Monthly Outlook April’ 24

“History provides a crucial insight regarding market crises: they are inevitable, painful and ultimately surmountable.”                                                                                                                       -Shelby M.C. Davis

The month was dominated by news on Central Bank policy meetings and it did turn out to be a historic month when one major Central Bank reverted from loose policy to tightening and another vice versa.  While most others-maintained status quo, interest surrounded their forward guidance and projections. 

Japan moved out of negative interest policy and ended their ETF buying programme, but monthly QE amount was retained at USD 4 bio.  The decision came after Government’s assessment that the country was seen coming out of deflation and also wage negotiations were strong enough to push demand higher.  The move was not a total surprise and some agencies had been already indicated the same.  But the move by Swiss National Bank to cut their policy rate from 1.75% to 1.5% was least expected but was justified by the inflation development in the economy. Yearly inflation had consistently fallen below 2% target which supported the decision. 

The most focus was of course on the Fed meeting, where debate was whether they would continue to project 3 rate cuts this year or reduce it 2 in view of the recent higher CPI and PPI inflation numbers.  However, by a slim majority the dot plot again indicated 3 rate cuts in 2024, although the timing of the first cut was not clear.  FED Chairman’s press conference did not contain any surprises but he did hint that they would be inclined to cut if the job market weakened further. 

Among other Central Banks, European, UK and Australian Central Banks held rates unchanged.  From the statements by the respective Central Bank Chiefs one can deduce that they are all set to cut rates in June this year.  Inflation development in Europe and UK support the same, while in Australia they maintained that policy could go either way depending on data. 

Some of the EM Central Bank rate decisions were noteworthy.  Turkey hiked their rate by another 5% to take it to 50% (their inflation is over 60%), Brazil cut rate for the 6th time after peak rate of 13.75% was seen from August 2022 to August 2023, while Mexico cut interest by 0.25% for the first time from after rates peaked at 11.25% from March 2023,

The major themes that guided the markets were-

1.     Despite uncertainty about Fed rate cut timing and quantum, risk assets had a strong performance, which in a way kept the financial conditions easy

2.     U.S. economic data broadly remaining strong and CPI inflation remaining sticky well above 3% kept FED speakers guarded about cutting rates soon, even the rate cut expectations in June swung from above 80% probability to 60%

3.     Apart from Fed dot plot, market was looking for clues on reducing pace of Quantitative Tightening by the Fed

4.     Europe and UK inflation were dropping much faster giving a sense that they were much certain to cut rates in June

5.     Europe showed nascent signs of recovery and forward looking surveys were steadily improving

6.     China was the other economy to show signs of bottoming with manufacturing and services PMIs moving into expansion

7.     Japanese Yen remained near four decades low of 152 despite Japan moving away from negative interest rate policy

8.     Market remained on intervention alert from Japanese authorities

9.     China Yuan also remained on focus as fallout of continued weakness in Yen with market not ruling out a fresh currency war emerging

10.  Commodities in general were well supported due to signs of recovery in Europe and China

11.  Gold’s rise of over 25% in last six months and half of it in the month of March surprised many as US economy continued to be strong, yields were still rising and early rate cut hopes were fading

12.  Gold’s rise also kept any Dollar bullish action in check

KEY ECONOMIC DATA FOR MAJOR COUNTRIES

U.S. exceptionalism continued to be reflected in the economic data published, including GDP, Housing sector and consumption, and even leading indicator slightly improved (first time in six months). Consumer sentiment improved while inflation expectation eased.

European and UK data was mixed but inflation declined which improved overall outlook due to possibility of rate cuts.  Froward looking ZEW and IFO surveys in Germany pointed to economic on the way to recovery.   Japanese inflation drifted down, but was well above their 2% target.  However, they continued with accommodative stance.  China’s cyclical indicators were better, but structural issues like Real Estate, Debt and tech sector woes continue.  Chinese Central Bank did not cut the medium-term lending rate as was widely expected, but continued to infuse liquidity. 

BOND MARKET: Bond yields in major economies moved in a range awaiting more clues on monetary policy easing.  U.S. yields remained well supported as inflation remained sticky and FED members continued to express reservations about hurrying to cut rates, though dot plot continued to indicate three rate cuts.

Due to quarter ending, there was strong demand for Government bonds which kept the yields in check.  Japanese Yields moved higher after the Central Bank came out of negative interest rate policy.  Despite huge inflows for bonds, yields in India remained in a very narrow range.

