Archive - Feb 2013

Earlier today we got one hint that not all is well in the European banking system, as far less than the expected €200 billion was tendered back to the ECB in the second LTRO repayment operation, when just 27 banks paid back some €3.5 billion. Another, perhaps far bigger one, comes courtesy of AAA-rated Netherlands, which just experienced its first bank failure since 2008 following the nationalization of SNS Reall NV, as the previously announced bad loan writedown finally claimed the bank. As a reminder, half a month ago we got news that "SNS Reaal NV (SR), a Dutch bank and insurer struggling to wind down a money-losing real estate lending unit, fell the most in more than two months after a report said it may have to post a 1.8 billion-euro ($2.4 billion) writedown on property-finance loans." Today we got the inevitable conclusion: nationalization, one which will cost taxpayers about $5 billion to avoid contagion to what many see as Europe's "strongest" banking system.

After two consecutive down days in the market, it was time to get real, and like clockwork the dollar and yen devastation started right out of the gate in overnight trading, when first the USDJPY exploded higher, followed promptly by the EURUSD, both of which hit new period highs, of over 92, and just why of 1.37 respectively. And with not one funding currency around to push risk higher, but two, futures have ramped enough to undo all of yesterday's losses and then some. Bad news was either promptly ignored, such as China's official PMI coming in at 50.4, below expectations of the 50.6 print, or offset by conflicting data, with the HSBC China PMI print moments after at 52.3, higher than the 52.0 expected, taking us back to early 2012 when the Chinese PMI was contracting and expending at the same time.

The divergence of a stronger euro and weaker yen has continued and the latest news stream has pushed it further. There are several sub-themes at work as well and they also have been underscored today. These include: 1) German recovery from Q4 contraction, 2) the divergence between German and French economic performance (suggesting a divergence of national interest too?), 3) the decoupling of sterling from the euro orbit, but we suggest here that while the UK economy is without a growth impulse, the market may be exaggerating the weakness, 4) the ECB is less likely to push against the passive tightening of financial conditions when it meets next week, and 5) the Chinese economic data is sufficiently mixed as not to lend the heavy Australian dollar much support. Following the FOMC, the US economic data needs to be well off the consensus to resist the current forces.