<p>An interesting weekend item from Reuters about oil, but also about circumventing trade payments in the dominant USD – helping Russia to de-dollarise its economy.</p><ul><li>Indian refiners have begun paying for most of their Russian oil purchased via Dubai-based traders in United Arab Emirates dirhams instead of U.S. dollars</li><li>India’s top bank, the State Bank of India (SBI), is now clearing these dirham payments, the sources told Reuters</li></ul><p><a target=“_blank“ href=“https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/indian-refiners-pay-traders-dirhams-russian-oil-2023-02-03/“ target=“_blank“ rel=“nofollow“>Reuters</a> cite four sources (unnamed) for the information. More detail at that link. </p><p>—-</p><p>The background top this is that banks and financial institutions are cautious about clearing payments, not wanting to unintentionally violate the sanctions imposed against Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. The Russian oil price cap has been imposed by the Group of Seven nations and Australia.</p><p>Indian (and Chinese) purchases of Russian oil may not be in violation of sanctions, but, exercising an abundance of caution, Indian refiners and dealers are concerned they may not be able to continue to settle trades in dollars. Hence thus of UAE dirhams (code is AED).</p>

This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at www.forexlive.com.

<ul><li><a target=“_blank“ href=“https://www.forexlive.com/technical-analysis/us-stocks-close-lower-but-still-higher-on-the-week-20230203/“>US stocks close lower but still higher on the week</a></li><li><a target=“_blank“ href=“https://www.forexlive.com/news/wti-crude-oil-futures-settled-at-7339-20230203/“>WTI crude oil futures settled at $73.39</a></li><li><a target=“_blank“ href=“https://www.forexlive.com/centralbank/feds-daly-the-number-was-a-wow-number-the-december-fed-policy-is-a-good-indicator-20230203/“>Fed’s Daly: The number was a „wow“ number. The December Fed policy is a good indicator.</a></li><li><a target=“_blank“ href=“https://www.forexlive.com/news/baker-hughes-total-rig-count-falls-12-to-759-20230203/“>Baker Hughes total rig count falls -12 to 759</a></li><li><a target=“_blank“ href=“https://www.forexlive.com/news/european-indices-close-the-day-with-mixed-results-20230203/“>European indices close the day with mixed results</a></li><li><a target=“_blank“ href=“https://www.forexlive.com/news/ism-us-nonmanufacturing-pmi-index-552-versus-504-estimate-20230203/“>ISM US nonmanufacturing PMI index 55.2 versus 50.4 estimate</a></li><li><a target=“_blank“ href=“https://www.forexlive.com/news/spglobal-services-pmi-index-versus-a-468-versus-466-preliminary-20230203/“>S&P/Global services PMI index versus a 46.8 versus 46.6 preliminary</a></li><li><a target=“_blank“ href=“https://www.forexlive.com/technical-analysis/the-strong-us-jobs-report-sent-the-us-dollar-sharply-higher-what-next-20230203/“>The strong US jobs report sent the US dollar sharply higher. What next?</a></li><li><a target=“_blank“ href=“https://www.forexlive.com/news/us-nonfarm-payroll-517k-vs-185k-estimate-unemployment-rate-34-vs-35-estimate-20230203/“>US nonfarm payroll 517K vs 185K estimate. Unemployment rate 3.4% vs 3.5% estimate</a></li><li><a target=“_blank“ href=“https://www.forexlive.com/centralbank/bank-of-england-pill-i-expect-we-will-proceed-with-qt-over-the-coming-years-20230203/“>Bank of England Pill: I expect we will proceed with QT over the coming years</a></li><li><a target=“_blank“ href=“https://www.forexlive.com/technical-analysis/the-gbp-is-the-strongest-and-the-cad-is-the-weakest-as-the-na-session-begins-20230203/“>The GBP is the strongest and the CAD is the weakest as the NA session begins</a></li><li><a target=“_blank“ href=“https://www.forexlive.com/news/forexlive-european-fx-news-wrap-dollar-mixed-equities-lower-ahead-of-nfp-20230203/“>ForexLive European FX news wrap: Dollar mixed, equities lower ahead of NFP</a></li></ul><p>The US jobs report was – as Fed’s Daly put it – a „wow“ number. The Non Farm Payroll increased by a whopping 517K. The prior two months were revised higher by 71K. The combined total of 587K far outpaced the expectations of 185K. Wow is right. </p><p>The unemployment rate moved down to 3.4% (expected a rise to 3.6%), the lowest since 1969. The average hourly earnings increased by 0.3% and the YoY by 4.4% which were as expected. The work week increased to 34.7 hours from 34.3 hours expected. That is a big jump and indicative of solid employment. </p><p>The number was more the initial claims and the JOLTs data vs the anecdotal stories of layoffs.