Forex news for Asia trading Wednesday 29 March 2017

  • China's No. 2 gold producer says it may have found the country's biggest gold mine
  • WPAC: China fin conditions at their tightest in > 1yr, watch for slower activity ahead
  • Notes from a visit to investors in Japan: AUD/JPY expensive, may slow new AUD inflows
  • Moody's: China's economy faces heightened risks from a potential future property downturn
  • PBOC sets USD/CNY central rate at 6.8915 (vs. yesterday at 6.8782)
  • USD/JPY & EUR/JPY orders
  • EUR/USD orderboard
  • AUD and NZD orderboards
  • Brexit - here is the timeline for what will happen on Wednesday in the UK
  • GBP the big mover, under 1.2400. (Did you hear the one about Brexit?)
  • UK PM May sends fan letter to ForexLive writer
  • Japan - Retail sales (February): +0.2% m/m (expected +0.3%)
  • Trump headlines on the wires - important to get infrastructure done
  • China Beige Book says economy steady for now, but concern on momentum
  • BlackRock: We're back to the reflation trade, uptick in global eco activity still there
  • Trade ideas thread - Hump Day 29 March 2017
  • Here's the Brexit trading risk times for Wednesday 29th March
  • Barclays AUD forecasts & RBA outlook
  • More from Fed's Powell: Balance sheet shrinkage when rates well above zero
  • Fitch on the Australian bank rate hikes
  • Fed's Powell: Fed should be moving slowly toward more neutral stance
  • UK's May signs Article 50 letter
  • Who Is Buying The EUR & Selling The USD Now? - BofA Merrill
  • Private oil inventory data shows larger than expected build in crude stocks
  • Fed's Powell ... no comments on economy nor monetary policy in his prepared speech
  • US stocks end with solid gains
  • Reuters - Wife of presidential candidate Fillon now under formal investigation
  • Economic data due from Asia today (& a Fed Governor speaking soon!)
  • ICYMI ForexLive Americas FX news wrap: US dollar roars back

GBP sold off during the Tokyo morning from circa 1.2450 all the way down to just under 1.2380 before finding a bit of a bounce. It was a sharpish fall, dropping those 70-odd points over about half an hour - forty minutes. The only fresh info was UK PM May signing the Article 50 letter in readiness to hand to Europe (to be delivered to Donald Tusk tomorrow). Its not like its fresh news that the UK is leaving the EU, but there it is, cable off 70 or so points.

It has since bounced somewhat, retracing around half of its fall. For the UK session coming up, here are the Brexit trading risk times for Wednesday 29th March.

Other currencies were much more subdued (except when expressed as GBP crosses, of course). EUR/USD edged a few points higher, USD/CHF is little changed at all.

AUD/USD edged a few points higher, testing its overnight high in a small range. NZD/USD is little changed. USD/CAD a few tics higher.

The yen showed little activity also, data today (retail sales, February) were a miss, and the BOJ bought fewer bonds on the session they did previously. But yen impact was minimal, USD/JPY is around 111.30 as I update, on its session high and around 25 points from the session low. (Up-update ... back to around 111.20)

Gold has sneaked a little lower , a few dollars in it only. Oil is a few cents to the better.

Regional equities:

  • Nikkei -0.15%
  • Shanghai +0.14%
  • HK +0.20%
  • ASX +0.89%

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