Equity Markets: Major markets across the globe hit fresh all-time highs again in March as hopes of rate cuts amid stable economies encouraged investors.  In the U.S. tech sector led the gains and continued carry trade with Yen also added to the momentum. 

S&P 500 was in best stretch without a 2% decline since 2018, up over 40% in the last 12 months, more than one standard deviation above the long-run mean of 36%.  Japanese market crossed the magical 40000 mark while China market stalled after its impressive recovery in January.   While the view has been that valuation concerns and due to quarter end repatriations, the markets should drag down but that did not impact. Abundance of liquidity is still driving the market (Japan has continued with its QE), though it is understood that cash holding among large institutions is at record level, which indicates a cautious stance.

Currency Markets: After an initial dip to 102.36, a near 2% recovery in the Dollar Index was observed after steady stream of positive data and sticky inflation gave a sense to investors that rate cuts may not happen in a hurry in US while others may be closer.

USDJPY made the largest % gain during the month and weakened more after Japan shifted to 0% rate from negative, as it was a well anticipated move and market was positioned for a sell-off in the Dollar that did not materialize.

AS USDJPY reached four decades high of 151.97, question among market participants is whether Japan will actually intervene by selling Dollars as they did in the year 2022 aggressively or more passively in 2023.  Expectations are that authorities are quite consistently protecting the level of 152 and sending strong messages, although market has not reacted much unless an actual intervention is seen.  With markets much bigger than earlier, Japanese authorities may stick with verbal intervention until market breaks 152 and moves towards 153 with a sense of complacency. 

EURUSD, though remaining supported on dips, is unable to build on rallies despite benefitting from good demand for sovereign bonds of countries in the region.  Investors look for more consistent recovery in Europe to break out of the long-held range. 

Outlook:  Global

The emerging view of U.S. Exceptionalism to take a backseat as more and more data is coming on the slowing side.  Eventually FED will cut rates as soon economy experiences recessionary tendency. The structural deficit of USA (Debt to GDP of 135%), fiscal deficit of 6.5% and trade/current account deficits make it vulnerable without foreign funding.  Any monetisation of debt due to lower foreigner demand will weaken the Dollar substantially.  Thus, both structural and cyclical factors are turning against the Dollar.

Expect Dollar Index to break 102.50 in the coming days/weeks setting up a retest of 100 psychological marks.  Accordingly, EURO should move towards 1.12, JPY towards 145 and GBP towards 1.30. 

Dollar continues to remain supported due to its exceptional growth and high yield attraction, whereas other in other major countries growth is tepid and inflation is dropping.  However, there’s a sense that market is structurally positioned long Dollar for some while and it’s likely to be reversed gradually as more and more Dollars are diversified into other assets.  The structural issue of big deficits and unsustainably high Debt/GDP ratio in U.S will eventually bring down the Dollar.  Its already showing signs of the same through the Gold rally in the last few months. 

Japanese intervention is only a matter of time and level could be a matter of speculation, as further weakness in Yen could be seen as threatening macro stability besides evoking competitive devaluations from other countries in the region.  An effective intervention, as and when it comes, will have the potential to push USDJPY towards 140 while having a weakening effect on overall Dollar.

RATE CUTS IN U.S. WILL BE THE INFLECTION POINT FOR THE DOLLAR. 

Indian Markets:

Key themes/market drivers in India –

1.     Continued large flows from foreigners.  Overseas investors have bought around 815 billion rupees (about $9.9 billion) of Indian government bonds since the announcement, and sentiment was also aided when Bloomberg Index Services said last week it will include the bonds from 2025.

2.     Narrowing current account deficit (1.2% in Q3 of FY24) compared to 2.1% in corresponding period previous FY.  Considering the large inflows expected and the lower trade deficit, a healthy BOP surplus for the year can be expected, which should remove any concerns about the Dollar/Rupee exchange rate

3.     India’s FX Reserves hit a new high of USD 643 bio as per the latest data giving a huge comfort to RBI’s aim of keeping stable exchange rate

4.     Continued high growth rate will likely attract more FDI flows during FY 25 once a stable Government is in place, as widely expected

5.     India’s manufacturing PMI continued in expansion territory and hit highest level since 2008 in March

6.     Inflation was contained near 5% (RBI target 4%), but RBI unlikely to change its policy or stance near term

7.     Rupee moved out of its long held range of 82.70 and 83.20 when hit by large FDI outflows followed by Chinese Yuan weakness and spike in oil price 

