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The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has revealed its latest Henry Hub natural gas spot price forecast for 2024 and 2025 in its November short term energy outlook (STEO), which was released recently.
According to its latest STEO, the EIA now sees the Henry Hub spot price averaging $2.17 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) this year and $2.90 per MMBtu next year. In its previous STEO, the EIA projected that the Henry Hub spot price would average $2.28 per MMBtu in 2024 and $3.06 per MMBtu in 2025.
In its November STEO, the EIA forecast that the commodity would come in at $2.37 per MMBtu in the fourth quarter of 2024, $2.84 per MMBtu in the first quarter of 2025, $2.45 per MMBtu in the second quarter, $3.01 per MMBtu in the third quarter, and $3.29 per MMBtu in the fourth quarter.
In its October STEO, the EIA projected that the Henry Hub spot price would average $2.81 per MMBtu in the fourth quarter of 2024, $3.16 per MMBtu in the first quarter of 2025, $2.59 per MMBtu in the second quarter, $3.13 per MMBtu in the third quarter, and $3.35 per MMBtu in the fourth quarter.
“U.S. natural gas prices fell in October as natural gas consumption declined from September, production remained relatively unchanged, and storage inventories ended the month six percent above the five-year (2019–2023) average,” the EIA said in its latest STEO.
“The U.S. benchmark Henry Hub natural gas spot price averaged $2.20 per MMBtu in October, four percent lower than the September average of $2.28 per MMBtu,” it added.
In the November STEO, the EIA outlined that October’s natural gas demand drop was “led by a 14 percent (six billion cubic feet per day) decline in consumption in the electric power sector, offsetting an increase in consumption in the residential and commercial sectors”.
“Even though consumption in the electric power sector was down month over month in October, it was 13 percent higher than the month’s five-year average,” the EIA stated.
The organization said in the STEO that high power sector demand for natural gas reflected lower natural gas prices and higher air-conditioning use in parts of the United States experiencing extended summer-like conditions.
“We expect the Henry Hub price to rise in the next three months and to average more than $2.80 per MMBtu in the first quarter of 2025,” the EIA highlighted in the November STEO.
“We expect prices to average $2.90 per MMBtu for all of 2025, or 33 percent higher than the 2024 average of $2.20 per MMBtu, mainly because of increased liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports,” it added.
“Our forecast includes LNG exports increasing by nearly two billion cubic feet per day next year with continued strong international demand for LNG as export capacity expands,” it continued.
41% Year on Year Growth Projection
A BMI report sent to Rigzone by the Fitch Group this morning showed that BMI expects the Henry Hub price to average $2.4 per MMBtu in 2024, $3.4 per MMBtu in 2025, $3.8 per MMBtu across 2026 and 2027, and $4.0 per MMBtu in 2028.
A Bloomberg Consensus included in that report projected that the commodity will average $2.4 per MMBtu this year, $3.4 per MMBtu next year, $3.7 per MMBtu in 2026, $3.8 per MMBtu in 2027, and $4.0 per MMBtu in 2028.
“We maintain our Henry Hub price forecast this quarter, expecting a substantial, 41 percent year on year growth in average prices to $3.4 MMBtu in 2025, from $2.4 MMBtu in 2024,” BMI analysts stated in the report.
“This growth will be primarily driven by growing demand for natural gas from the U.S. LNG sector, as we anticipate three new terminals to commence operations between now and the end of 2025,” they added.
“We also expect weaker net gas imports from Canada which will further tighten the U.S. market,” they continued.
In the report, the analysts warned that the upside is set to be weakened by accelerating natural gas production growth in the United States.
“That said, we recognize growing downside risks to the 2025 price forecast stemming from downside risks to the domestic and Mexican natural gas demand and upside risks to natural gas production stemming from improved sentiment in the U.S. upstream market in the light of the election victory of the former President Donald Trump,” the analysts noted.
“His policies could also impact our forecasts beyond 2025, raising risks to our view,” they added.