</p><p>It had some analysts saying, „it is so good, ignore it“, which I guess is another way of saying, „My model is right. The BLS is wrong“. However, the reality is, the jobs data continues to show month after month strength. </p><p>Looking at the industries: </p><p>Good producing jobs added 46K </p><ul class=“text-align-start vertical-align-baseline“><li class=“vertical-align-baseline“>manufacturing +19</li><li>construction +28K</li></ul><p>IN the service jobs, they added 397K </p><ul class=“text-align-start vertical-align-baseline“><li>professional and business services 82K</li><li class=“vertical-align-baseline“>private education and health services +105K</li><li class=“vertical-align-baseline“>trade transportation and utilities +63K</li><li class=“vertical-align-baseline“>transportation and warehousing +23K</li><li class=“vertical-align-baseline“>Leisure and hospitality rose 128K</li><li class=“vertical-align-baseline“>information -5K </li><li class=“vertical-align-baseline“>financial activity minus 6K</li></ul><p>Government even added a chunk with a gain of 78K</p><p>Later the ISM nonmanufacturing index came in much stronger than expected at 55.2 versus 50.4</p><ul><li>new orders index rose to 60.4 from 45.2 last month</li><li>employment back to the 15 level from 49.4 last month</li><li>prices dip to 67.8 from 68.1</li><li>backlog of orders rose to 52.9 from 51.5</li><li>new export orders search to 59.0 from 47.7</li></ul><p>Recession? What recession?</p><p>The US stocks initially took the news as more bearish as the Fed might need to hike more and keep the rates higher for a time period longer than the market’s expectations. However, when momentum slowed on the decline, the major indices moved back to the upside and erased all the declines for the day. That was also in the face of less than stellar earnings from Amazon, Alphabet and Apple after the close on Thursday. Intraday, </p><ul><li>The Dow was down as much as -240.09 points, and reverset to up 125.63 points</li><li>The S&P was down as much as -56.39 points, and reversed to up 2.61 points</li><li>The Nasdaq was down as much as -253.96 points, and reversed to up 30.49 points</li></ul><p>However, the climb was a tough one and buyers turned back to sellers. Word that Fed’s Daly would be speaking on FoxBusiness, may have been a catalyst to take some off the table. Recall, Daly was a bit more hawkish on the inflation prospects when she spoke on January 9th just before the blackout period. She was particularly insistent that the goods inflation was coming down, but service inflation ex housing was still elevated. </p><p>The stock buyers had the courage of 1000 matadors in the morning hours, but cowered a bit with the prospects of a Fed official coming out and saying „we are still data dependent“, inflation is still elevated, and „it was far to early“ to call a peak (which is what she reminded the market). </p><p>Next week, when more Fed officials speak, it will be hard to say things are slowing down. In reality, the employment situation seems like it is doing the opposite – despite the job cuts announced, and that will continue to be a scare to the Fed who only has one job – to see inflation comes down. </p><p>In the debt market. yields moved higher and stayed elevated for the day:</p><ul><li>two year yield 4.288% +19.9 basis points</li><li>five year yield 3.653% +17.1 basis points</li><li>10 year yield 3.520% +12.3 basis points</li><li>30 year yield 3.615% +6.1 basis points</li></ul><p>Gold tumbled in reaction to the higher dollar. It is closing down near -$46 or -2.44% at $1865.63 after moving to within $41 of $2000 yesterday (the high reached $1959.74). Silver tumbled 4.67% or down -$1.09. </p><p>Crude oil focused on the higher dollar and it too fell even though stronger growth might lead to more demand down the road. Crude oil closed the week down -7.89% </p><p>The USD was the strongest of the majors rising by over 2% vs the NZD (+2.29%), AUD (2.16%) and was up 1.97% vs the JPY. The only currency the USD rose by less than 1% today was the CAD with a gain of only 0.69%.</p><p>For the trading week, the USD rose vs all the major currencies:</p><ul><li>EUR, +0.67%</li><li>JPY, +1.09%</li><li>GBP, +2.7%</li><li>CHF, +0.55%</li><li>CAD, +0.70%</li><li>AUD, +2.61%</li><li>NZD, +2.54%</li></ul><p>It certainly was a Wow day (and a Wow week as well with 3 major central banks in play, and an earnings week highlighted by the likes of Meta, Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, Boeing, Merck, Honeywell, Starbucks). </p><p>Next week, the calendar of events will be a little less packed. Nevertheless, the anticipation of what Fed officials might say is intriguing and potentially market moving. ON Tuesday at 12 PM, Fed’s Powell will speak at the Economic Club of Washington. On Wednesday, NY Fed’s Williams will also speak (and I am sure others Fed officials will be asked to comment on policy post the jobs report). </p><p>The Bank of Australia is expected to hike rates by 25 basis points on Tuesday in Australia (Monday night at 10:30 PM ET).. Recall Australia CPI for Q4 came in at 1.9% vs 1.6% estimate when announced on January 24. Canada will release their employment report on Friday a month after reporting an oversized gain of 104K last month. The expectations are for 15K on Friday. The BOC raised rates by 25 bps on January 25th and said they were „conditionally pausing“ as they assess the economic data going forward. That will be a key data point for their rate hike sabbatical. </p><p>Taking a look at the calendar of earnings, the major releases are now over. Next week there are a few names but the impacts should be minimal:</p><p>Monday:</p><ul><li>Pinterest</li><li>Activision Blizzard</li></ul><p>Tuesday:</p><ul><li>Chipotle</li></ul><p>Wednesday</p><ul><li>Disney </li><li>CVS</li><li>Emerson</li><li>MGM</li></ul><p>Thursday</p><ul><li>Toyota</li><li>Pepsi</li><li>AstraZeneca</li><li>Phillip Morris</li><li>Unilever</li><li>PayPal</li><li>Motorola</li></ul>

