TechnoMeter

The US Dollar tends to be driven by relative economic growth. As the global reserve currency, when the rest of the world is strengthening, often at a faster pace than the US Economy, it is common for bonds to be issued in US Dollars and then converted to invest abroad driving the US Dollar lower. Another way to see this phenomenon in action is to look at junk bond yields. A falling yield in the US Junk Bond index tends to show a force behind US Dollar weakness whereas rising junk yields tend to favor repatriation and USD strength.



Recently, the bid in junk bonds had been so intense that the spread between yields on investment-grade and junk-rated debt was the narrowest since 2007 showing a preference to chase yield over creditworthy borrowers. Again, this drive was sending bonds that were issued in USD abroad and done so by selling USD.

Retail trader data shows 51.1% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders long to short at 1.04 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 2.7% lower than yesterday and 40.9% higher from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 2.1% lower than yesterday and 16.6% lower from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-long suggests EURUSD prices may continue to fall. Positioning is less net-long than yesterday but more net-long from last week.

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