Outlook:  India

Expect Rupee to trade in a weaker range in the weeks ahead due to following reasons-

1.     Lull in the foreign fund flows ahead of the general elections

2.     Higher oil prices keeping the sentiment weak

3.     Yuan likely to remain weak based on Chinese fundamentals and reacting to the sustained weakness of the Yen, unless reversed by official intervention

4.     Upcoming policy by RBI is likely to be a status quo event and no rate cut expected until last quarter of 2023 and, in any case, not before FED eases

5.     Any large sell off in Japanese Yan may result in general unwinding of risk assets globally which can affect Indian markets and Indian Rupee as well

6.     Indian benchmark yield expected to remain steady around 6.95 – 7.15 range

USDINR Range expected should be between 83.00 to 84.20 for the month

Technical Outlook

USDINR CMP 83.4475

USDINR broke out of its narrow range as the central bank decides to widen the range. It also broke the pattern of lower monthly high after 4 months thereby raising alerts for USDINR upside moves. USDINR all time high is still being protected but a break above the same should bring further upside move as experienced last month after market hours with USDINR reaching as high as Rs. 83.70+ levels. Break of Rs. 83.50 should bring in newer targets at Rs. 83.80 initially and then Rs. 84.20.

Downside moves if any should find supports at Rs. 83.30 initially followed by Rs. 83.00/83.05. Current bias remained slightly tilted for a move upside but holding of Rs. 83.50 levels for another week should shift this inclination suggesting strength & consistency shown in protecting those levels by the central bank. Currencies although continue to move in ranged action and directional action should further provide major moves.

Commodity Outlook (Gold)

GOLD: COMEX: XAUUSD: CMP: USD 2294

Gold moved as mentioned in previous reports after the break of USD 2070 levels held for years as multiple tops. Minor corrections did not sustain longer and March itself saw huge move on the upside for the metal prices. Targets mentioned in previous reports have been reached while it continues to prepare for new targets to be achieved.

Expect small correction to USD 2260 initially while a bit more stretched correction if observed can be towards USD 2205. Momentum still continues to be on the higher side but slowing of the momentum can be seen by the end of the month. Upside resistance for gold at USD 2410/2420 should hold upside action for the time being.

GOLD: MCX Gold (Feb): CMP: INR 69,800

The yellow metal against INR on MCX continued making new highs in the past few days trading reaching INR 70,000 levels. The recent rally has been quite one sided with barely any corrections in the past weeks, raising possibility of correction as the charts looks slightly overdone in the shorter time frame. Corrections towards INR 68,200 can be anticipated though the current momentum keeps possibility of these limited. A stretched correction if any should be seen towards INR 66,900 (less likely). On the upside the resistances can be seen towards INR 72,400.

Prepared by:

Mr. Jayaram Krishnamurthy,

Co-Founder and COO – Almus Risk Consulting LLP

Mr. Shikhar Garg,

VP – Treasury Markets – Almus Risk Consulting LLP

Yen Outlook Report

Yen Summary (Past few months): 

Yen has weakened more than 45% against USD from the Covid crisis low of 102.88, hitting a high of 151.95 in September 2022.  This high was seen once again in November this year.  The rise in USDJPY during the last 3 years has been on the back of rising U.S. interest rates while the Japanese monetary policy has continued with ultra-easy stance and unrelenting quantitative easing by the Bank of Japan.  Though they did tweak their yield curve control policy slightly during this year, the 10-year yield has a difference of 3.7% with the U.S. and the same had a seen widest difference 4.16% last month.    

It is for the above reason that investors have been borrowing in Yen at cheap cost and selling the same against other U.S. and other high yielding currencies for investment (bonds and equities).  They have also invested in some EM countries/currencies like Mexico and Brazil as a CARRY TRADE.  The carry trade position against Yen has been one of the highest in historical terms. 

Recent Updates: 

We have seen the Japanese economy turn around modestly in last six months and their inflation has been in the region of 4% vs. 2% target they have been set to achieve.  Many renowned global investors have been buying Japanese stocks this year due to which the Japanese Nikkei Index has been an outperformer rising nearly 23%.  Even so, the index is more than 10% below the all-time highs that was seen more than three decades ago (in 1989).  There is a perception that Japanese stocks remain one of the most undervalued markets and that has kept the global investors interested. 

