Nick Mastrandrea
Market Tea Leaves
US Dollar: Mar '23 USD is Down at 103.420.
Energies: Feb '23 Crude is Down at 78.24.
Financials: The Mar '23 30 Year T-Bond is Down 9 ticks and trading at 125.07.
Indices: The Mar '23 S&P 500 emini ES contract is 54 ticks Lower and trading at 3859.00.
Gold: The Feb'23 Gold contract is trading Down at 1824.30. Gold is 16 ticks Lower than its close.
Initial conclusion
This is not a correlated market. The dollar is Down, and Crude is Down which is not normal, and the 30 Year T-Bond is trading Lower. The Financials should always correlate with the US dollar such that if the dollar is lower, then the bonds should follow and vice-versa. The S&P is Lower, and Crude is trading Lower which is not correlated. Gold is trading Lower which is not correlated with the US dollar trading Down. I tend to believe that Gold has an inverse relationship with the US Dollar as when the US Dollar is down, Gold tends to rise in value and vice-versa. Think of it as a seesaw, when one is up the other should be down. I point this out to you to make you aware that when we don't have a correlated market, it means something is wrong. As traders you need to be aware of this and proceed with your eyes wide open. Currently all of Asia is trading Higher with the exception of the Indian Sensex exchange which is Lower. All of Europe is trading Lower.
Possible challenges to traders today
-
Chicago PMI is out at 9:45 AM EST. This is Major.
-
Lack of Major economic reports.
Treasuries
Traders, please note that we've changed the Bond instrument from the 30 year (ZB) to the 10 year (ZN). They work exactly the same.
We've elected to switch gears a bit and show correlation between the 10-year bond (ZN) and the S&P futures contract. The S&P contract is the Standard and Poor's, and the purpose is to show reverse correlation between the two instruments. Remember it's likened to a seesaw, when up goes up the other should go down and vice versa.
Yesterday the ZN hit a Low at around 10:30 AM EST. The S&P was trading Higher at around the same time. If you look at the charts below ZN gave a signal at around 10:30 AM and the S&P gave a signal at around the same time. Look at the charts below and you'll see a pattern for both assets. ZN hit a Low at around 10:30 AM and migrated Higher. These charts represent the newest version of MultiCharts and I've changed the timeframe to a 15-minute chart to display better. This represented a Long opportunity on the 10-year note, as a trader you could have netted about 20 ticks per contract on this trade. Each tick is worth $15.625. Please note: the front month for the ZN is now Mar '23. The S&P contract is now Mar' 23 as well. I've changed the format to filled Candlesticks (not hollow) such that it may be more apparent and visible.
Charts courtesy of MultiCharts built on an AMP platform
ZN - Mar 2023 - 12/29/22
-638079999143278647.png)
S&P - Mar 2023 - 12/29/22
Bias
Yesterday we gave the markets a Neutral bias as we didn't see a correlated market. Hence the Neutral bias. The markets veered to the Upside and the Dow closed 345 points Higher. The other indices closed Higher as well. Today we aren't dealing with a correlated market and our bias is Neutral.
Could this change? Of Course. Remember anything can happen in a volatile market.
Commentary
Yesterday we had a light session in terms of economic news. Unemployment Claims came in as expected and the markets migrated Higher after the report came out. Today we only have Chicago PMI out at 9:45 AM EST. We want to wish all of you a Very Happy New Year. We will be back on Tuesday, January 3rd as the markets are closed Monday for the New Year holiday. Have a safe and happy holiday.
Trading performance displayed herein is hypothetical. The following Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) disclaimer should be noted.
Hypothetical performance results have many inherent limitations, some of which are described below. No representation is being made that any account will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those shown.
In fact, there are frequently sharp differences between hypothetical performance results and the actual results subsequently achieved by any particular trading program. One of the limitations of hypothetical performance trading results is that they are generally prepared with the benefit of hindsight.
In addition, hypothetical trading does not involve financial risk, and no hypothetical trading record can completely account for the impact of financial risk in actual trading. For example, the ability to withstand losses or to adhere to a particular trading program in spite of trading losses are material points which can also adversely affect actual trading results.
There are numerous other factors related to the markets in general or to the implementation of any specific trading program which cannot be fully accounted for in the preparation of hypothetical performance results and all of which can adversely affect actual trading results.
Trading in the commodities markets involves substantial risk and YOU CAN LOSE A LOT OF MONEY, and thus is not appropriate for everyone. You should carefully consider your financial condition before trading in these markets, and only risk capital should be used.
In addition, these markets are often liquid, making it difficult to execute orders at desired prices. Also, during periods of extreme volatility, trading in these markets may be halted due to so-called “circuit breakers” put in place by the CME to alleviate such volatility. In the event of a trading halt, it may be difficult or impossible to exit a losing position.
Recommended Content
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD struggles to hold above 1.0400 as mood sours
EUR/USD stays on the back foot and trades near 1.0400 following the earlier recovery attempt. The holiday mood kicked in, keeping action limited across the FX board, while a cautious risk mood helped the US Dollar hold its ground and forced the pair to stretch lower.
GBP/USD approaches 1.2500 on renewed USD strength
GBP/USD loses its traction and trades near 1.2500 in the second half of the day on Monday. The US Dollar (USD) benefits from safe-haven flows and weighs on the pair as trading conditions remain thin heading into the Christmas holiday.
Gold drops to $2,620 area as US bond yields edge higher
Gold struggles to build on Friday's gains and trades modestly lower on the day near $2,620. The benchmark 10-year US Treasury bond yield edges slightly higher above 4.5%, making it difficult for XAU/USD to gather bullish momentum.
Bitcoin fails to recover as Metaplanet buys the dip
Bitcoin hovers around $95,000 on Monday after losing the progress made during Friday’s relief rally. The largest cryptocurrency hit a new all-time high at $108,353 on Tuesday but this was followed by a steep correction after the US Fed signaled fewer interest-rate cuts than previously anticipated for 2025.
Bank of England stays on hold, but a dovish front is building
Bank of England rates were maintained at 4.75% today, in line with expectations. However, the 6-3 vote split sent a moderately dovish signal to markets, prompting some dovish repricing and a weaker pound. We remain more dovish than market pricing for 2025.
Best Forex Brokers with Low Spreads
VERIFIED Low spreads are crucial for reducing trading costs. Explore top Forex brokers offering competitive spreads and high leverage. Compare options for EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, and Gold.