Stock Check:
The US Dollar has been the major out-performer of the day, driven by a significant selloff in US equities. All major US stock market indices have closed in the red, with technology stocks leading the dive during the overnight Asian session. Household stock names including Apple suffered immense losses during the premarket session, opening more than 4.5% below Monday’s closing price. Apple, like many US stocks, now trades at more than a 20% discount versus its highs last month, perpetuating underlying fears surrounding earnings growth and trade tensions. The selloff in the tech sector and across equity markets in general has driven investors to liquidate their holdings in company stocks and shares, instead holding their assets in the underlying US Dollar. The flight into cash and safer US Treasuries has generated a demand for the US Dollar that has allowed it to appreciate some one quarter of one percent on a trade weighted basis since market open. Defensive demand for the world’s major reserve currency in the face of an intensification of President Trump’s trade war has helped determine the demand for US cash, driving cable towards 1.28 and breaking key support of 1.14 against the Euro. On the European front, Brexit demands and concessions continue to create obstacles to May’s Brexit deal that was announced last week. Chief EU negotiator Michel Barmier has warned member states that their idiosyncratic demands and concerns should be constrained as fear surrounding the stability of May’s working majority and domestic popularity grow. Sterling has managed to largely hold onto its value throughout the day, however, markets want news, and fast.
Today’s Global Market:

Discussion and Analysis by Charles Porter

Secondary effects Despite the Federal Reserve decision last night offering momentary relief to the Dollar, a structural shift in USD remains underway. There were two themes to the Federal Reserve’s decision last night. Firstly, the Fed presented a decision to hold based upon the resilience that the US economy is showing. Secondly, Powell staged a […]
A Dollar Vacuum If you’ve ever heard the phrase, ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’, you already know everything you need about today’s FX market. That is provided of course you’re not trying to analyse the rising tide itself, in this case our US Dollar. The Dollar is the counter currency to most key pairs […]
Left field After this weekend, markets have been left questioning whether the White House’s pursuit of Greenland remains noise or has become a material risk. Certainly, the threat of escalating tariffs once again until a deal is achieved in the United States’ favour escalates economic risk once again. Trump’s social media foreign policy over the […]