Factors Influencing Yen: 

The investor demand for investing in Yen is on the rise for the above reason and the following: 

  1. Fall in U.S. yields and the expectation of a rate cut by the FED next year is leading many investors to start unwinding the Yen shorts gradually 
  2. With inflation in Japan persisting at 4% consistently, there is increasing pressure on Japanese Central Bank to reverse their easy money policy which they are expected to do in April next year as per market indications.  A change in their policy towards tightness will lead to huge unwinding of short positions and rise in Yen value.   
  3. Weak Yen is also increasing the cost of living for Japanese people increasing the political pressure to stop it from further weakness.  The threat of direct intervention to sell Dollars against Yen is leading to more short covering demand. 
  4. General Dollar weakness in recent months has led investors to cover their Yen short positions too 
  5. Importers in Japan are affected badly due to weak Yen as it affects their import costs which will eventually lead to unviable investment. 

Yen looks fundamentally undervalued and seems overbought against currencies like EURO and GBP and a correction in the same looks imminent. 

Thereby, Yen is expected to strengthen in the coming months, moving towards 138/140 looks likely by the middle of next year if not earlier, while upside is limited to 153 

CONCLUSION: Creating Yen liability at this rate is fraught with two risks –  

  1. Strength in Yen that can affect the cost adversely;  

Borrowing/interest cost in Yen can also rise as and when BOJ changes policy

Monthly Outlook Mar’24

It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.

– Charles Darwin 

Month of February did manage to show the consistent trait of financial markets – CHANGE –  as it saw various asset classes moving without a correlation and no single theme running through them.  Policy outlook uncertainty ruled the sentiment as last mile journey towards inflation goal was proving tough.  Highest volatility was seen in cryptos while it was the least in the currencies.  But some direction seemed to be emerging towards the end of the month, though bigger breakouts were not visible in the currencies. 

The major themes that guided the markets were- 

  1. Divergence between market expectation on rate cuts and FED statements on the same narrowed down 
  2. Stickier inflation numbers  confirmed by CPI, PPI and PCE data in the U.S.  In Europe, they were mixed across countries  
  3. Stocks continued to make new highs in various regions.  Nikkei made a new all-time high after 35 years surpassing 40000 marks 
  4. New age tech stocks, AI companies led the rally in US markets, while investors in other markets followed US cues  
  5. Economic picture in the U.S. remained strong on employment, but was on the slowing side in manufacturing and forward-looking indicators 
  6. Europe showed more stabilizing picture which encouraged investors to diversity more into European assets.  UK Pound remained attractive due to its highest policy rate after U.S. 
  7. China markets were on the other extreme, dropping to lows seen during the Covid time.  Government measures of cutting policy did not result in sustainable rallies leaving more expectations for structural reforms unfulfilled.  Policymakers were intervening in stock and currency markets continuously.   
  8. Emerging markets were less exuberant having rallied hard for several months, but India stood out with robust data on GDP, manufacturing and inflation slowly inching down.  Equities continued to make new highs regularly.   
  9. Crypto market saw record rally, with Bitcoin gaining nearly 62% in the last one month.  The fresh rally was aided by the new ETFs launched in the U.S. with huge demand from small investors and big alike. 
  10. Gold was the other asset class to rally 8% in one month as investors diversified marginally from equities and bonds and on conviction that rates had peaked across economies, though uncertainty about timing of cuts remained.   
  11. February marked the third straight month of no hikes from G10 central banks – the longest such streak since summer 2021. Central Banks of Australia, New Zealand, UK, Sweden and India met during the month of February but decided to leave policy rates unchanged. 

KEY ECONOMIC DATA FOR MAJOR COUNTRIES 

During the month mixed data has been observed from U.S. but quite some numbers from Europe improving.  UK was steady but China continued to struggle, still awaiting big policy moves from the Government.   

U.S. employment data surprised to the upside with Non-Farm Payrolls rising by 353000 during January vs. market forecast of 180000, but the household survey actually indicated employment dropping.  Also rise in jobs was due to more part-time jobs being created.  Another indicator of weakness was average weekly hours worked that came at 34.1 vs. 34.3 which means more people were employed by reducing the working hours in general.   

Leading Economic Index – It was the 23rd straight monthly decline, just one month short of the record-long slump that began in April 2007 and ran through March 2009 during the global financial crisis.  The LEI is a forward looking indicator which gives a sense that in the months ahead the economy may be slowing. 

