NORWAY: NFC Credit Growth Eased Notably In December
Norwegian December credit growth eased to 3.3% Y/Y, from 3.6% prior. Credit growth fell across key groups, with household growth back down to 3.7% Y/Y (vs 3.9% in November, 3.7% in October), non-financial corporation (NFCs) growth down to 1.3% Y/Y (vs 2.0% prior) and municipal government growth at 7.2% Y/Y (vs 7.6% prior).
- The soft growth amongst NFCs highlights that restrictive Norges Bank policy continues to bite, weighing on mainland economic activity.
- Norges Bank re-iterated its guidance for a March cut at the January decision. We think the bar to not cutting in March is quite high, with real policy rates continuing to pull further away from the top of the bank's real neutral rate estimate bank as inflation eases. The December policy statement explicitly highlighted that “the Committee does not want to restrict economic activity more than needed to bring inflation down to target within a reasonable time horizon”.
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EQUITY TECHS: E-MINI S&P: (H5) Bear Threat
- RES 4: 6194.19 1.236 proj of the Aug 5 - Sep 3 - Sep 9 price swing
- RES 3: 6178.75 High Dec 6 and key resistance
- RES 2: 6163.75 High Dec 16
- RES 1: 6014.44/6107.50 50-day EMA / High Dec 26
- PRICE: 5957.00 @ 07:22 GMT Dec 31
- SUP 1: 5918.25/5866.00 Low Dec 30 / 20
- SUP 2: 5811.65 38.2% retracement of the Aug 5 - Dec 6 bull leg
- SUP 3: 5784.00 Low Nov 4
- SUP 4: 5698.25 50.0% retracement of the Aug 5 - Dec 6 bull leg
A bear threat in the S&P E-Minis contract remains present and the latest move down highlights the end of the recent Dec 20 - 26 corrective bounce. An extension lower would expose 5866.00, the Dec 20 low and a key short-term support. Clearance of this level would strengthen a bearish theme. Initial firm resistance to monitor is 6107.50, the Dec 26 high. A break of this level is required to open key resistance at 6178.75, the Dec 6 high.
GOLD TECHS: Still Looking For Weakness
- RES 4: $2730.4 - 76.4% retracement of the Oct 31 - Nov 14 bear leg
- RES 3: $2664.5 - High Dec 16
- RES 2: $2726.2 - High Dec 12
- RES 1: $2637.3/2692.8 - 50-day EMA / High Dec 13
- PRICE: $2607.7 @ 07:22 GMT Dec 31
- SUP 1: $2583.6 - Low Dec 19
- SUP 2: $2564.4 - Low Nov 18
- SUP 3: $2536.9 - Low Nov 14 and a key support
- SUP 4: $2511.1 - Low Sep 12
A bear threat in Gold remains present. The yellow metal traded sharply lower on Dec 18 and the move undermines a recent bull theme. A resumption of weakness would open key support at $2536.9, the Nov 14 low. MA studies are in a bull mode position highlighting a medium-term uptrend and this suggests that the latest sell-off is likely a correction. Initial pivot resistance is $2637.3, the 50-day EMA. A breach of this EMA would be positive for bulls.
BONDS: Bonds are in the Green heading into Year End
- Europe is closed and the US and the UK will have an early close as we turn the page on 2024.
- US Tnotes (TYH5) continues to see a decent recovery in Futures, right on the June High in Yield of 4.6357%, tested on the 26th December with a 4.6393% high on that day.
- Further upside continuation in futures will see the next immediate resistance in Futures at 109.08+ (4.48% in Yield), but the lack of liquidity will likely keep the contract fairly subdued, given that it has only traded 50k lots overnight and into the European session.
- There's no notable data, nor speakers for the session
