FX Market analysis - USD lower ahead of key CPI figure, GBP breaks out on strong jobs data
Lachlan Meakin
18/10/2023
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USD was marginally lower in Tuesdays session, trading in a tight range amid thin newsflow and market participants awaiting the key June CPI reading released later today. After breaking the psychological 102 level in Mondays session, DXY tested a re-entry into the range but found the previous support at 102 acting as stiff resistance, seeing DXY finish at the session lows around 101.65. NZD was the G10 underperformer with NZDUSD hitting a low of 0.6168 where it found support at Mondays lows as the currency traded defensively ahead of the RBNZ rate decision today.
Futures markets are expecting rates will be held at 5.5%, confirming the RBNZ as being the first developed Central Bank to reach the end of its tightening cycle. AUD was marginally firmer against the USD, after initially struggling in tandem with the Kiwi before later reversing losses on a USD pull-back. AUDNZD moving higher, back above the mid-price of it’s 2023 range.
Safe-havens, JPY and CHF, saw gains despite risk-on equity markets on some defensive positioning ahead of big data releases later in the week. USDCHF retraced from a peak of 0.8863 to a low of 0.8791 with the cross pair hitting its lowest level since January 2021. USDJPY traded between 141.46-140.17, continuing its strong down move after testing the 145 “intervention” zone last week.
USDJPY appears one of those most at risk of any upside surprises in the US CPI data given its sharp decline over recent sessions. GBPUSD saw gains with Cable breaking it’s 1.2850 resistance level, surpassing 1.2900 to a peak of 1.2934, its highest level in over a year. A strong UK Labour market figure saw futures markets re-price a 50bp hike as the favoured outcome of the BoE policy meeting on August 3 rd, driving gains in the Pound.
EUR was flat with EURUSD just about clawing back above 1.10 at the US session end amid a USD pullback, with EURUSD trading in a narrow range despite a weak German ZEW survey. CAD saw slight gains against the USD, bolstered by the continued upward momentum in crude oil with WTI crude settling at 10-week highs and seeing USDCAD break its 4h trendline. CAD traders have the BoC rate decision later today to look forward to, where after a five-month ‘pause’, the consensus looks for rates to be lifted by 25bps for the second straight meeting, taking its key rate to 5.00%
By
Lachlan Meakin
Head of Research, GO Markets Australia.
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市場對頂尖製程晶圓及先進封裝(Advanced Packaging)的瘋狂胃納,其增長速度早已遠遠超越了全球供應鏈所能溫和承受的極限。這種極端的供需失衡,正強行逼迫各大 AI 龍頭大廠積極評估「第二供貨源(Second-source)」—— 呢點要稍為校準:這並不代表大廠們正在拋棄台積電,而是他們在實戰中迫切需要多一條通往大規模量產的備用防線。
支撐英特爾未來繼續狂飆的牛市邏輯非常直觀:**全球 AI 算力需求依舊極其瘋狂**,台積電的產能死鎖在短期內根本無法解開,這倒逼跨國科技巨頭必須不計代價尋求具備實質技術公信力的第二代工防線。如果英特爾能成功將目前的秘密測試與意向訂單逐步轉化為實質性的商業產出,全球長線資金將繼續為其晶圓代工戰略瘋狂計價。
最後,不容忽視的是更宏觀的 **AI 資本開支大週期**。一旦 Google、微軟、亞馬遜和 Meta 等超大規模雲端商(Hyperscalers)未來在龐大的基礎設施投入上放緩步伐、或是 AI 商業化變現的投資回報率(ROI)不如預期,成個半導體板塊都將迎來泥沙俱下的結構性大回撤,無論英特爾 Foundry 的製程進展得幾咁完美也無法獨善其身。
綜上所述,主導接下來外匯與股票交叉盤生死的黃金變數包括:輝達會否發出實質生產訂單、18A 工藝的最新良率進展、英特爾代工業務的虧損限度、台積電先進封裝擴產速度,以及北美雲端巨頭們的 AI 資本開支是否依舊強悍。