Manufacturing PMI in the U.S. economy fell from 49.1 to 47.8 and it was the 16th straight month the PMI remained below 50, which indicates contraction in manufacturing.   The ISM Services PMI for February dipped a bit to 52.6 vs. 53.0 forecast and 53.4 in January. Employment fell dropping back into contraction to 48.0 from 50.5 in January, which was the second lowest since Q3 2020. Factory orders in the U.S. in January saw the biggest contraction since April 2020.   

  U.S.A EUROPE U.K. JAPAN CHINA INDIA 
Particulars current vs. prev current vs. previous current vs. prev. current vs. prev. current vs. prev. current vs. prev. 
GDP QOQ 3.2 VS. 3.3% 0% vs. -0.1% *-0.3% vs. -0.1 *-0.1 vs. -0.8 1.0 vs. 1.3% 8.4 vs. 8.1% 
              
Ind. Prod YOY 0 vs. 1.2% 1.2% vs. -5.4% 0.6% vs. 0.1% *-1% vs. -1.4% 6.8% vs. 6.6 3.8 vs. 2.4% 
              
PMI MFG 52.2 vs. 50.7 46.6 vs. 4.4. 47.3 vs. 46.2 48 vs. 47.9 49.1 vs. 49.2 56.9 vs. 56.5 
PMI SERV 52.9 vs. 51.4 50.2 vs. 48.4 53.8 vs. 53.4 53.1 vs. 51.5 51.4 vs. 50.7 60.6 vs. 61.8 
              
Jobless Rate 3.7 vs. 3.7 6.4 vs. 6.5 3.8% vs. 3.9% 2.4 vs. 2.4 5% vs. 5% 3.1% in 2023 
              
Inflation 
Headline 3.1% vs. 3.4% 2.6 vs. 2.8 4% vs. 4% 2.2 vs. 2.6 *-0.8 vs. -0.3 5.1 vs. 5.69% 
Core 3.9% vs. 3.9% 3.1 vs. 3.3 5.1 vs. 5.1% 2% vs. 2.3% 0.6 vs. 0.8 3.6% vs. 3.9% 
              
Consumer Confidence 106.7 vs. 110.9 *-15.5 vs.-16.1 *-22 vs. -24 39.1 vs. 38 87.6 vs. 87 92.2 vs. 92.2 
Leading Eco. Index *-0.4% vs. -0.1% *-0.8 vs. -0.7 *-0.1 vs. -0.3 110.2 vs. 108.1 *-0.1 vs. -0.3   
POLICY RATE 5.25-5.5% 4.50% 5.25% -0.10% 3.45% 6.50% 

EUROPE: The current account surplus in the euro area grew to €32 billion ($34.5 billion) in December, up EUR 22 billion surplus in the previous month.  In 2023, the current account balance posted a surplus of €260 billion or 1.8% of euro area GDP, shifting from a €82 billion deficit or 0.6% of euro area GDP in 2022.  The strong performance on the Current Account is a big positive macro particularly when you compare it with the U.S. which runs around USD 200 bio deficit annually.  This remains a big support for Euro Area macros remaining stable. 

On the cyclical side, Eurozone’s key services sector picked up to a seven-month high in February, coming at 50.2 (yes, expansion) vs. 48.4 in January, while composite index also moved closer to expansion at 49.2.   

CHINA: After China made a big move to stimulate the economy by cutting the Reserve Rate Requirement by 1% which released 1 trillion Yuan of additional liquidity to the system, they cut the 5-year loan facility rate by 0.25% (largest measure of cut) to boost the economic activity, but markets were disappointed as they looked longer term rate cut.   

INDIA: The GDP number was a massive surprise to markets and analysts, coming at 8.4% vs. 6.6% expected.  However, if you look at the GVA (Gross Value Added Product), the number at 6.5% was mildly moderating.  This is because GDP included higher tax collection as well as cut in subsidies.   

BOND MARKET: Bond market was again volatile during the month driven by alternate bouts of good and modest data from the U.S. and also influenced by frequent verbal intervention from Fed Speakers.  Broadly, yields remained capped near the recent highs on market’s belief that FED will sooner or later cut rates, though exact timing still remains debatable.   

After the initial big move lower when budget was announced in February, yields in India have remained well supported above 7% for 10 year awaiting more clues on inflation and global rate moves.   

