Navigating the Market's Unexpected Bullish Turn Amidst Middle East Tensions
10 October 2023
Traders were met with a slightly atypical evolution in Monday’s trading session. The day kick-started in a somewhat customary manner with an escape towards safe havens, a consequence of the unfolding conflict in the Middle East. However, what unfolded as the day progressed diverged from expectations. Traders pivoted towards riskier assets; stocks found themselves bathed in favor and indices painted a bullish narrative.
This turn towards a bullish day on indices, particularly with notable climbs in the S&P 500, Dow Jones, and NASDAQ reaching its highest levels in October, sparked curiosity and speculative discussions amongst market watchers. DAX even managed a reentry into the falling wedge pattern, indicating short-term buy signals on indices. Some experts attribute this seemingly counterintuitive movement to dovish remarks from Federal Reserve officials, but whether this narrative will thread itself throughout the entire week remains to be seen.
The currency market, on the other hand, opened the week with the Japanese Yen flexing its strength, while the dollar took a slightly negative dip on Monday. However, before the European session on Tuesday, the American Dollar found its footing in strength, while the Japanese Yen reversed its stance, trailing as the weakest in the currency pack, essentially clouding the market with an absence of a dominant trend. Noteworthy developments emerged in the USDJPY bouncing off a long-term uptrend line, and the USDCHF, which, having slipped below the 0.91 support, activated a double top formation and ushered in a sell signal.
Turning our lens towards commodities, the tension in the Middle East casts a significant shadow, influencing trajectories especially in precious metals and oil. Gold and silver, recognized safe havens, are on an upward climb, with gold eyeing the $1900 per ounce resistance. The complex geopolitical situation in the Middle East typically brings positive momentum for oil due to potential supply issues, pulling prices upward. The week indeed opened with a bullish gap and maintained a bullish Monday, although Tuesday casts a slightly negative silhouette on proceedings.
However, the oil narrative is nuanced. Despite the geopolitical push, the significant drops from the end of September and beginning of October have anchored oil below key resistances, offering a negative outlook in both the short and mid-term perspectives.
With today’s calendar relatively sparse, the market will likely continue digesting Middle Eastern tensions. The macro calendar spotlights speeches from ECB President Lagarde and FOMC member Waller, standing as the day’s key events to watch, potentially guiding the day’s trading narratives amidst the ongoing geopolitical complexities