In a research note sent to Rigzone last Friday by the JPM Commodities Research team, J.P. Morgan projected that the U.S. natural gas Henry Hub price will average $2.37 per MMBtu in 2024 and $3.50 per MMBtu in 2025.
The company sees the commodity averaging $2.75 per MMBtu in the fourth quarter of 2024, $3.55 per MMBtu in the first quarter of 2025, $3.10 per MMBtu in the second quarter, $3.55 per MMBtu in the third quarter, and $3.80 per MMBtu in the fourth quarter, the note highlighted.
A report sent to Rigzone last Tuesday by Standard Chartered Bank Commodities Research Head Paul Horsnell showed that the company expects the nearby future NYMEX basis Henry Hub price to average $3.20 per MMBtu in the first quarter of 2025, $3.50 per MMBtu across the second and third quarters, $2.80 per MMBtu in the fourth quarter, and $3.25 per MMBtu overall next year.
Main NatGas Theme? Storage
In an exclusive interview with Rigzone, Frederick J. Lawrence, the ex-Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) Chief Economist, said storage was the main natural gas theme by last week’s end but highlighted that “there are some encouraging demand signals related to demand, weather, and LNG”.
“Natural gas prices dropped toward the end of last week following a bearish EIA storage report that showed a 42 billion cubic foot net increase for the week ending November 8,” Lawrence told Rigzone, noting that storage is relatively comfortable at this point in the year after a spate of warmer than normal weather across most of the United States.
“As per the EIA report, natural gas storage was 158 billion cubic feet higher than last year at this time and 228 billion cubic feet above the five-year average,” he added.
Lawrence highlighted to Rigzone that the EIA natural gas weekly report for the week ending November 13 “showed that gas demand was up 4.9 percent last week with residential and commercial demand rising 23.8 percent compared to the previous week”.
The ex-IPAA Chief Economist also noted that the EIA natural gas weekly report showed that natural gas exports rose 1.4 billion cubic feet per day.
“Higher international gas prices resulted from colder weather in Northeast Asia and Europe in addition to supply risk related to Russian gas flows to Austria,” Lawrence highlighted.
Lawrence also told Rigzone that, in the U.S. market, “some of the election-related impact on certain commodities and equity segments faded by the end of the week with the market more concerned with caution on future interest rate action”.
In a separate exclusive interview with Rigzone, Jim Krane, a Research Fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute, said traders got a surprise last week with more gas in storage than expected.
“As the Permian oil production gets gassier over time, we may get more such surprises,” Krane warned.
To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com
With Trump’s victory, talk has increased about renewed trade wars and tariffs between global economies led by the United States. However, economic experts have stated that Trump’s policies may have a limited impact due to strong British service exports and the level of the goods trade deficit with the United States. Services are usually exempt from trade wars. Conversely, experts believe that the strength of the US economy under Trump will boost Britain if it increases the value of service exports.
Moreover, Expectations have increased that the Bank of England’s policies will remain cautious after the recent announcement that inflation rates in the country rose above the bank’s target. According to the results of the economic calendar data, the British consumer price index may rise this week by an annual rate of 2.2%, according to the average forecast of 24 Bloomberg surveys. This is up from 1.7% last month, when it fell below the Bank of England’s 2% target for the first time in more than three years. At its last meeting, the Bank of England delivered a second interest rate cut by a quarter of a percentage point and sent no indication that rapid easing might be necessary. This came as the stance is more conservative than that of the neighbouring euro zone, and is in line with the calm tone adopted by US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell recently.
Technically, the downward trend of the GBP/USD is gaining strength. The continued strength of the US dollar may give the bears the opportunity to move to stronger support levels, the closest of which is currently 1.2520, then 1.2440, and then 1.2300, which is important for moving technical indicators towards oversold levels. You can consider buying GBP/USD from both the second and last levels without taking risks and activating take-profit and stop-loss orders to ensure the preservation of the trading account. According to recent trades, the pound sterling is recording its worst extended losing streak in 10 years, falling by 2% last week alone, marking the seventh consecutive week of losses.