Equity Markets 

It was a record month for many markets across the globe in February as many of them hit alltime highs, mainly driven by liquidity.  In U.S. the charge was led by big rise in AI related stocks after their numbers beat street estimates. European assets were in demand due to hopes of economy bouncing. Japanese Nikkei hit a new all-time high after 35 years (last seen in 1989 at 37887 and now new high at 40499). 

Indices 29th Feb 2024 31st Jan 2024 Abs Change Change 
Dow Jones 38,995 38,150 845 2.22 
S&P 500 5,096 4,848 248 5.12 
Nasdaq 16,091 15,164 927 6.11 
German DAX 18,678 16,903 1775 10.50 
UK FTSE 7,630 7,630 0.00 
China Composite 3,015 2,788 227 8.14 
Japan Nikkie 39,166 36,286 2,880 7.94 
India Nifty 50 21,982 21,725 257 1.18 

China continued to underperform others although it did show some bounce after rate cuts and moral suasion by the Chinese authorities asking their institutions to buy shares and also restrictions on selling.  India had a rare underperformance during the month ending almost unchanged from previous month.  Technically, it has formed a DOJI candle at the multi-year top and after rising almost 200% from its Covid Lows.  Just for a comparison, it can be observed that the Chinese Market is still languishing near the Covid lows.   

Stocks seem to be trading with very rich valuations in most markets and one can expect a sudden bout of corrective fall in the coming months, quite likely in March as one heads into quarter end repatriations.   

Currency Markets 

Currency 29th Feb 2024 31st Jan 2024 Abs Change Change 
USD Index 104.16 103.27 0.89 0.85 
EURUSD 1.0803 1.0816 -0.0013 -0.12 
GBPUSD 1.2623 1.2685 -0.0062 -0.49 
USDJPY 149.98 146.88 3.1 2.07 
USDCNH 7.2065 7.1849 0.0216 0.3 
USDINR 82.9 83.095 -0.195 -0.24 

Currencies remained mostly rangy during the month awaiting stronger clues from the Central Bankers on rate moves.  As US yields remained capped, Dollar carried slightly bearish bias except against the JPY which retested highs near 151.  However, Japanese officials promptly came out with verbal warnings on excessive moves.   

EURO was supported due to rising hopes of economy bouncing and also its strong current account surplus.  Even a rate cut by ECB eventually has been discounted.  In fact, in a survey, roughly one in five of the 75 central banks surveyed by the London-based OMFIF think-tank anticipate increasing euro holdings over the next two years, its recently published 2023 report showed. While 7% looked to decrease euro holdings, net demand was higher than for any other currency during the period and a jump from the 2021 and 2022 surveys of reserve managers controlling nearly $5 trillion (Reuters) 

Recent Rupee moves have been in the same direction as DXY although the same is of much lesser magnitude.  Flows have been strong for Indian Bonds and even restarted for equities after a lull period.   

China Yuan still trades near the weaker end of its range despite Central Bank actions to support it as foreigners have taken a sober attitude towards investing in China until the next US elections, despite valuations looking very attractive. 

Key themes/market drivers in India – 

  1. Strong growth picture continuing as per the GDP data and PMI surveys 
  2. Equity markets have been attracting fresh investments despite some expressing concerns on valuations. 
  3. Bonds attracted large flows of over USD 5 bio in this calendar year. 
  4. RBI is unlikely to cut rates until fourth quarter of this year thus keeping rupee yields attractive for inflows. 

Outlook:  Global 

The emerging view of U.S. Exceptionalism to take a backseat as more and more data is coming on the slowing side.  Eventually FED will cut rates as soon economy experiences recessionary tendency. The structural deficit of USA (Debt to GDP of 135%), fiscal deficit of 6.5% and trade/current account deficits make it vulnerable without foreign funding.  Any monetisation of debt due to lower foreigner demand will weaken the Dollar substantially.  Thus, both structural and cyclical factors are turning against the Dollar. 

Expect Dollar Index to break 102.50 in the coming days/weeks setting up a retest of 100 psychological marks.  Accordingly, EURO should move towards 1.12, JPY towards 145 and GBP towards 1.30.   

Outlook:  India 

Looking at the various macro developments in the Indian economy, one would be tempted to call it INDIAN EXCEPTIONALISM.  High growth, fiscal prudence, moderating external balances and strong flows from global investors puts India on a different plane which is already reflected in a super-strong performance of the equities.   

