Forex trading news and economic data headlines 16 May 2017

News:

  • White House denies Trump shared classified information with Russia
  • Pound rallies then retreats on UK inflation data
  • Pound continues to fall after inflation data spike
  • Euro still feeling the love as 1.1050 offers attacked again
  • BOJ's Kuroda: It is well understood that free trade is key to global growth
  • More from Kuroda: Really no constraint to conducting yield curve control
  • Abe says US has given consent for Japan to conduct TPP talks with 11 nations
  • Australia & Hong Kong begin free trade agreement talks
  • IEA maintains global oil demand growth forecast for 2017 at 1.3mln bpd
  • Forex option expiries for the 10am New York cut 16 May
  • Nikkei 225 closes up +0.25% at 19,919.82

Data:

  • UK April CPI mm +0.5% vs +0.4% expected
  • Eurozone Q1 GDP qq SA provisional 0.5% vs 0.5% exp
  • Germany ZEW survey current situation 83.9 vs 82.0 exp
  • Eurozone March trade balance SA EUR 23.1bln vs 18.7bln exp
  • France CPI April final mm 0.1% as expected
  • Italy Q1 GDP provisional qq WDA +0.2% as expected
  • Japan March tertiary industry index -0.2% vs 0.1% exp

A lively session that has seen some good swing and pip-making opportunity as the euro finds favour and marches higher while the pound felt some inflation data love only to get a reality check as per my preview.

So far we've seen EURUSD post highs of 1.1060 after a first failure at 1.1050 offers/res with EURGBP up to 0.8575 and EURJPY to 125.83. Offers/res lurking though. Move higher helped along the way by positive EZ data.

GBPUSD had a spike through 1.2950 on stronger UK inflation data to post 1.2958 but it wasn;t long before a reality check kicked in along with ongoing EURGBP demand and we triggered stops through 1.2920 and 1.2900 to post 1.2875 in a rush.1.2850 support remains intact though still.

USDJPY has been contained for the most part between 113.45-65 with yen cross plays impacting but early general USD-neg tones and euro demand has sent USDCHF down to 0.9892 from 0.9930. EURCHF remains underpinned above 1.0930 but sellers lurking above 1.0970 still.

USDCAD was pulled down to test 1.3600 again as oil firmed early in the session only to rally to 1.3660 on the reverse move and then, bingo, another reverse.

AUD and NZD both suffering a bit on EUR cross demand. GDT auction today for NZD traders

Politics still a scene shifter but we do have some US housing data to come and ECB talking heads in the shape of Coeure and Nowotny.

Fragile times out there and it's not going to change anytime soon.