From the Desk of Ian Culley @IanCulley

The US dollar sits atop the heap.

Major global currencies, including the Australian dollar, the New Zealand dollar, the Japanese yen, the Canadian dollar, and the Singapore dollar, are limping lower against the greenback.

The long list could grow in coming sessions as momentum builds behind a sustained USD advance.

While the evidence suggests we lean in that direction, I always prepare to take the other side of a trade if and when the data changes.

So, what’s the best way to play a falling dollar?

Before I share my favorite trade setup, let’s look at the US Dollar Index $DXY: 

DXY is finding resistance at the July pivot highs and a downtrend line originating with the March peak.

From the Desk of Ian Culley @IanCulley

When it rains, it pours.

Markets chop sideways most of the time. This has been the reality for forex markets for much of the year.

But that’s starting to change as numerous US dollar pairs reach new 10-month highs. The dollar is taking down crucial levels while the US Dollar Index $DXY retests a year-to-date downtrend line and key former highs.

The peculiar coincidence sets up some potentially critical resolutions for these USD pairs.

If they fail, the dollar rally is likely over. 

If they hold and additional USD breakouts materialize, selling pressure will intensify for many risk assets.

As of today, quite a few forex pairs are on the verge of supporting a sustained US dollar rally…

Let’s start with the second largest component of the DXY (13.6%), the US dollar-Japanese yen:

From the Desk of Ian Culley @IanCulley

The US Dollar Index $DXY is the most important chart in the world, again.

But, honestly, when is it not?

There’s no hiding from King Dollar.

It’s true: Currencies are not considered one of the three major asset classes (bonds, stocks, and commodities).

Nevertheless, fluctuations in the US dollar impact every asset worldwide – especially stocks and commodities. 

And the probability of renewed headwinds for risk assets is increasing as the failed breakdown in the dollar could have legs…

Check out the triple-pane chart of the DXY, our G-10 currency index, and the US dollar advance-decline line:

From the Desk of Ian Culley @IanCulley

Time seems to move faster during bull markets.

I have my theories, and they all revolve around having fun.

One thing is certain: The month of July is now behind us. 

I can’t believe we’re more than halfway through the year and a month into Q3!

Since it’s August 1, let’s keep the good time rolling by reviewing the most important monthly chart in the deck…

It's the US Dollar Index $DXY.

The US dollar acted as a Chief Headwind for Global Risk Assets last year, with a little help from the Fed.

All eyes are fixated on King Dollar as it straddles an area of former-resistance-turned-support:

From the Desk of Ian Culley @IanCulley

The US dollar isn’t going down without a fight.

Investors weren’t given much time to celebrate the breakdown as it quickly turned into a potential failed breakdown. 

Before we get ahead of ourselves, it could simply turn into a hard retest.

It happens all the time.

So let’s check the charts…

The US Dollar Index $DXY is trading back above a critical shelf of former lows:

As long as it’s above that level – let’s call it 101 – the odds of a failed move increase.

On the other hand, price could chop sideways for longer than anyone cares to believe.

From the Desk of Ian Culley @IanCulley

The US Dollar Index’s $DXY break toward fresh lows resembles a defiant crawl more than an earnest march.

An image of dragging my children away from the toy aisle flashes across my mind.

(Actually, I let them walk around the store with their toy of choice. And then, we ditch the item before checkout after a couple rounds of negotiations. It works quite well – no screaming involved.) 

But while the DXY drags its feet, the individual currencies that comprise the index are picking up the pace. 

The Swiss franc is ripping. The euro is posting fresh 52-week highs. And the British pound is hitting our upside objective.

Our initial target for the pound marks a logical level of resistance.

From the Desk of Ian Culley @IanCulley

The US Dollar Index $DXY has resumed its march toward fresh lows.

It took a less direct route, meandering sideways for the past seven months.

Nevertheless, our roadmap for a DXY breakdown has remained useful.