Inclusion of Indian Bonds in major EM Bond indices was a big recognition of India’s place, but an upgrade by the global rating agencies may be due as well.  Continue to expect a period of outperformance by the INR in the coming weeks/months as much of the good news is not in the current levels and as flows rise steadily, a stronger rally is on the cards. 

Expect 82.40 to 83.10 ranges in the coming month, but will expand to downside after the current bout of up move in the Dollar Index ends.  Financial Year end in March will add to flows and selling pressure.  However, currency policy of the RBI will be a determinant of how far it can appreciate.  It is believed they will be comfortable with modest appreciation when the Dollar Index drops to 100 or lower. 

Technical Outlook 

USDINR although continues to trade narrower but has shown interesting developments in its technical setup. The currency pair continues to experience a lower shift in its trading range slowly with resistances moving from 83.40 to 83.25, 83.15, 83.05 & recently 82.95. Weekly chart setup also shows convincing break of the months long supporting trendline in USDINR. Even the central bank influence is looking limited for the time being.  

Considering this, we can expect the down move to further stretch towards 82.55/82.45 levels while the resistances continue to be at 82.95/83.10 levels initially. Further breakdown of these supports can lead the currency pair to 82.10 levels. Current technical setup looks slightly biased towards end of months long ranged action in the currency. 

Commodity Outlook (Gold) 

GOLD: COMEX: XAUUSD: CMP: USD 2156 

Gold finally broke above the long-standing resistance zone of 2070 convincingly and continues to stay higher as against the previous break which saw retracement the same day. Bullish run in Gold to sustain with minor correction in place. Current support zone can be expected around the previous multiple tops observed i.e. USD 2070 (levels if seen should observe FOMO buying action by market participants). 

Medium term target for Gold is around USD 2300 but immediate move towards these targets are less likely for the lack of triggers (although technically the chart setups are primed for a move upwards). 

Price dips towards USD 2100/2080 to be capitalised for building long positions with stops around USD 2040 (below the yellow metal to get into ranged action again). 

The yellow metal against INR on MCX made new highs in the past few days trading above INR 65000. The recent rally has been quite one sided with no meaning full correction in the past week, thereby opening chance for corrective actions towards INR 63900/64100 levels initially. Break of INR 63800(less likely) should lead to a move toward INR 63400. On the upside the targets continue to be above INR 67000/67500 levels in the medium-term time frame. 

Prepared by: 

Mr. Jayaram Krishnamurthy, 

Co-Founder and COO – Almus Risk Consulting LLP 

Mr. Shikhar Garg, 

VP – Treasury Markets – Almus Risk Consulting LLP

Anticipating RBI Rate Cuts Amid Global Interest Rate Trends

Economists and market participants are closely monitoring the potential timing of RBI’s rate cuts, prompted by a global decline in inflation over the past year and the Federal Reserve’s projection of three rate cuts in the current year. Initially, there was euphoria in the market, with expectations of up to six rate cuts by the Fed starting in March. However, stronger-than-expected economic data from the US, coupled with persistent inflation levels, has tempered these expectations. While acknowledging the likelihood of a peak rate, Fed and other central bank officials have pushed back against market assumptions. Market sentiment has since adjusted, with current expectations pointing to three rate cuts starting in June, with a 60% probability.

Influences on RBI’s Monetary Policy

 Amidst Governor Mr. Das’s steadfast assertion that the inflation target remains at 4%, several factors are shaping the monetary policy landscape for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI):

 1.      Tight Liquidity and Withdrawal Stance: The RBI has been implementing a policy of tight liquidity and adopting a stance of liquidity withdrawal.

2.      Inflation Target of 4%: The RBI’s CPI inflation target stands at 4% and the current CPI stands at 5.69% implying that rate cuts are unlikely unless significant adverse developments occur.

3.      Election Year Dynamics: With the backdrop of an election year, coupled with the RBI’s projection of robust growth exceeding 6.5% for FY 25, the political landscape is influencing policy considerations.

4.      Global Economic Trends: Major central banks worldwide are holding off on rate cuts, given the strength of their economies. This trend is expected to continue until the second half, with India following suit in alignment with developments in the US Federal Reserve.

5.      Commodity Price Support: Elevated commodity prices, such as Brent crude oil trading above USD 75 per barrel, are anticipated to sustain imported inflation, further influencing the RBI’s policy decisions.

