Archive for currency option

Currency options trading – 22nd October 2010

Saturday, October 23rd, 2010
Trading in currency options this week is likely to be dominated by two principle factors, namely the currency markets reaction to the G20 meeting currently taking place in Korea at present, and secondly how this translates for the US dollar. Whether anyone believes that any agreement or accord will be reached, is almost irrelevant, as the currency markets will ultimately decide if these global powers will ever agree on a unified policy to the current problems, or that each country will simply act alone to combat the crisis and devalue it's own currency, by fair means or foul. In last week's war of words, we saw Germany enter the fray, as it joined the debate expressing concerns over a strong and strengthening Euro, which closed last week hovering below the 1.4000 level. This is despite the rhetoric from the ECB and President Sarkozy, who continue to maintain that Europe is in better shape economically to weather the storm than the US for example, which is continuing to devalue it's currency using quantitative easing, despite the protestations of Treasury Secretary Geithner last week. Whatever the outcome over the weekend, which increasingly looks like being a damp squib as usual, currency options trading next week is likely to be marked by some volatility early in the week as the currency markets absorb any statements from the weekend, and react accordingly. 

The USD index, which provides an excellent guide to US dollar sentiment for trading dollar denominated currency options, managed to stop the rot, largely as a result of the sudden and unexpected rise in interest rates in China, and ended the week marginally above the short term 9 and 14 day moving averages on the daily chart. On the weekly chart the long legged doji candle of two weeks ago was followed last week by a subsequent doji candle, indicating a possible turning point from a technical perspective, but any temporary respite for the US dollar is likely to be capped by the 200 week moving average which sits firmly above, and with the 9 week now crossing this key indicator, this is adding further pressure with a bear cross signal. From a fundamental perspective however, much will depend on the outcome of the G20 meeting on Sunday night, and Monday morning should be both interesting and lively following Friday's dull and lifeless trading session, as traders stepped aside and waited for the meeting to get underway. You can watch the latest analysis for currency option trading this week on the following video which I hope you find both useful and informative.

You can follow my forex trading analysis for spot fx trading by clicking on the following link.

Currency Options Trading – USD Index 2 Nov 2009

Monday, November 2nd, 2009
USD Index - Daily Candle Chart 2nd November 2009

USD Index - Daily Candle Chart 30 Oct 2009

The US dollar index continued its short term recovery on Friday, emerging from the depths like some half drowned swimmer, exhausted but still alive, and just managing to break the surface for air, or in this case the 40 day moving average, supported from below by some buoyancy tanks knows as the 9 and 14 day moving averages! Clearly both of the above are positive signals for the US dollar, and for currency options trading this week we need to be extremely careful as the middle of the week sees the FOMC meeting, followed by the Non Farm Payroll data on Friday. Last week of course saw the US economy emerge from recession and into positive growth once again, and should the FED see this as a sign that the economy is finally starting to turn, then they could signal that interest rates may have to rise sooner rather than later. This of course would be presented in the usual coded way in the associated statement to the interest rate decision ( rate will be kept on hold!) and if so, then this would provide a positive boost to the US dollar, and a possible longer term change in sentiment as the prospect of higher yields beckon. This would be further reinforced should the NFP data come in better than expected and add to the feeling that the worst is over.

Technically of course there is a long way to go yet, and the first barrier is the resistance all the way up from the current price point, through 78 and then above the 80 to 81 price region. Should all these be cleared then we can assume that the recent downwards spiral has come to an end and will be followed by  a period of upwards US dollar momentum for currency options trading over the next few months.

You can keep up to date with all the latest fundamental news on the economic calendar, latest currency news and live currency charts by simply following the links.  I have also included details on an excellent ECN broker.

Currency Options Trading – US Dollar Index 15th October 2009

Thursday, October 15th, 2009
US Dollar Index - Currency Options Trading

US Dollar Index - Currency Options Trading

Life continues much the same for the US dollar index, and the US dollar for currency options trading, which seems to show no sign of pausing or reversing the long and unrelenting downwards trend, and in many ways trading is very easy at present, with only only one question that we need to bear in mind, which is simply ‘how far will the index fall before it finds some support’. Technically the next major support level is in the 72 region, so we have some way to go yet for any lull in this relentless pressure on the dollar, which is further increased by the weight of the three moving averages which are all adding the negative outlook.  Fundamentally the picture remains the same as for the last few months, with the US dollar now the favoured low yielding currency of the carry trade, replacing the Japanese yen, and until the fundamental news is consistently positive to suggest that the economy is beginning to turn, and hence push the FED towards an interest rate change, then the picture is likely to remain unchanged for the foreseeable future for currency options trading, with the bearish trends continuing unabated for the US dollar and the dollar index. Despite yesterday’s doji candle, it is unlikely to provide anything more than a temporary reprieve for the index in the next few days, with a minor move higher, and the downwards trend will no doubt continue once this short squeeze is extinguished.

I have covered all fundamental items on the economic calendar relating to the dollar on the euro vs dollar site.  You can also keep up to date with all the latest fundamental news on the economic calendar, latest currency news and live currency charts by simply following the links.  I have also included details on an excellent ECN broker.

USD Index - Currency Options Trading 30th September 2009

USD Index - Currency Options Trading 30th September 2009

The technical picture for the US dollar continues to get worse with each passing week, with the last five days simply adding to the gloomy picture, and suggesting that last Thursday’s positive up bar, was simply a one trick pony, and unlikely to provide any platform for a sustained recovery in the short term. Indeed, on every occasion of the last five days, the high of the trading session has stalled at precisely the same point each day, confirming the bearish view ( if any were needed, ) despite the fact that we are still trading marginally above both the 9 day and 14 day moving averages which have just crossed giving a potential bull cross signal. Given the repeated failures outlined above, this seems highly unlikely, and with the ADP figures early today coming in far worse than expected, this does not bode well for Friday’s NFP data, which if they follow a similar pattern will push the prospect of rate rises ever further over the horizon, leaving the US dollar as the low rate yield for the carry trade, replacing the once popular Japanese yen. If the figures are bad on Friday, then this could push the index below the 76 floor, and open up a much deeper move possibly as far as 71 or 72 in due course.

You can keep up to date with all the latest fundamental news on the economic calendar, latest currency news and live currency charts by simply following the links.  I have also included details on an excellent ECN broker.