Yuan

China recently raised the Reserve Requirement Ratio by 50 bps to 16.5% for its domestic banks. This is the second hike in the past month and certainly not the last as China’s economy is still sprinting ahead. While equity markets have begun to price in the risk of “global exit strategies,” currency markets have yet to consider the implications of continued strong underlying growth in China. It is likely that additional Chinese monetary tightening will be accompanied by pressure to revalue the yuan.

How the Middle Kingdom Became the World’s Largest Exporter. Is it possible that Obama’s stimulus program is reviving China’s economy more than our own? A free floating Yuan today would be at least 50% higher than it is today.
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When big shots at Goldman start talking I listen. I was surprised at what they said today

I have been bullish on the Japanese currency since March 2007. What I think defines broad movement in currencies is perception along with broad relative monetary actions. The expansion or contraction of monetary aggregates in one currency versus another is in essence its purest denominator. We show today such a timing model in the yen/usd rate of exchange. Notice that timing simply based on monetary aggregates can be not forgiving for quite some time until the new trend establishes itself.

With everyone and their grandmother screeching that it is about time for China to inflate the renminbi, despite that such an action would be economic and social suicide for the world's most populous country, SocGen's Albert Edwards once again stalks out the Black Swan in left field and posits the contrarian view de jour: China will aggressively devalue the yuan following a deep 2010 downturn coupled with escalating trade wars. As Edwards says: "I think the next 18 months will see major ructions in the financial markets. The consequences of a double-dip back into recession next year require some lateral thinking. If the carry trade unwind results in a turbo-charged dollar, any collapse in the China economic bubble will be doubly destructive to commodity prices. A surging dollar, coupled with China moving into sustained trade deficit through 2010, could prompt the Chinese authorities to acquiesce to US pressure for a more flexible exchange rate. But why does no-one expect a yuan devaluation?"