US TSYS: Trade Wars Are Not an Easy Win, Negotiations Take Time
Apr-23 20:13
- Treasuries finishing near late session lows, curves continue to unwind Monday's sharp steepening with short end rates weaker vs. Bonds. Busy session for chasing tariff related headline risk.
- Treasuries opened higher as Pres Trump softened his stance on sacking Fed Chair Powell and reducing China tariffs, improved sentiment also lifting S&P eminis with ESM5 futures tapping 5499.75 high.
- Rates gapped higher briefly on a WSJ article that rehashed possible China tariff cuts, but support was short lived as markets assessed potential reductions, non-unilateral negotiations as well as comments from Tsy Sec Bessent's "in need of a rebalancing".
- US Treasury Secretary Bessent further stated that there is no unilateral offer from Trump to cut China tariffs, and that a full China trade deal could take two-to-three years.
- Tsy Jun'25 10Y futures currently -3.5 at 110-22 vs. session high of 111-18.5. Initial technical support at 110-15 (Apr 15 low) followed by 109-08 (bear trigger). Curves holding flatter profiles but off lows, 2s10s -5.713 at 52.252 (46.527 low), 5s30s -6.569 at 81.760 (77.371 low).
- Cross asset: Bbg US$ index near session high currently +6.84 a t 1228.46; stocks firmer but well off highs: SPX eminis +90.50 at 5405.25 (5499.75 high), Gold cratered: down over 103 at 3277.5 earlier trades 3295.5 at the moment, crude retreated as well (WTI -1.36 at 62.31).
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EURJPY TECHS: Bullish Outlook
Mar-24 20:00
- RES 4: 165.43 High Nov 8
- RES 3: 164.90 High Dec 30 ‘24 and a key medium-term resistance
- RES 2: 164.55 High Jan 7
- RES 1: 164.19 High Mar 18 and the bull trigger
- PRICE: 162.51 @ 16:55 GMT Mar 24
- SUP 1: 160.74 Low Mar 20
- SUP 2: 160.28 50-day EMA
- SUP 3: 158.90 Low Mar 10
- SUP 4: 158.00 Round number support
The recent move down in EURJPY appears corrective and has allowed an overbought trend condition to unwind. Short-term pivot support to watch is 160.28, the 50-day EMA. A break of this level would signal potential for a deeper retracement. Recent gains resulted in a print above resistance at 164.08, the Jan 24 high. A clear break of this hurdle would open 164.90, the Dec 30 ‘24 high.
CANADA DATA: Manufacturing Sales Set To Pull Back After Strong January
Mar-24 19:42
The advance estimate of Canadian manufacturing sales shows a 0.2% M/M nominal decline in February, led by falls in food / petroleum and coal products, per StatCan.
- If confirmed, it would mark the weakest reading / first decline (in nominal terms) since September.
- Recall that the prior figure (+1.7% M/M) reflected a strong rise in motor vehicle and primary metals sales, and though real sales rose by just 0.9%, the latter should mean a decent contribution from industry to January GDP (out Friday; consensus is +0.3% M/M after +0.2%).
- However - pending prelim wholesale sales data out this Wednesday - industry in February may have proven sequentially weaker, and comes against a backdrop of uncertainty and volatility amid a nascent US-Canada trade war.
US TSYS: Targeted Tariffs Helps Buoy Sentiment
Mar-24 19:37
- Treasuries look to finish near lows Monday as Trump admin trade policy narrowed from universal tariffs to more targeted approach when the April 2 "Liberation Day" arrives.
- Treasury futures extended lows after S&P Flash PMI services (54.3 bbg cons 51.0) and composite (53.5 cons 50.9) data came out higher then expected while manufacturing declined (49.8 bbg cons 51.7).
- Atlanta Fed Pres Bostic (non-2025 FOMC voter, leans hawk) says in a Bloomberg interview that he has reduced his 2025 rate cut expectations to 1 in March's economic projections versus 2 previously, "because I think we will see inflation be very bumpy", and delayed inflation progress warranted pushing back the path to neutral rates.
- The Jun'25 10Y currently trades 110-17 (-18), just above initial technical support at 110-16.5 (Low Mar 24) followed by 110-12.5 (Low Mar 6 & 13). Resistance above at 111-25 (Mar 11 high), support below at 110-12.5/110-00 (Low Mar 6 & 13 / High Feb 7). Tsy 10Y yield climbs to 4.3346% high, curves still mixed: 2s10s +.014 at 29.406, 5s30s -1.943 at 56.480.
- Late tariff headlines saw risk sentiment cool slightly after Trump said he would announce additional tariffs on cars "shortly" and pharmaceuticals at "some point".
