Greenback Sustained Post-Fed, RBNZ Turns Neutral

 | Jan 29, 2015 04:29AM ET

h2 Market Brief

The Fed verdict has been less-dovish-than the market positioning, as suspected. The FOMC kept rates unchanged, dropped “considerable tome” rhetoric while calling the markets for patience before the first rate hike occurs. The economy is recovering at solid pace according to Fed officials, with good progress on jobs market. The US 10-year yields retreated to 1.70% post-Fed.

EUR/USD gave back gains to 1.1262. Short-term bids are presumed at 1.1275+ (200-hma), while early Syriza actions/propositions in Greece keeps the upside limited in the EUR-complex. EUR/GBP remains well offered with large vanilla puts trailing from 0.7525 up to 0.7800 for today expiry. The EUR/GBP bias is negative as GBP/USD tests resistance at 21-dma (1.5156). We see potential for GBP appreciation on both crosses. GBP/USD bulls gain momentum, September-January downtrend top (1.5375) is in focus.

The JPY-complex traded mixed in Tokyo, Nikkei stocks wrote-off more than 1% as retail sales contracted another 0.3% on month to December, and large retailers’ sales slowed to 0.1% on year from 1.2% a month ago. USD/JPY offers remain solid at daily Ichimoku cloud top (118.46) despite USD favorable sentiment. Technicals are flat, a break above the cloud top should ease selling pressures. Option bets are supportive above 118.50/119.00. EUR/JPY confronts offers at 133.89/134.78 area (conversion line / Fibonacci 23.6% on Dec-Jan sell-off / light option barriers) as market look to sell rallies on EUR-crosses.

In New Zealand, the RBNZ kept the OCR unchanged at 3.50% as expected and delivered neutral accompanying statement. “Future interest rate adjustments, either up or down, will depend on the emerging flow of economic data” said Governor Wheeler. The RBNZ reiterated that NZD remains unjustifiably high. NZD/USD broke below the Fibonacci 61.8% on 2009-2011 hike (0.7335), as traders’ attention shift to 0.70s last seen mid-2010. Large put expiries wait to be activated at 0.7295/0.7300 today.