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As for the performance of technical indicators, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is on the verge of the 30 level, which confirms its proximity to oversold levels. Therefore, currency traders will be watching for new buying opportunities. As for the MACD indicator, it is also heading towards oversold levels. Ultimately, the Stochastic indicator is settling well below the 20 level and is waiting for a rebound upwards.
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According to reliable trading platforms, the price of the US dollar index DXY, which measures the performance of the US currency against a basket of other major currencies, is stable around its highest in two years, and according to recent trading, the index has recorded seven consecutive weeks of gains. The US dollar’s gains came primarily in light of the strong US economic performance and hints from US Federal Reserve officials led by Jerome Powell that the bank will not accelerate the pace of reducing US interest rates as long as the economy is strong, especially compared to other global economies that are suffering. Recently, market expectations for a 25-basis point cut in US interest rates in December fell to 62%, down from 86% previously.
According to economic data, we have observed positive results for US economic sectors that confirm the view of the US Federal Reserve. Most notably, US retail sales exceeded expectations, indicating continued resilience in the consumer sector. Prior to that, the main and core US producer prices were announced as expected, but annual growth rates exceeded expectations, in contrast to the US consumer price index data, which met expectations.
In terms of the performance of US stock indices, over the past week, the S&P 500 lost 2.2%, the Dow Jones fell 2.3%, and the Nasdaq declined 2.9%, reflecting a reversal of the upward trend that followed the US presidential election and was driven by optimism surrounding President Trump’s policies.
Recently, the gap between expectations regarding the future of US and Japanese central bank policies has widened, which will be in favour of further strengthening the upward trend of the USD/JPY currency pair. Therefore expect to buy the currency pair back from every downward level, and currently, the closest support levels for the USD/JPY are 153.70, 152.20, and 150.00, respectively. Conversely, and according to the performance on the daily chart above, the psychological resistance of 160.00 will remain an important target for the upward trend and for the markets. Consequently, it will then increase talk of imminent Japanese intervention in the forex markets to prevent further decline in the yen. However, this time, there is Trump, who has often talked about countries that devalue their currencies.
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According to Forex trading, the sharp losses that followed the announcement of Trump’s victory, which was followed by strong gains for the US dollar, its highest in two years, increased talk about the possibility of the euro/US dollar moving to the parity price of 1:1 in light of Trump’s trade policies. Especially, if the trade wars between the Eurozone and the United States expand. With the euro dollar breaking the 1.0440 level, these expectations may increase. Specifically, since they coincide with devastating economic and political issues that threaten the future of the single European currency area.
Given the increasingly gloomy outlook for the recovery of the German economy, coupled with the continued easing of European Central Bank policy, you should consider that any gains for the euro in the forex market may be subject to a rapid collapse. According to reliable trading platforms, the EUR/USD is around 1.0538, the EUR/JPY is around 162.64, the EUR/AUD is around 1.6300, and the EUR/GBP is around 0.8350, according to the latest trading price updates.
The economic recession could hit the current German leadership. Markets are watching the agenda of the Christian Democratic Union leader who is vying to succeed Olaf Scholz. Dear reader, beware that the return of Donald Trump means that the next German government may have to deal with a global trade war, complicated relations with Beijing, and possibly difficult choices regarding the conflict in Ukraine – with extremist parties ready to capitalize on any misstep. Amid this tension, the Council of Economic Experts, which advises the German government, has scrapped its economic growth forecast for 2024 to predict a second year of contraction, followed by a small economic growth rate of 0.4% in 2025.
The US Federal Reserve’s recent affirmation that it will not rush to cut interest rates if the US economy is strong is widening the gap between it and the European Central Bank’s policies, which are following a rate-cutting path and will not change its direction in the face of current European political and economic concerns. Obviously, this would be a significant downward pressure factor for the EUR/USD in the coming months. Recently, the European Central Bank has cut interest rates three times since last June due to declining inflation and a slowdown in the eurozone economy. Currently, It is widely expected that interest rates will be cut again in December 2024, when policymakers receive updated forecasts that will help them assess the outlook for the eurozone.
