Talking Points:

US Consumer Confidence Jump Inspires Risk-On Mood in Asian Trade
New Zealand Dollar Leverages Rates Outlook to Outperform Overnight
Upbeat Durable Goods Orders to Bolster Fed “Taper” Bets, Boost USD

The absence of significant headline event risk left currency markets in consolidation mode overnight. The New Zealand Dollar narrowly outperformed, rising as much as 0.2 percent on average against its leading counterparts. The move tracked a rally on Asian stock exchanges, hinting the currency was able to leverage its supportive monetary policy outlook to capture a broader swell in risk appetite.

The MSCI Asia Pacific regional benchmark equities index rose 0.6 percent on chipper overseas demand bets after the US Consumer Confidence index unexpectedly printed at a six-year high. The RBNZ is seen hiking interest rates by 120 basis points over the coming 12 months according to a measure of priced-in expectations tracked by Credit Suisse, making the most attractive profile for yield-seeking investors in the G10 FX space.

An uneventful data docket in European trading hours is likely to see traders looking ahead February’s US Durable Goods Orders report. Expectations point to a 0.8 percent increase, which would amount to the largest increase in three months. A supportive outcome is likely to further erode doubts about continued “tapering” of Fed QE asset purchases in the months ahead, bolstering the US Dollar. We have entered long USDCAD.

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Asia Session

GMT

CCY

EVENT

ACT

EXP

PREV

23:50

JPY

Corporate Service Price (YoY) (FEB)

0.7%

0.8%

0.7%

European Session

GMT

CCY

EVENT

EXP

PREV

IMPACT

6:00

USD

Fed’s Bullard Speaks on Monetary Policy in HK

–

–

Low

7:00

EUR

German GfK Consumer Confidence (APR)

8.5

8.5

Medium

7:00

CHF

UBS Consumption Indicator (FEB)

–

1.44

Medium

Critical Levels

CCY

Supp 3

Supp 2

Supp 1

Pivot Point

Res 1

Res 2

Res 3

EUR/USD

1.3614

1.3711

1.3769

1.3808

1.3866

1.3905

1.4002

GBP/USD

1.6384

1.6452

1.6491

1.6520

1.6559

1.6588

1.6656

— Written by Ilya Spivak, Currency Strategist for DailyFX.com

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Source: Daily fx