Founder

Olivier Desbarres

Exacting. Excellent. Exceeding. Exemplary.

4X Global Research

4X Global Research was founded in 2017 to provide institutional and corporate clients with the substantive research, high-quality analysis and thoughtful insight on Emerging and G20 economies and financial markets they need to make informed and timely decisions and gain an edge in their investments.

FX & Rates

This report updates the monthly seasonal patterns of 31 major Nominal Effective Exchange Rates(NEERs) going back to January 2010, using over two million daily data points with trade-weights derived from the<a href="https://www.bis.org/statistics/eer.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> BIS</a> (April 2019) and national central banks (see <a href="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/948838a86ce72ab6d8019a39d/files/15f4d8a9-56a4-46fd-9d78-607e5fd523e6/4X_Global_Research_Nominal_Effective_Exchange_Rates_Monthly_seasonal_patterns.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nominal Effective Exchange Rates: Monthly seasonal patterns</a>, 10 January 2019). A number of factors can drive currency seasonality, including underlying seasonal patterns in balance of payment flows, the timing of public holidays and market liquidity. However, significant changes in central bank or government policy, major domestic events (e.g. Brexit) and once-in-a-lifetime “black swan” events such as the Covid-19 pandemic January can break down even well established seasonal currency patterns. In emerging Asia interventionist central banks have in part eroded monthly currency seasonality.Unsurprisingly, typical monthly seasonal currency patterns broke down in 2020, with a few exceptions. In particular, when global risk sentiment collapsed in March and peaked in June only a handful of currencies moved broadly in line with their historical patterns. Historical seasonal patterns somewhat re-established themselves in Q3 (notably August) with domestic factors once again driving asset prices, including currencies. But the resurgence in Covid-19 cases and deaths in Q4 along with the re-imposition of national lockdowns once again contributed to a breakdown in historical seasonal patterns, albeit not as marked as in March or June.The Brazilian Real and Colombian Peso NEERs recorded the strongest average rates of appreciation in the month of January in 2010-2019, while the Turkish Lira and Russian Rouble were the weakest. About 15 NEERs traded broadly in line with their historical patterns in January 2020.However, the Covid-19 pandemic was still in its infancy and its impact on global economies and financial markets still modest. The risk is that many currencies, including the typically strong Swiss Franc, may in January 2021 continue to deviate materially from their 2010-2019 seasonal patterns in our view.

This report updates the monthly seasonal patterns of 31 major Nominal Effective Exchange Rates(NEERs) going back to January 2010, using over two million daily data points with trade-weights derived from the BIS (April 2019) and national central banks (see Nominal Effective Exchange Rates: Monthly seasonal patterns, 10 January 2019). A number of factors can drive currency seasonality, including underlying seasonal patterns in balance of payment flows, the timing of public holidays and market liquidity. However, significant changes in central bank or government policy, major domestic events (e.g. Brexit) and once-in-a-lifetime “black swan” events such as the Covid-19 pandemic January can break down even well established seasonal currency patterns. In emerging Asia interventionist central banks have in part eroded monthly currency seasonality.Unsurprisingly, typical monthly seasonal currency patterns broke down in 2020, with a few exceptions. In particular, when global risk sentiment collapsed in March and peaked in June only a handful of currencies moved broadly in line with their historical patterns. Historical seasonal patterns somewhat re-established themselves in Q3 (notably August) with domestic factors once again driving asset prices, including currencies. But the resurgence in Covid-19 cases and deaths in Q4 along with the re-imposition of national lockdowns once again contributed to a breakdown in historical seasonal patterns, albeit not as marked as in March or June.The Brazilian Real and Colombian Peso NEERs recorded the strongest average rates of appreciation in the month of January in 2010-2019, while the Turkish Lira and Russian Rouble were the weakest. About 15 NEERs traded broadly in line with their historical patterns in January 2020.However, the Covid-19 pandemic was still in its infancy and its impact on global economies and financial markets still modest. The risk is that many currencies, including the typically strong Swiss Franc, may in January 2021 continue to deviate materially from their 2010-2019 seasonal patterns in our view.

Monthly Currency Seasonality: Down and Out?

Silver Point

Thomas J. Monaco

Independent Insight Provider

Silver Point is a boutique research firm that focuses on the broader financial services sector, with a particular focus on troubled institutions globally. 