Technically, the downward trend of the EUR/USD currency pair is getting stronger by breaking the support at 1.0500 consolidates the bears’ control. According to the direction of the technical indicators, the next most important support levels will be 1.0440 and 1.0390, which in turn will move the technical indicators towards strong oversold levels and increase expectations for the EUR/USD price to move towards the parity price. Conversely, and on the same time frame, the daily chart for a break of the downward trend on the bulls will push the EUR/USD price towards the resistance levels of 1.0750 and 1.0840, respectively.
We advise you to sell the EUR/USD pair from each upward level.
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I would be a buyer of this pair if we can recapture the ¥164 level. If we get above there, I would put a stop loss at the ¥163 level and aim for the ¥167 level.
All things being equal, this is a pair that continues to favor interest rate differentials for the euro, with this being the case, the market is likely to continue to see a lot of people getting involved, as they can get paid at the end of every day to hang on to this pair. Quite frankly, even though the euro itself isn’t necessarily a currency that I liked, it is going to probably fare better than the Japanese yen going forward.
The technical analysis for the EUR/JPY currency pair of course suggests that there is a lot of support in this area, as the ¥163 level is an area that we’ve seen a lot of action at previously. That being said, the market is likely to continue to see the area between they are in the ¥162 level as a major “squishy support level.” By doing so, the market is likely to continue to see a lot of value hunters out there trying to get involved, and therefore I think you’ve got a scenario where people will look for a value play to get long again.
If we were to break down below the ¥161 level, then it’s likely that the pair could drop down to the ¥158.50 level, which is an area that we have seen a lot of support at previously. That would be a target for short sellers, but at this point in time I think they will probably be repudiated long before we get to that area.
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GBP/USD registered six consecutive daily losses and fell over 2% in the previous week. The pair holds steady above 1.2600 in the European morning on Monday but the technical picture doesn’t yet point to a buildup of recovery momentum.
The table below shows the percentage change of British Pound (GBP) against listed major currencies last 7 days. British Pound was the weakest against the US Dollar.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 1.61% | 2.36% | 1.32% | 1.40% | 1.94% | 1.95% | 1.23% | |
| EUR | -1.61% | 0.71% | -0.18% | -0.10% | 0.41% | 0.43% | -0.28% | |
| GBP | -2.36% | -0.71% | -0.96% | -0.79% | -0.29% | -0.30% | -1.00% | |
| JPY | -1.32% | 0.18% | 0.96% | 0.07% | 0.51% | 0.70% | -0.10% | |
| CAD | -1.40% | 0.10% | 0.79% | -0.07% | 0.58% | 0.52% | -0.19% | |
| AUD | -1.94% | -0.41% | 0.29% | -0.51% | -0.58% | -0.01% | -0.66% | |
| NZD | -1.95% | -0.43% | 0.30% | -0.70% | -0.52% | 0.00% | -0.72% | |
| CHF | -1.23% | 0.28% | 1.00% | 0.10% | 0.19% | 0.66% | 0.72% |
The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the British Pound from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the US Dollar, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent GBP (base)/USD (quote).
The broad-based US Dollar (USD) strength weighed heavily on GBP/USD last week. Hawkish comments from Federal Reserve (Fed) officials and the inflation data from the US, which showed that the annual core Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 3.3% in October, helped the USD outperform its rivals.
Meanwhile, the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported on Friday that the UK’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanded by 0.1% on a quarterly basis in the third quarter. This reading missed the market expectation for a 0.2% growth and didn’t allow GBP/USD to gain traction ahead of the weekend.
In the absence of high-tier data releases, investors could react to changes in risk perception on Monday. At the time of press, US stock index futures were trading mixed. In case Wall Street’s main indexes start the week on a bearish note amid escalating geopolitical tensions, GBP/USD could have a hard time holding its ground.
Over the weekend, CNN News reported that US President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use powerful long-range American weapons to strike inside Russia. Reporting on the matter, “the change comes largely in response to Russia’s deployment of North Korean ground troops to supplement its own forces, a development that has caused alarm in Washington and Kyiv,” Reuters said.
