Headlines:

• Dollar continues to stay in prime position
• Treasury yields nudge higher on the session
• ECB’s Rehn reaffirms June rate cut if there are no inflation setbacks
• UK February ILO unemployment rate 4.2% vs 4.0% expected
• Germany March wholesale price index +0.2% vs -0.1% m/m prior
• Germany April ZEW survey current conditions -79.2 vs -76.0 expected
• Eurozone February trade balance €23.6 billion vs €11.4 billion prior
• US trade chief says ‚taking a serious look‘ at tools to deal with China
• Xi says China and Germany have huge potential for win-win cooperation

Markets:

• EUR leads, AUD lags on the day
• European equities lower; S&P 500 futures up 0.1%
• US 10-year yields up 2.3 bps to 4.650%
• Gold down 0.4% to $2,371.94
• WTI crude down 0.2% to $85.19
• Bitcoin down 0.9% to $62,610

The dollar isn’t flexing its muscles too much in European trading today. However, it remains in pole position on the grid following the moves since last week. There is no major extension of gains but the dollar is still poised when you analyse things by the charts.

EUR/USD is only up 0.1% to 1.0632, stuck within a narrower range today. But the pair has the makings of a drop towards 1.0500 next in the bigger picture. Meanwhile, higher Treasury yields is underpinning USD/JPY with the pair seen up 0.2% to 154.65.

The UK labour market report today was rather mixed, leaning slightly on the softer side. The jobs data was weak but wages are staying high. It barely produced much of a reaction in the pound though, with cable looking flat at 1.2450 on the day.

Elsewhere, the aussie and kiwi are laggards amid a softer risk mood and some selling in the Chinese yuan during Asia trading.

In the equities space, European indices are all down over 1% in catching up to the losses in Wall Street yesterday. But we are seeing a slight turnaround in the mood as US futures are now positive, with S&P 500 futures up 0.2%.

As for commodities, gold is down slightly amid a choppier start to the week for precious metals. Bitcoin is also down and contesting support in and around the $61,000 mark on the day.

This article was written by Justin Low at www.forexlive.com.

The Finance
Magnates Africa Summit (FMAS:24) right around the corner, offering a wide range
of networking and engagement opportunities for participants. Held on May 20-22 in
Sandton City, South Africa, the premium event will aim to expand attendees’
networks and gain valuable insights into the industry’s latest trends and
developments.

Held for the
second straight year at the Sandton Convention Centre, the event will look to
bridge both the B2C and B2C space. This includes connecting world-leading
brokers, brands, and more with regional and local providers, as well as a
sizable pool of new and existing retail traders.

FMAS:24 will be here
before you know it – if you have not already done so, head on over to the
registration page for the event and sign-up
today! Registering online ensures you can skip the wait and queue on-site.

Attendees at
this premium event can take advantage of a wide range of networking
opportunities, featuring face-to-face engagement and more. With over 3,000
attendees, 120 exhibitors, 150 speakers, and more, expect anything to happen on
the exhibition floor at FMAS:24.

All
participants will have countless chances to network, connect, and meet the
following participants:

• Forex/CFD
  Brokers
• Institutional
  Brokers
• Affiliates
  & IBs
• Traders
  & Investors
• Educators
  & Market Experts
• Fintech
  & Payments Brands
• Crypto &
  Digital Assets Businesses
• Technology
  & Liquidity Providers
• Press/Media
• Regulators
• Start-ups
• Investors/VCs

How to
Prepare for FMAS:24

Preparing
adequately for networking at events such as FMAS:24 can significantly enhance
one’s experience and yield fruitful connections. This includes some practical
tips to help attendees make the most out of their networking endeavors at the
Finance Magnates Africa Summit.

It’s
essential to enter the summit with a clear understanding of one’s objectives.
Whether it’s seeking potential business collaborations, exploring investment
opportunities, or simply expanding professional networks, having a defined
purpose can guide interactions and ensure meaningful engagements.

Engaging in
conversations with fellow attendees is key to building connections. Initiating
discussions in a friendly and approachable manner can open doors to valuable
opportunities. Remember to introduce oneself succinctly, highlighting relevant
background information and areas of interest.

Active
listening is a crucial aspect of effective networking. Showing genuine interest
in others‘ perspectives by asking open-ended questions and attentively
listening to their responses can foster deeper connections. Demonstrating
empathy and understanding can go a long way in building rapport with fellow
professionals.

Register
Today for the Biggest Event of the Year in Africa!

Exchanging
contact information with individuals of interest is vital for maintaining
connections beyond the summit. Whether it’s through traditional means like
exchanging business cards or connecting on professional networking platforms,
staying in touch can facilitate future collaborations and partnerships.

Following up
with newfound connections post-summit is essential for nurturing relationships.
Sending personalized follow-up emails or messages expressing gratitude for the
interaction and interest in further collaboration can solidify connections made
during the event.

Additional
Benefits to Attending FMAS:24

Attending
networking events and receptions held in conjunction with the summit provides
additional opportunities for mingling with industry peers in a more relaxed
setting. These informal gatherings offer a conducive environment for building
relationships outside the confines of the expo hall.

