Dollar rose Friday helped by lower Crude Oil prices and Warren Buffer comments

The Dollar surged on Friday, recovering from the previous day's losses, as gloomy British growth data backed views of a slowing global economy and raised prospects of interest rate cuts outside the United States. A sharp drop in US crude oil prices to below $115 per barrel and comments by influential investor Warren Buffett that he has no bets against the Dollar also added to the US currency's upward momentum. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's comments that a stable Dollar and falling commodities should help slow inflation this year and next. His remarks on Friday prompted analysts to reduce expectations of a US interest rate increase this year.


News and Events:

The Dollar surged on Friday, recovering from the previous day's losses, as gloomy British growth data backed views of a slowing global economy and raised prospects of interest rate cuts outside the United States.

A sharp drop in US crude oil prices to below $115 per barrel and comments by influential investor Warren Buffett that he has no bets against the Dollar also added to the US currency's upward momentum.

UK data showed the British economy stalled on Q2, suggesting a recession might be looming, and added to the outlook of a slowing European economy. It raised the possibility of European Central Bank and Bank of England monetary easing.

EurUsd dropped to a session low of 1.4758, edging toward a six-month low hit earlier last week at 1.4631. It was last trading at 1.4788, down 0.68%. UsdJpy jumped 1.52% to 110.09. GbpUsd dropped 1.32% to 1.8517. UsdChf rose 1.06% to 1.0988.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's comments that a stable Dollar and falling commodities should help slow inflation this year and next. Bernanke's remarks at an annual Fed symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, prompted analysts to reduce expectations of a US interest rate increase this year, which could diminish the Dollar's appeal to investors. But analysts said even without an interest rate hike this year, the Dollar would probably continue to recover.

Persistent problems at US mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and speculation over the future of investment bank Lehman Brothers could make the road to recovery difficult.




Today's Key Issues (time in GMT):

00:00 GBP Market Holiday
07:30 DKK August Consumer confidence -8 vs -9.7
07:30 SEK July Trade balance 8.2b (mom)
09:00 EUR June Industrial new orders -6.3% vs -4.4% (yoy)
12:30 USD July National Activity Index -0.6
14:00 USD Existing home sale 4.92m vs 4.86m
22:45 NZD Merchandise trade 4b vs 3.81b
22:45 NZD Merchandise trade – expo 3.44b vs 3.59
22:45 NZD Trade Balance Month -526m vs -223m
22:45 NZD Trade Balance Year -4.2b vs -4.48b


The Risk Today:

EurUsd: Market dropped as low as 1.4631 last week, new initial support. Further weakness will put the focus on strong support 1.4366 22nd January low. On the upside, only a return over 1.5000 and 1.5500 will release actual pressure and put key initial resistance 1.6000 into focus. Still a break up there would open the way to Trendline resistance 1.6200.

GbpUsd: Cable hit 2.0158 high 6-weeks ago and 1.8505 low last Friday. On the downside, further weakness would open the way down to 1.8395 end July 2006 low and maybe 1.8091 June 2006 low. Initial support holds 1.8414 today low. On the upside, initial resistance holds 1.8795 last week high. Former support 1.9363 holds also strong resistance. Key level holds 2.0100 resistance.

UsdJpy: Last 6-weeks recovery pushed the market up to 110.67 high. Further advance would open the way toward 111.92 early January high. On the downside, a return below 108.59 former resistance and 108.14 last week low will undermine the current advance. Profit taking might bring back down to 105 level and may open the way toward 102.73 support and 100 pivot point. Initial support holds 108.14 Thursday low.

UsdChf: Continuous Dollar strength consolidated over 1.0800 last week and hit 1.1041 6-months high on last Wednesday. Initial resistance holds 1.1107 13th February high. Strong resistance holds 1.1593 December 2007 high. On the downside, initial support holds 1.0863. Only renewed weakness below 1.0500 and 1.0375 would retest the 1.0000 pivot point and may open the way toward 0.9637 17th March low.


Resistance and Support:

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