This article was written by Greg Michalowski at www.forexlive.com.

<p>The major US stock indices are ending lower on the day led by the NASDAQ index with a decline of about -1.6%. However, that comes after some pretty strong gains including a 3.25% gain yesterday.</p><p>The final numbers are showing:</p><ul><li>Dow Industrial Average fell -127.93 points or -0.38% at 33926.00</li><li>S&P index fell -43.26 points -1.03% at 4136.49</li><li>NASDAQ index fell -193.85 points or -1.59% at 12006.96</li><li>Russell 2000 fell -15.68 points or -0.78% at 1985.53</li></ul><p>For the trading week, the S&P and NASDAQ closed higher, but the Dow Industrial Average had a small decline as traders rotated away from the relative safety of the down into the tech heavy NASDAQ:</p><ul><li>Dow Industrial Average fell -0.15%</li><li>S&P index rose 1.62%</li><li>NASDAQ index rose 3.31%</li></ul><p>Technically, for the NASDAQ index enclosed above its 200 day moving average at 11465.53 for the second consecutive week. Last week, the price closed above on Friday, but traded back below the moving average on Monday and Tuesday before rotating back to the upside. Stay above the 200 day moving average keeps the buyers in firm control. The NASDAQ index has been up for five consecutive weeks. The price is up 17.6% from the low during the week of December 27, 2022.</p>

This article was written by Greg Michalowski at www.forexlive.com.