In the early trading hours of the American session, Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee will be delivering a speech. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, markets are currently pricing in a nearly 40% probability of the Fed holding the policy rate unchanged at the December meeting. If Goolsbee adopts a cautious tone regarding another rate cut before the end of the year, GBP/USD could come under renewed bearish pressure.
GBP/USD was last seen trading near the upper limit of the 10-day-old descending regression channel at around 1.2630. In case the pair starts using this level as support, sellers could remain on the sidelines. However, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) indicator on the 4-hour chart remains below 40, suggesting that even if the pair rises, it would be considered as a technical correction rather than a reversal.
Above 1.2630, the 20-period Simple Moving Average (SMA) could act as next resistance at 1.2670 before 1.2700 (round level, static level). On the downside, 1.2580 (mid-point of the descending channel) could be seen as first support before 1.2530 (lower limit of the descending channel) and 1.2500 (round level).
The Pound Sterling (GBP) is the oldest currency in the world (886 AD) and the official currency of the United Kingdom. It is the fourth most traded unit for foreign exchange (FX) in the world, accounting for 12% of all transactions, averaging $630 billion a day, according to 2022 data. Its key trading pairs are GBP/USD, also known as ‘Cable’, which accounts for 11% of FX, GBP/JPY, or the ‘Dragon’ as it is known by traders (3%), and EUR/GBP (2%). The Pound Sterling is issued by the Bank of England (BoE).
The single most important factor influencing the value of the Pound Sterling is monetary policy decided by the Bank of England. The BoE bases its decisions on whether it has achieved its primary goal of “price stability” – a steady inflation rate of around 2%. Its primary tool for achieving this is the adjustment of interest rates. When inflation is too high, the BoE will try to rein it in by raising interest rates, making it more expensive for people and businesses to access credit. This is generally positive for GBP, as higher interest rates make the UK a more attractive place for global investors to park their money. When inflation falls too low it is a sign economic growth is slowing. In this scenario, the BoE will consider lowering interest rates to cheapen credit so businesses will borrow more to invest in growth-generating projects.
Data releases gauge the health of the economy and can impact the value of the Pound Sterling. Indicators such as GDP, Manufacturing and Services PMIs, and employment can all influence the direction of the GBP. A strong economy is good for Sterling. Not only does it attract more foreign investment but it may encourage the BoE to put up interest rates, which will directly strengthen GBP. Otherwise, if economic data is weak, the Pound Sterling is likely to fall.
Another significant data release for the Pound Sterling is the Trade Balance. This indicator measures the difference between what a country earns from its exports and what it spends on imports over a given period. If a country produces highly sought-after exports, its currency will benefit purely from the extra demand created from foreign buyers seeking to purchase these goods. Therefore, a positive net Trade Balance strengthens a currency and vice versa for a negative balance.
EUR/USD managed to find a foothold on Friday but still lost nearly 1.7% in the previous week. The pair stays in a consolidation phase to begin the new week and trades at around 1.0550.
The table below shows the percentage change of Euro (EUR) against listed major currencies last 7 days. Euro was the weakest against the US Dollar.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 1.68% | 2.35% | 1.33% | 1.41% | 1.94% | 1.94% | 1.29% | |
| EUR | -1.68% | 0.62% | -0.26% | -0.16% | 0.34% | 0.35% | -0.30% | |
| GBP | -2.35% | -0.62% | -0.98% | -0.78% | -0.28% | -0.28% | -0.91% | |
| JPY | -1.33% | 0.26% | 0.98% | 0.09% | 0.53% | 0.70% | -0.02% | |
| CAD | -1.41% | 0.16% | 0.78% | -0.09% | 0.57% | 0.51% | -0.13% | |
| AUD | -1.94% | -0.34% | 0.28% | -0.53% | -0.57% | -0.02% | -0.64% | |
| NZD | -1.94% | -0.35% | 0.28% | -0.70% | -0.51% | 0.02% | -0.64% | |
| CHF | -1.29% | 0.30% | 0.91% | 0.02% | 0.13% | 0.64% | 0.64% |
The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the Euro from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the US Dollar, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent EUR (base)/USD (quote).