The EUR/USD is trading above 1.08. And commodity currencies are recapturing their July pivot lows from last summer. 

These are key developments that support further USD weakness, leading us toward today’s breakdown.  

Thanks to sellers taking control of the market, today’s session is offering another critical piece of confirming evidence…

An oversold reading on the 14-day RSI.

Notice DXY never registered an RSI print below 30, even during the strong selloff last fall.

From the Desk of Ian Culley @IanCulley

First stop, Singapore!

Steve Strazza and Sean McLaughlin are headed east on a whirlwind tour of Asia.

I must admit, I’m a bit jealous. And I’m not the jealous type!

They’ll visit seven cities over the course of the next month, meeting traders and financial professionals from the tip of the Malay Peninsula all the way to Japan.

I can’t physically travel with them, but I can live vicariously through their stories and videos, and, of course, my charts…

Check out the US dollar/Singapore dollar pair:

It’s not a bad time for Strazza and Sean to be in Singapore with greenbacks in their pockets.

Sure, it’s well off its September 2022 highs.

From the Desk of Ian Culley @IanCulley

Most emerging market currencies have been in beast mode.

The Chinese yuan is a notable exception.

In fact, most Asian currencies haven’t fared well against the dollar over the trailing three months.

Latin American and Eastern European currencies – mainly the Brazilian real and the Mexican peso – are driving these markets.  

Analyzing these currencies through the Emerging Currency Fund $CEW as it makes new 52-week highs is useful.

But I’m more interested in the Chinese yuan as it slips and slides against the dollar.

Why? 

China represents the world’s second-largest economy.

And, based on the charts, the yuan could provide valuable insight into the direction of US stocks…

Check out the relationship of the US dollar to the offshore yuan, or the renminbi (USD/CNH):

From the Desk of Ian Culley @IanCulley

Dollar bulls, be warned!

The US Dollar Index $DXY is sliding toward the lower bounds of a multi-month range. 

Yes, it’s still a sideways mess. And it will remain a mess as long as its former support level holds.

But based on the most recent data, my money is on a downside resolution for King Dollar.

Especially when I consider last week’s breakout in Canadian dollar futures…

Besides the DXY trading below 101, I’ve monitored two key data points for confirmation of continued dollar weakness:

• the euro trading above 1.08, as it constitutes over 57% of the DXY (though recently it’s challenged a 1.10 handle); and
• commodity currencies, including the Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand dollars, reclaiming their respective July pivot lows.

It’s difficult to imagine the DXY ripping higher if its dominant component is completing a bearish-to-bullish reversal. Which the euro is.

Check.

From the Desk of Ian Culley @IanCulley

Markets are bracing for tomorrow’s FOMC decision – including the dollar.

That’s right – we have more indecisive action on tap. Let’s call it the knee-jerk before the knee-jerk, with a little help from today’s May CPI print. 

Interest rates, the US Dollar Index $DXY, and gold have yet to make a decisive directional move.

To be fair, most markets are trading within their respective year-to-date ranges (except the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100, of course).

But if we turn to emerging market currencies, we don’t see any sign of hesitation…

Check out our EM Commodity Currency Index (equally weighting the Mexican peso, the Brazilian real, the Chilean peso, and the South African rand) posting new 52-week highs after violating a long-term downtrend line at the beginning of the year:

From the Desk of Ian Culley @IanCulley

Petrocurrencies and crude oil futures are diverging.

The currencies that benefit most from higher oil prices refuse to roll with crude’s steady decline. 

Perhaps it’s more about the US dollar than a handful of currencies tied to oil’s supply and demand dynamic.

But with OPEC up to its old tricks again – Saudi Arabia announced deeper production cuts last weekend – the question arises…

Is crude oil due for a bounce?

Check out the overlay chart of our petrocurrency index and crude oil futures:

Crude oil posted a key pivot high a week after our index bottomed in late September. Since then, these markets have taken separate paths.