HKD: USD/HKD Off Weak-Side as Front-End Rates Finally Move Higher

Jul-25 08:47

Spot USD/HKD has faded off the 7.85 weak-side of the band today in the most material price action of the week so far. In trade similar to the Jul 17th pull lower in spot, there is little evidence of HKMA intervention here - raising the likelihood that the vol in spot is led by a rebalancing of positioning, rather than official involvement.

  • There has been some movement in front-end of the HKD swaps curve: one-week had been marked above 1.00%, and if it holds here, will be the strongest move in local rates since May's sharp spell of HKD weakness.
  • The minor pressure in the front-end of the swaps curve spells upside risks for HIBOR fixes into next week (both the 1m and 3m fixes today were flat or lower) - which may make intraday spells of HKD strength (as seen this morning) stickier going forward.

Historical bullets

SECURITY: Trump Speaks On NATO & Iran-Israel Ceasefire

Jun-25 08:39

Speaking at the NATO summit, US President Donald Trump says, "We're with them all the way" when asked by reporters about the US' commitment to Article 5 (the collective defence clause. Adds that "NATO will be very strong". NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte praises Trump on getting NATO countries to increase defence spending, says that "Today we will decide to go to 5% [of GDP]," adding "This is about Europeans and Canadians paying more, not American taxpayers." 

  • Trump says that the Iran-Israel ceasefire is "going well". Asked on Iran's uranium enrichment plans, Trump says, "We will not allow that militarily...Iran is not going to have a bomb...the last thing Iran wants to do is enrich anything." Says the US will have "somewhat of a relationship" with Iran.
  • Asked on the NYT report claiming that, according to intel reports, the US strikes on enrichment facilities only caused superficial damage, Trump says, "They really don't know". Adds "I believe it was total obliteration." Claims the Iranian nuclear programme has been put back "decades" and that the US strike "ended the war".
  • Asked if the US would strike Iran again if it rebuilds nuclear sites, Trump responds: "Sure".
  • US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth says that "The bombs landed right where they were supposed to, it was devastation". Says there will be an investigation into the leak of the report. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the Iranian conversion facility "can't even be found on the map, it is wiped out."

BOE: CCBS Conference due to begin at 9:45BST

Jun-25 08:38
  • Today and tomorrow the Bank of England will host its CCBS Conference with the title of "Transforming monetary policy – How should we think about uncertainty and risks?" The main gist of the conference will be following on from the Bernanke review and will provide external perspectives to the BOE on how other central banks produce their forecasting materials and communications.
  • More importantly, it will likely provide updates on how the BOE has progressed with the process of making changes to its forecasting processes and models and in that sense it won't just be the MPC members speaking that we will be paying attention to through the conference.
  • Opening remarks are due from Deputy Governor Lombardelli and CCBS Director John Power at 9:45BST.
  • Chief Economist Pill chairs the keynote at 10:00BST on conditioning assumptions and monpol comms with MIT Professor Athanasios Orphanides.
  • There is then a talk on forecast accuracy and efficiency at the BOE at 10:45BST and on CB modelling an forecasting using AI (from a Bank of Spain Economist).
  • After lunch at 13:30BST there is another keynote on Riksbank communications with First Deputy Governor Breman and chaired by BOE Deputy Governor Lombardelli and then a talk on modelling and forecast from a Norges Bank Senior Advisor.
  • From 15:30 onwards there is a panel on best practice in forecasting for monpol purposes before a talk from the BOE's Lead Economic Analyst for Monetary Analysis Sumer Singh on DSGE modelling.
  • The agenda for tomorrow and the rest of the conference is here.

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Jun-25 08:30

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