Asia Ex Japan

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

*NDAA Legislation: The US Congress is set to approve the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) legislation next week with bi-partisan support. Several provisions have targeted Turkey - only adding to its troubles; and *Halkbank Has A Target On It’s Back: There remain significant risks related to Halkbank’s (HALKB.TI) skirting Iran sanctions. Halkbank being removed from USD clearing system would be a very logical sanction, and could do significant damage to the Turkish financial system given how reliant the system is on USD.

*NDAA Legislation: The US Congress is set to approve the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) legislation next week with bi-partisan support. Several provisions have targeted Turkey - only adding to its troubles; and *Halkbank Has A Target On It’s Back: There remain significant risks related to Halkbank’s (HALKB.TI) skirting Iran sanctions. Halkbank being removed from USD clearing system would be a very logical sanction, and could do significant damage to the Turkish financial system given how reliant the system is on USD.  

Media coverage of Emerging Market currencies tends to oscillate between the very bearish and very bullish, with little differentiation between low and high-yielding currencies or between regional blocks let alone between the dozens of currencies still referred to, rightly or wrongly, as “emerging”. Price action in 2019 only partially vindicates this approach.News articles about the November EM currency rally and the long list of factors supporting further outperformance next year have been rife.EM currencies, particularly high-yielders, materially outperformed in the fortnight following the US elections thanks in part to a pick-up in portfolio inflows. The prevailing view was/is that a less conflictual Biden presidency will be a net positive for global trade and commodity prices. EM currencies appreciated further following news on 23rd November that the more affordable Astra Zeneca vaccine was up to 90% effective and Trump’s announcement that he would allow the transition of power to President-elect Biden.However, in the past two weeks a GDP-weighted basket of EM currencies (excluding the Chinese Renminbi) has appreciated only 0.9% versus the Dollar and underperformed a basket of developed market currencies (+1.3%). Moreover, high yielding EM currencies (+1.1%) have only marginally outperformed low-yielding EM currencies (+0.7%). Domestic and regional factors over-and-above “global risk appetite” have arguably contributed to the outperformance of Central European and Latam currencies and the more mixed (read subdued) performance of high-yielding EM and Asian currencies. One explanation is that some of these EM currencies are already pricing in a lot of “good” news.The consensus forecast is seemingly that EM currencies will outperform both the Dollar and developed market currencies going forward. The long list of supporting factors includes i) cheap EM valuations, ii) EM currencies’ yield advantage, iii) the benefits to EM of further Dollar depreciation and iv) a rebound in global economic growth. We sympathise with this view, albeit with some important caveats. One is that more interventionist Asian central banks may stop their currencies from fully joining any EM currency party in 2021. Moreover, we would split the next 13 months into three timelines.

Media coverage of Emerging Market currencies tends to oscillate between the very bearish and very bullish, with little differentiation between low and high-yielding currencies or between regional blocks let alone between the dozens of currencies still referred to, rightly or wrongly, as “emerging”. Price action in 2019 only partially vindicates this approach.News articles about the November EM currency rally and the long list of factors supporting further outperformance next year have been rife.EM currencies, particularly high-yielders, materially outperformed in the fortnight following the US elections thanks in part to a pick-up in portfolio inflows. The prevailing view was/is that a less conflictual Biden presidency will be a net positive for global trade and commodity prices. EM currencies appreciated further following news on 23rd November that the more affordable Astra Zeneca vaccine was up to 90% effective and Trump’s announcement that he would allow the transition of power to President-elect Biden.However, in the past two weeks a GDP-weighted basket of EM currencies (excluding the Chinese Renminbi) has appreciated only 0.9% versus the Dollar and underperformed a basket of developed market currencies (+1.3%). Moreover, high yielding EM currencies (+1.1%) have only marginally outperformed low-yielding EM currencies (+0.7%). Domestic and regional factors over-and-above “global risk appetite” have arguably contributed to the outperformance of Central European and Latam currencies and the more mixed (read subdued) performance of high-yielding EM and Asian currencies. One explanation is that some of these EM currencies are already pricing in a lot of “good” news.The consensus forecast is seemingly that EM currencies will outperform both the Dollar and developed market currencies going forward. The long list of supporting factors includes i) cheap EM valuations, ii) EM currencies’ yield advantage, iii) the benefits to EM of further Dollar depreciation and iv) a rebound in global economic growth. We sympathise with this view, albeit with some important caveats. One is that more interventionist Asian central banks may stop their currencies from fully joining any EM currency party in 2021. Moreover, we would split the next 13 months into three timelines.