6.      Growth: The recent fourth quarter GDP growth which was expected in the range of 6.50% to 7% came at 8.40%. Strong growth along with higher CPI may prompt RBI to maintain rates at the current level.

Global Central Banks Focus on Wage Dynamics and Inflation

 Apart from the factors specific to India mentioned earlier, it is noteworthy that major Global Central Banks are closely monitoring the movement or potential trajectory of wages due to its significant impact on inflation through various channels.

 Cost-push inflation occurs when wages rise, thereby increasing production costs for businesses. These heightened costs may be passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices for goods and services, particularly in industries with high labor costs such as manufacturing or services.

 On the other hand, rising wages can also bolster consumer spending power, leading to increased demand for goods and services. If this demand surpasses the economy’s production capacity, it can result in demand- pull inflation, prompting businesses to raise prices to align with the heightened demand.

 Moreover, wage increases can influence inflation expectations among both workers and businesses. If workers anticipate higher inflation in the future, they may demand higher wages as a compensatory measure. This phenomenon can trigger a wage-price spiral, wherein elevated wages lead to increased prices, subsequently prompting further wage demands.

 In general, sustained increases in wages typically exert upward pressure on inflation, particularly if productivity growth fails to keep pace.

Wage Developments in Major Countries U.S.A.

Average hourly earnings in the U.S. rose year-over-year to 4.48% in the latest data, with a January uptick following a low of 4.3% over the previous three months. Despite current wage growth reaching 5.5% from 1% in June 2022, the Federal Reserve remains concerned, aiming to temper rate cut expectations.

EUROPE

 European Central Bank (ECB) President Lagarde emphasized the ECB’s close monitoring of risk factors, including wage negotiations, which could drive inflation upwards. Wage growth in the Eurozone accelerated to 5.3% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2023, signaling mounting inflationary pressure.

JAPAN

 Japan’s wage momentum has begun earlier this year, although uncertainties persist regarding the outlook. Bank of Japan (BOJ) Chief Mr. Ueda has unequivocally tied any policy change to wage settlements. The BOJ will closely monitor preliminary Shunto (wage negotiation) results expected around mid-March, ahead of the Bank’s next meeting on March 18 and 19.

This cautious optimism reflects the BOJ’s approach to ensuring sustained progress towards its 2% inflation target. As wage negotiations unfold, their outcomes will play a pivotal role in shaping the BOJ’s monetary policy decisions and determining the trajectory of Japan’s economic recovery.

U.K.

In the three months to December 2023, average weekly earnings in the United Kingdom grew by 5.8%, marking the lowest growth in nearly two years. However, pay excluding bonuses rose by 6.2% compared to the same period in 2022. This growth occurred alongside a four per cent inflation rate for the Consumer Price Index in the same month, suggesting that wages are outpacing prices. Despite this, Bank of England Deputy Governor Ben Broadbent stated that the Bank would wait for further evidence of a downward trend in wage growth before drawing conclusions. This cautious stance underscores the Bank’s commitment to maintaining price stability amid evolving wage dynamics in the United Kingdom.

Central Banks globally are closely monitoring wage developments, delaying rate cuts if significant wage increases contribute to demand-pull inflation. This cautious approach is evident in the U.S., Europe, and the U.K., where wage growth trends are influencing monetary policy decisions.

INDIA

In the Indian context, the median salary increase is projected to rise by 9.8% in 2024, reflecting a trend close to the actual salary increase of 10% observed in 2023. Notably, the Indian Banks’ Association and unions have recently reached an agreement on a significant 17% wage hike for all public sector banks, benefiting approximately nine lakh employees. This wage revision, effective from November 2022, includes provisions for arrears covering the previous 12 months.

Assessing RBI’s rate Cut Prospects

When evaluating the prospects of a rate cut by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), it is imperative to consider the wage developments highlighted in India, alongside other pertinent factors. While several grounds traditionally supportive of a rate adjustment by the RBI, such as a potential cut by the Federal Reserve (with significant uncertainty surrounding its timing), persisting inflation levels above 5%, and robust economic growth, do not currently lend support to such a move. The interplay of these factors underscores the complexity of the decision-making process regarding monetary policy adjustments by the RBI.

Looking at the wage developments and other factors cited above, our view is that Q4 2024 will be the earliest when we see a rate cut by RBI, with probability of the move being pushed to Q1 of 2025 being equal.

Prepared by

Jayaram Krishnamurthy

Co-Founder & COO