AUD CAD - FUNDAMENTAL DRIVERSAUD
FUNDAMENTAL BIAS: NEUTRAL
1. Monetary Policy
At their Feb meeting the RBA delivered on expectations by announcing an end to QE purchases, and also upgrading inflation and employment forecasts. These were seen as hawkish developments, but the bank tried as hard as possible to still keep up a dovish impression by saying the ceasing of QE does not imply near-term rate increases and stating that it’s still too early to conclude that inflation is sustainably within the target band despite recent CPI prints. The bank maintained their view that the cash rate will not increase until inflation is sustainably within the 2%-3% target band. Now, call me crazy, but on that front, the bank’s projections forecast inflation to reach close to 3.25% this year and then see it returning to 2.75% during 2023, which surely implied ‘sustainable’ inflation. Comments from Gov Lowe the following day were slightly less dovish though by acknowledging that achievement of their inflation and employment goals are within reach. He also noted that even though it remains to be seen if rates will increase this year, there are clearly scenarios where the bank would be hiking this year (which was a step away from the tone and language used in the statement) but added that it’s still plausible that a first-rate hike is a year or more away. The February decision and tone could be summed up as an incremental step away from ultra-easy policy and means we have changed our Dovish stance for the bank to neutral.
2. Idiosyncratic Drivers & Intermarket Analysis
Apart from the RBA, there are 4 drivers we’re watching for the med-term outlook: Covid - so far, the RBA has been optimistic about the recovery, but incoming employment and inflation data will be crucial to see if that optimism is justified. China – Even with PBoC stepping up stimulus & fiscal support expected in 1H22, the Covid-Zero policy poses a risk to China’s expected 2022 recovery and incoming data will be important. Politically, the AUKUS defence pact could see retaliation against Australian goods and is worth keeping on the radar. Commodities – Iron Ore (24% of exports) and Coal (18% of exports) are important for terms of trade, and with both pushing higher on PBoC easing, it’s a positive for the AUD if they remain supported. Global growth – as a risk proxy, the health of the global economy is important, which means expected slowdown in growth and inflation globally needs monitoring, but if China’s recovery is solid the fall out could be limited for the AUD.
3. Global Risk Outlook
As a high-beta currency, the AUD usually benefits from overall positive risk sentiment as well as environments that benefit pro-cyclical assets. Thus, both short-term (immediate) and med-term (underlying) risk sentiment will always be a key consideration for the AUD.
4. CFTC Analysis
Stretched positioning are usually a contrarian indicator and warning of potential squeezes. Thus, right now the AUD might be more sensitive to positive data or developments compared to negative ones as a lot of bad news has been priced in. With the RBA out of the way risk sentiment should be a more prominent driver.
5. The Week Ahead
With no major economic data points due for Australia next week the main focus will fall on RBA speak as well as risk sentiment. On the former, it will be interesting to see whether Gov Lowe is willing to share more details regarding their most recent decision as he seemed to be more optimistic during his speech compared to the overall tone of the policy statement. With the RBA finally starting to move away from dovish policy, it should open up more room for net-shorts to unwind, especially if Gov Lowe can sound more hawkish this week. However, the other factor to watch in the week ahead is risk sentiment. With US CPI in the mix, as well as bond markets crashing hard, credit spreads starting to widen and real yields pushing higher across major economies, the uncertainty is starting to pile on for risk assets which means caution on that front will be important for the AUD and the other high-betas in the week ahead.
CAD
FUNDAMENTAL BIAS: NEUTRAL
1. Monetary Policy
Despite STIR markets pricing in close to an 80% chance of a 25bsp hike, the BoC chose to leave rates unchanged at their Jan meeting. However, the bank removed its extraordinary forward guidance and said they now think the economic slack has been absorbed (previously expected to occur somewhere in the middle quarters of 2022). The bank also explained that they expect rates will need to rise based on the progress of inflation , and Gov Macklem explained their only reason for not hiking was uncertainty surrounding Omicron. The statement gave a clear signal that a March hike is on the table. Furthermore, on the balance sheet the bank delivered on expectations by noting they will likely exit the reinvestment phase as rates begin to rise. Even though 2022 inflation projections were upgraded, the bank also downgraded growth forecasts (which in our view remains a key reason why current STIR market expectations are not realistic). Thus, the meeting had both dovish and hawkish elements to it, and thus means we are still happy to hold to a neutral bias for the CAD.
2. Intermarket Analysis Considerations
Oil’s massive post-covid recovery has been impressive, driven by various factors such as supply & demand (OPEC’s production cuts), strong global demand recovery, and of course ‘higher for longer’ than expected inflation . Even though Oil has traded to new 7-year highs, we think the current Russia/Ukraine tensions and recent tight capacity concerns are the biggest contributors to the upside as our cautious view going into Q1 & Q2 remain intact. The drivers keeping us cautious are A hawkish Fed targeting demand, slowing growth and inflation , lower inflation expectations (due to the Fed), a possible supply surplus in 1Q22, and a
consensus that is very long oil (growing calls for $100 WTI). If our concerns do materialize into downside for oil prices it should put pressure on the CAD and other Petro-currencies like the NOK .
3. Global Risk Outlook
As a high-beta currency, the CAD usually benefits from overall positive risk sentiment as well as environments that benefit pro-cyclical assets. Thus, both short-term (immediate) and med-term (underlying) risk sentiment will always be a key consideration for the CAD.
4. CFTC Analysis
We think the recent price action and positioning data has seen the CAD take a very similar path compared to April and Oct 2021 where markets were way too aggressive and optimistic to price in upside for the CAD only to see majority of it unwind. We think the CAD is setting up for a similar disappointment with money markets too aggressive on rate expectations for 2022, but oil prices remain a big supporting driver to keep in mind.
5. The Week Ahead
A very quiet week for the CAD from an economic data point of view. We do have a speech coming up from Gov Macklem, but he is unlikely to offer anything new that we have not already heard. Thus, the biggest focus or drivers for the BoC in the week ahead will likely be Oil prices and overall risk sentiment. In terms of risk sentiment, with US CPI in the mix, as well as bond markets crashing hard, credit spreads starting to widen and real yields pushing higher across major economies, the uncertainty is starting to pile on for risk assets which means caution on that front will be important for the CAD and the other high betas in the week ahead. In terms of oil prices, the concerns of tighter capacity for major suppliers as well as bad weather and geopolitical stress has kept oil prices well buoyed in the short-term which should be a positive input for the Petro-currencies like the CAD and NOK . However, we remain neutral on the CAD and med-term concerned about oil from here which means we maintain our upside bias for the AUDCAD for now.