Emerging Market Currencies: Hopes and Realities

*Strong Man Strikes Again: Central Bank of Turkey (CBT) Governor Murat Uysal has been released from his duties, and Naci Agbal has been appointed as the new CBT governor. President Erdogan abruptly fired former Governor Uysal after just 16 months, after he indicated that interest rates may increase again in 2020; and*Watch Your Risk: The TRY’s decline of 43% YTD is troublesome, and the potential for a TRY gray market would NOT be of surprise at this stage. We continue to worry about counterparty risks should defaults rise. It’s probably not a bad time to start thinking about purchasing CDS protection on single name securities and on the Turkish sovereign.

*Strong Man Strikes Again: Central Bank of Turkey (CBT) Governor Murat Uysal has been released from his duties, and Naci Agbal has been appointed as the new CBT governor. President Erdogan abruptly fired former Governor Uysal after just 16 months, after he indicated that interest rates may increase again in 2020; and*Watch Your Risk: The TRY’s decline of 43% YTD is troublesome, and the potential for a TRY gray market would NOT be of surprise at this stage. We continue to worry about counterparty risks should defaults rise. It’s probably not a bad time to start thinking about purchasing CDS protection on single name securities and on the Turkish sovereign.

*Train Wreck: The Central Bank of Turkey (CBT) is keeping interest rates low, and failed to raise interest rates at its latest meeting last week – against consensus of a 200 bp increase. In our view, low rates are likely to result in modest inflation. Despite what feel like punitive capital controls, the Turkish lira (TRY) actually declined 2% on day – nearing 8 TRY/USD achieving another record low and down 35% YTD versus the USD; *Artificially High Turkish Lira: CBT data exhibits that the easing of trading restrictions resulted in foreign investor selling nearly 70% of their previously held Turkish government bonds and equities YTD. Investors are likely to continue to take advantage of President Erdogan's ineptitude of an artificially high TRY by continuing to sell while the getting is still good; and *Continue Reducing Risk: Turkish banks and the Turkish economy should be sold, and if the former Vice President Joe Biden actually wins the White house this could be the end of the TRY.

*Train Wreck: The Central Bank of Turkey (CBT) is keeping interest rates low, and failed to raise interest rates at its latest meeting last week – against consensus of a 200 bp increase. In our view, low rates are likely to result in modest inflation. Despite what feel like punitive capital controls, the Turkish lira (TRY) actually declined 2% on day – nearing 8 TRY/USD achieving another record low and down 35% YTD versus the USD; *Artificially High Turkish Lira: CBT data exhibits that the easing of trading restrictions resulted in foreign investor selling nearly 70% of their previously held Turkish government bonds and equities YTD. Investors are likely to continue to take advantage of President Erdogan's ineptitude of an artificially high TRY by continuing to sell while the getting is still good; and *Continue Reducing Risk: Turkish banks and the Turkish economy should be sold, and if the former Vice President Joe Biden actually wins the White house this could be the end of the TRY.

Turkey

The Turkish lira is the official currency of the Republic of Turkey. 

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TRY (USDTRY CURNCY)

Monthly Currency Seasonality: Down and Out?

Covid-19 pandemic and national lockdowns in 2020 wreaked havoc with historical monthly seasonal patterns for developed and EM currencies. But what...

Olivier Desbarres

Turkey - Add NDAA Sanctions To The List

TURKEY: The US Congress is set to approve the annual NDAA) next week - several provisions target Turkey. There remain significant risks related to...

Thomas J. Monaco

Emerging Market Currencies: Hopes and Realities

EM currencies appreciated vs USD and outperformed in fortnight following US elections but since then performance more differentiated. Consensus is...

Olivier Desbarres

Turkey – Off With His Head…Again

TURKEY: Central Bank of Turkey Has A New Governor As President Erdogan Removes His Previous Hand-picked Successor. Erdogsnomics Are Not Working.

Thomas J. Monaco

Turkey – Choo Choo

TURKEY: A Crisis Is Coming As a Result of Strongman President Erdogan's Inability to See The forest From The Trees. Rates Too High, Artificially...

Thomas J. Monaco

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