Hawkish comments from Federal Reserve (Fed) officials caused investors to reassess the probability of one more 25 basis points rate cut in December last week, providing a boost to the US Dollar (USD) and weighing heavily on EUR/USD.
Monday’s economic calendar will not offer any high-impact data releases that could impact EUR/USD’s action. Hence, market participants will pay close attention to comments from central bank officials.
In the early American session, Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee will be delivering a speech. Speaking on the policy outlook on Friday, “I don’t like tying our hands,” Goolsbee said and added that they still have more data to come before deciding on the December policy decision. Later in the day, European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde will deliver a speech titled “The Economic and Human Issues of a Changing Era” at an event organized by The Collège des Bernardins in Paris, France.
Meanwhile, investors will also keep an eye on geopolitical headlines. Over the weekend, CNN News reported that US President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use powerful long-range American weapons to strike inside Russia. Reporting on the matter, “the change comes largely in response to Russia’s deployment of North Korean ground troops to supplement its own forces, a development that has caused alarm in Washington and Kyiv,” Reuters said.
US stock index futures trade marginally higher in the European morning but investors could seek refuge in case geopolitical tensions escalate further. A bearish opening in US stocks could help the USD regather its strength in the second half of the day.
EUR/USD seems to have stabilized following the previous week’s decline but the technical outlook remains bearish. The pair trades within the descending regression channel and the Relative Strength Index (RSI) indicator stays below 50.
On the downside, 1.0500 (mid-point of the descending channel) aligns as first support before 1.0440 (lower limit of the descending channel). Looking north, first resistance could be spotted at 1.0570 (upper limit of the descending channel) ahead of 1.0600 (round level) and 1.0650 (50-period Simple Moving Average).
The Euro is the currency for the 19 European Union countries that belong to the Eurozone. It is the second most heavily traded currency in the world behind the US Dollar. In 2022, it accounted for 31% of all foreign exchange transactions, with an average daily turnover of over $2.2 trillion a day. EUR/USD is the most heavily traded currency pair in the world, accounting for an estimated 30% off all transactions, followed by EUR/JPY (4%), EUR/GBP (3%) and EUR/AUD (2%).
The European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt, Germany, is the reserve bank for the Eurozone. The ECB sets interest rates and manages monetary policy. The ECB’s primary mandate is to maintain price stability, which means either controlling inflation or stimulating growth. Its primary tool is the raising or lowering of interest rates. Relatively high interest rates – or the expectation of higher rates – will usually benefit the Euro and vice versa. The ECB Governing Council makes monetary policy decisions at meetings held eight times a year. Decisions are made by heads of the Eurozone national banks and six permanent members, including the President of the ECB, Christine Lagarde.
Eurozone inflation data, measured by the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), is an important econometric for the Euro. If inflation rises more than expected, especially if above the ECB’s 2% target, it obliges the ECB to raise interest rates to bring it back under control. Relatively high interest rates compared to its counterparts will usually benefit the Euro, as it makes the region more attractive as a place for global investors to park their money.
Data releases gauge the health of the economy and can impact on the Euro. Indicators such as GDP, Manufacturing and Services PMIs, employment, and consumer sentiment surveys can all influence the direction of the single currency. A strong economy is good for the Euro. Not only does it attract more foreign investment but it may encourage the ECB to put up interest rates, which will directly strengthen the Euro. Otherwise, if economic data is weak, the Euro is likely to fall. Economic data for the four largest economies in the euro area (Germany, France, Italy and Spain) are especially significant, as they account for 75% of the Eurozone’s economy.
Another significant data release for the Euro is the Trade Balance. This indicator measures the difference between what a country earns from its exports and what it spends on imports over a given period. If a country produces highly sought after exports then its currency will gain in value purely from the extra demand created from foreign buyers seeking to purchase these goods. Therefore, a positive net Trade Balance strengthens a currency and vice versa for a negative balance.
