would open 170.28 next, a Fibonacci projection. The trend is overbought, a pullback would unwind this condition. Support to watch lies at 167.87, the 20-day EMA.
