Fixed Income and Currency Strategist

Gautam Jain, PhD, CFA

FX & Rates

<ul>
<li>I reiterate the risk that the dollar can strengthen in the near term by being on one of the two ends of the dollar smile, thus weighing on EM currencies.</li>
<li>On the positive side, the dollar strengthening should not last since the currency is already expensive in REER terms. Also, long speculative positions in the dollar are already quite heavy.</li>
<li>Since positions tend to follow dollar moves, whenever the dollar starts weakening, the unwinding of long positions can exacerbate the move, making it a supportive environment for EM currencies.</li>
</ul>


I reiterate the risk that the dollar can strengthen in the near term by being on one of the two ends of the dollar smile, thus weighing on EM currencies.
On the positive side, the dollar strengthening should not last since the currency is already expensive in REER terms. Also, long speculative positions in the dollar are already quite heavy.
Since positions tend to follow dollar moves, whenever the dollar starts weakening, the unwinding of long positions can exacerbate the move, making it a supportive environment for EM currencies.


Speculative Long Dollar Positions Highest Since 2019

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Event-Driven

Hang Seng China Enterprises Index / Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>With the 2021 futures expiring in 2 weeks, the focus now shifts to the HSCEI dividend futures expiring in 2022 where we see a fair value of 240.76 DIPS.</li>
<li>The current market is trading very close to our fair value for 2022 but there are a lot of potential catalysts that could result in a big move lower.</li>
<li>There are fewer catalysts for the 2022 futures to move higher. The regulatory changes in China plus the HFCAA could lead to the 2023 futures trading cheaper to 2022.</li>
</ul>


With the 2021 futures expiring in 2 weeks, the focus now shifts to the HSCEI dividend futures expiring in 2022 where we see a fair value of 240.76 DIPS.
The current market is trading very close to our fair value for 2022 but there are a lot of potential catalysts that could result in a big move lower.
There are fewer catalysts for the 2022 futures to move higher. The regulatory changes in China plus the HFCAA could lead to the 2023 futures trading cheaper to 2022.


HSCEI Dividend Futures: 2022 Close to Fair; Sell 22/23 Steepener

<ul>
<li>Since the start of the pandemic, the Brazilian real (BRL) has lagged the broad universe of emerging market currencies but it has outperformed this year, narrowing the gap.</li>
<li>I expect BRL to continue outperforming as real rates should keep rising, the fiscal balance has improved, and there is a potential for a positive surprise on the election front.</li>
<li>The positive view on BRL is against other EM currencies, not the dollar. Also, the timing is critical because asset volatility should start picking up as the election approaches.</li>
</ul>


Since the start of the pandemic, the Brazilian real (BRL) has lagged the broad universe of emerging market currencies but it has outperformed this year, narrowing the gap.
I expect BRL to continue outperforming as real rates should keep rising, the fiscal balance has improved, and there is a potential for a positive surprise on the election front.
The positive view on BRL is against other EM currencies, not the dollar. Also, the timing is critical because asset volatility should start picking up as the election approaches.


Brazilian Real Set to Outperform Other EM Currencies in the Near Term

<ul>
<li>The volatility of the US dollar has risen sharply in recent weeks with the dollar appreciating strongly starting in early November but coming off the highs on the Omicron variant.</li>
<li>I expect the dollar's volatility to stay high whether the Omicron variant turns out to be as big a threat to the economic recovery as feared or not.</li>
<li>For EM currencies, the environment is therefore likely to be less supportive and it's best to hedge exposures with the euro and consider beta-neutral relative-value trades.</li>
</ul>


The volatility of the US dollar has risen sharply in recent weeks with the dollar appreciating strongly starting in early November but coming off the highs on the Omicron variant.
I expect the dollar's volatility to stay high whether the Omicron variant turns out to be as big a threat to the economic recovery as feared or not.
For EM currencies, the environment is therefore likely to be less supportive and it's best to hedge exposures with the euro and consider beta-neutral relative-value trades.


Implications of Higher Dollar Volatility for EM Currencies

<ul>
<li>Chile's political polarization was apparent in Sunday's general elections where the two leading candidates for the presidency who are headed for a run-off election are leftist and ultra-conservative. </li>
<li>The markets reacted positively to the elections in which right-wing parties performed well, which allowed me to recommend taking profits on a long Chilean peso vs South African rand trade.</li>
<li>While there is room for the peso to continue to outperform, I recommend closing the trade for now as I anticipate market volatility to pick up again.</li>
</ul>


Chile's political polarization was apparent in Sunday's general elections where the two leading candidates for the presidency who are headed for a run-off election are leftist and ultra-conservative. 
The markets reacted positively to the elections in which right-wing parties performed well, which allowed me to recommend taking profits on a long Chilean peso vs South African rand trade.
While there is room for the peso to continue to outperform, I recommend closing the trade for now as I anticipate market volatility to pick up again.


Chile’s Market-Friendly Election Outcome Allows Exit from Trade Recommendation

China

The Chinese renminbi (yuan) is the official currency of The People's Republic of China. 

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CNY (USDCNY CURNCY)

Speculative Long Dollar Positions Highest Since 2019

Long speculative positions in the dollar are quite heavy implying that whenever the dollar starts weakening, the unwinding of long positions can...

Gautam Jain, PhD, CFA

HSCEI Dividend Futures: 2022 Close to Fair; Sell 22/23 Steepener

The HSCEI 2022 dividend futures are trading close to fair but there are a lot more negative catalysts that will have a bigger impact than positive...

Brian Freitas

Brazilian Real Set to Outperform Other EM Currencies in the Near Term

I expect BRL to continue outperforming in the near term as real rates should keep rising, the fiscal balance has improved, and there is a potential...

Gautam Jain, PhD, CFA

Implications of Higher Dollar Volatility for EM Currencies

With the US dollar volatility rising, the environment for EM currencies has turned less supportive and it's best to hedge exposures with the euro...

Gautam Jain, PhD, CFA

Chile’s Market-Friendly Election Outcome Allows Exit from Trade Recommendation

The markets reacted positively to Chile's elections in which right-wing parties performed well, which allowed me to recommend taking profits on a...

Gautam Jain, PhD, CFA

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)