Silver (XAG/USD) regains positive traction at the start of a new week and climbs to the $30.70-$30.75 area during the Asian session, albeit it remains confined in a multi-day-old range around the 100-day Simple Moving Average (SMA).
The XAG/USD last week rebounded from the $29.70-$29.65 support zone, representing the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level of the August-October rally. Moreover, the emergence of fresh buying on Monday favors bullish traders. That said, technical indicators on the daily chart are holding in negative territory and are still away from being in the oversold zone. Hence, any subsequent move up is more likely to confront stiff resistance and remain capped near the $31.00 round-figure mark.
Some follow-through buying, however, will suggest that the recent corrective fall from the vicinity of the $35.00 psychological mark, or a 12-year peak touched in October, has run its course and pave the way for additional gains. The XAG/USD might then climb to the next relevant hurdle near the $31.70 area (38.2% Fibo. level) before aiming to reclaim the $32.00 round figure.
On the flip side, the $30.20 region, followed by the $30.00 psychological mark could act as immediate support ahead of the $29.70-$29.65 area, or a two-month low touched on Friday. A convincing break below the latter will be seen as a fresh trigger for bearish traders and drag the XAG/USD below the $29.00 mark, towards the very important 200-day SMA support near the $28.80-$28.75 zone en route to the $28.40-$28.35 region, or the 78.6% Fibo. level.
Silver is a precious metal highly traded among investors. It has been historically used as a store of value and a medium of exchange. Although less popular than Gold, traders may turn to Silver to diversify their investment portfolio, for its intrinsic value or as a potential hedge during high-inflation periods. Investors can buy physical Silver, in coins or in bars, or trade it through vehicles such as Exchange Traded Funds, which track its price on international markets.
Silver prices can move due to a wide range of factors. Geopolitical instability or fears of a deep recession can make Silver price escalate due to its safe-haven status, although to a lesser extent than Gold’s. As a yieldless asset, Silver tends to rise with lower interest rates. Its moves also depend on how the US Dollar (USD) behaves as the asset is priced in dollars (XAG/USD). A strong Dollar tends to keep the price of Silver at bay, whereas a weaker Dollar is likely to propel prices up. Other factors such as investment demand, mining supply – Silver is much more abundant than Gold – and recycling rates can also affect prices.
Silver is widely used in industry, particularly in sectors such as electronics or solar energy, as it has one of the highest electric conductivity of all metals – more than Copper and Gold. A surge in demand can increase prices, while a decline tends to lower them. Dynamics in the US, Chinese and Indian economies can also contribute to price swings: for the US and particularly China, their big industrial sectors use Silver in various processes; in India, consumers’ demand for the precious metal for jewellery also plays a key role in setting prices.
Silver prices tend to follow Gold’s moves. When Gold prices rise, Silver typically follows suit, as their status as safe-haven assets is similar. The Gold/Silver ratio, which shows the number of ounces of Silver needed to equal the value of one ounce of Gold, may help to determine the relative valuation between both metals. Some investors may consider a high ratio as an indicator that Silver is undervalued, or Gold is overvalued. On the contrary, a low ratio might suggest that Gold is undervalued relative to Silver.
On the other hand, if we turn around and drop from here, the 200 day EMA sits right around the 110 yen level, which of course is a large round psychologically significant figure and an area that a lot of people will be paying close attention to. Keep in mind that this is also a play on oil a lot of the times due to the fact that Canada is a major exporter of crude oil, while the Japanese import 100 percent of theirs. With this being the case, it does tend to move right along with the WTI crude oil market, for example.
That being said, the market is going to continue to be noisy, but I think given enough time, we will have to make a bigger decision. The Japanese yen itself is being hindered by the fact that the Bank of Japan can’t do anything to tighten interest rates, and as long as that’s going to be the case, there’s really no reason to think that the yen will strengthen significantly, unless of course there’s been some type of event.
I think this is a grind to the 112 yen level, and once we can break out of there, then we can really take off. For what it is worth, the US dollar climbed over a major hurdle against the yen today, so we may see the yen fall apart everywhere.
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Gold price stages a solid comeback early Monday, testing the $2,600 threshold as buyers return on looming risks of a geopolitical escalation between Russia and Ukraine.
In the latest development that occurred over the weekend, US President Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to use American Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to strike inside Russia. The decision to allow the use of long-range US weapons inside Russia came after Moscow deployed North Korean ground troops to supplement its own forces.
Markets remain wary of further escalation in the Russia-Ukraine tensions amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, spurring safe-haven flows into the bright metal.
Gold price also capitalizes on China’s efforts to ramp up the country’s stock market activity. China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) announced that it will expand the scope of stock eligible to trade via the Shanghai-Hong KongStock Connect.
Note that China is the world’s top Gold consumer, and any support measures by the local authorities to boost economic performance seem positive for the precious metal.
Meanwhile, a broad-based US Dollar (USD) upside consolidative phase also aids the Gold price upswing as buyers take a breather heading into the new week.
The USD has rallied hard to reach the highest level in a year against its major rivals last week, courtesy of the Trump trades. US President-elect Donald Trump’s fiscal and trade policies are seen as inflationary and supportive of a higher Greenback.
Attention now remains on the upcoming speech by Chicago Federal Reserve (Fed) President Austan Goolsbee in the absence of top-tier economic releases on Monday. Geopolitical developments will also be closely eyed for any significant impact on the traditional safe-haven asset, Gold.
The short-term technical outlook for Gold price remains more or less the same, with any recovery attempts likely to be short-lived as long as the 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) stays bearish.
However, the latest uptick in the leading indicator justifies the Gold price rebound from the critical support of $2,548, where the 100-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) and the September 18 low merge.
In doing so, Gold price challenges the $2,600 mark. Recapturing the latter on a daily closing basis is critical to unleashing the additional recovery toward the November 13 high of $2,619.
Further up, the $2,650 psychological barrier could check the upswing. The 50-day SMA aligns near that level, making it a strong resistance.
On the flip side, the immediate support is seen at the abovementioned confluence support of $2,548.
A sustained break below the last will initiate a fresh downtrend toward the $2,500 threshold, with the next bearish target seen at the September 4 low of $2,472.
Gold has played a key role in human’s history as it has been widely used as a store of value and medium of exchange. Currently, apart from its shine and usage for jewelry, the precious metal is widely seen as a safe-haven asset, meaning that it is considered a good investment during turbulent times. Gold is also widely seen as a hedge against inflation and against depreciating currencies as it doesn’t rely on any specific issuer or government.
Central banks are the biggest Gold holders. In their aim to support their currencies in turbulent times, central banks tend to diversify their reserves and buy Gold to improve the perceived strength of the economy and the currency. High Gold reserves can be a source of trust for a country’s solvency. Central banks added 1,136 tonnes of Gold worth around $70 billion to their reserves in 2022, according to data from the World Gold Council. This is the highest yearly purchase since records began. Central banks from emerging economies such as China, India and Turkey are quickly increasing their Gold reserves.
Gold has an inverse correlation with the US Dollar and US Treasuries, which are both major reserve and safe-haven assets. When the Dollar depreciates, Gold tends to rise, enabling investors and central banks to diversify their assets in turbulent times. Gold is also inversely correlated with risk assets. A rally in the stock market tends to weaken Gold price, while sell-offs in riskier markets tend to favor the precious metal.
The price can move due to a wide range of factors. Geopolitical instability or fears of a deep recession can quickly make Gold price escalate due to its safe-haven status. As a yield-less asset, Gold tends to rise with lower interest rates, while higher cost of money usually weighs down on the yellow metal. Still, most moves depend on how the US Dollar (USD) behaves as the asset is priced in dollars (XAU/USD). A strong Dollar tends to keep the price of Gold controlled, whereas a weaker Dollar is likely to push Gold prices up.