Remaining
authentic and genuine in interactions is paramount to successful networking.
Authenticity fosters trust and credibility, laying the groundwork for
long-lasting professional relationships. Being oneself and showcasing genuine
enthusiasm for the finance sector can resonate positively with fellow
attendees.

In
conclusion, attendees of the FMAS:24 stand to benefit greatly from effective
networking strategies. By approaching interactions with purpose, engaging in
meaningful conversations, and nurturing connections beyond the event,
professionals can leverage the summit as a platform for professional growth and
collaboration. With the right mindset and proactive approach, the possibilities
for forging valuable relationships are endless.

This article was written by Jeff Patterson at www.forexlive.com.

In response to increased client demand
for flexibility in the commodities market and in line with its commitment to
deliver comprehensive trading solutions, FP Markets has announced the
expansion of its commodity offering.

The move allows traders and investors at
FP Markets to not only capitalise on new opportunities in the commodities sector but it also
broadens the options available for portfolio diversification.

Complementing its existing range of
Commodity CFDs, clients trading with FP Markets can
now trade and invest in Brent Oil, Cotton and Sugar Futures CFDs:

●
Symbol: BRENT
Description: Brent Crude Oil Fut
Contract size: 1000

●
Symbol: COTTON
Description: US Cotton No. 2 Fut
Contract size: 100

●
Symbol: SUGAR
Description: US Sugar No. 11 Fut
Contract size: 100

Available on cTrader, MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) Trading Platforms, the newly
added Commodity Futures CFDs are being introduced at a time when Brent Crude –
a benchmark for global oil prices – is challenging year-to-date highs, and
Cotton and Sugar are fast approaching their year-to-date lows. A comprehensive
list of all available commodities can be found on the FP Markets website.

Commenting on the recent addition of
trading products, FP Markets Head of Risk, Christodoulos Psomas, commented:
‘Aligned with our commitment to diversify offerings and enhance our clients‘
trading experiences, we are glad to announce the addition of new futures
instruments to our portfolio: BRENT, COTTON, and SUGAR.

These new options are designed to
complement our existing commodities portfolio and broaden the spectrum of
trading opportunities available to our clients. We are dedicated to equipping
our clients with comprehensive resources and unwavering support to help them
manage these risks effectively and ensure a diversified investment strategy’.

Established in 2005, FP Markets is a
Multi-Regulated Brand providing clients with over 10,000 tradable instruments
across key asset classes and offers aggregate pricing across several top-tier
liquidity providers. Additionally, FP Markets deliver Consistently Tight Spreads, Rapid Execution, Unmatched 24/7
Multilingual Customer Support, and various Account Types to suit all
trading strategies and styles.

About
FP Markets:

●
FP Markets is a Multi-Regulated Forex and CFDs
Broker with over 19 years of industry experience.

●
The company offers highly competitive interbank
Forex spreads starting from 0.0 pips.

●
Traders can choose from the leading powerful
online trading platforms, including FP Markets’ Mobile App, MetaTrader 4,
MetaTrader 5, WebTrader, cTrader, Iress and TradingView.

●
The company’s outstanding 24/7 multilingual
customer service has been recognised by Investment Trends and awarded ‘The
Highest Overall Client Satisfaction Award’ over five consecutive years.

●
FP Markets has been awarded the ‘Best Global
Forex Value Broker’ for five consecutive years (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
at the Global Forex Awards.

●
FP Markets has been awarded the ‘Best Forex
Broker – Europe’ and the ‘Best Forex Partners Programme – Asia’ at the Global
Forex Awards 2022 and 2023.

●
FP Markets has been awarded ‘Best Trade
Execution’ at the Ultimate Fintech Awards 2022.

●
FP Markets crowned ‘Best CFD Broker in Africa’
at FAME Awards 2023.

●
FP Markets Awarded ‘Best Trade Execution’ and
‘Most Transparent Broker’ at the Ultimate Fintech Awards APAC 2023.

●
FP Markets regulatory presence includes the
Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) Financial Sector
Conduct Authority (FSCA) of South Africa, the Financial Services Commission
(FSC) of Mauritius, the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), the
Securities Commission of the Bahamas (SCB) and the Capital Markets Authority
(CMA) of Kenya.

●
FP Markets has been awarded the Best Price
Execution Award at the Brokersview Awards 2024 Singapore.

For more information on FP Markets‘
comprehensive range of products and services, visit https://www.fpmarkets.com/

This article was written by FL Contributors at www.forexlive.com.

USD

• The Fed left interest rates unchanged as expected at the last meeting with basically no
  change to the statement. The Dot Plot still showed three rate cuts for 2024 and
  the economic projections were upgraded with growth and inflation higher and the
  unemployment rate lower.
• The US CPI beat expectations for the third
  consecutive month, while the US PPI came in line with forecasts.
• The US NFP beat expectations across the board
  although the average hourly earnings came in line with forecasts.
• The US ISM Manufacturing PMI beat expectations by a big margin with
  the prices component continuing to increase, while the US ISM Services PMI missed with the price index dropping to
  the lowest level in 4 years.
• The US Retail Sales beat expectations across the board by a
  big margin with positive revisions to the prior figures.
• The market now expects the first rate cut in
  September.

AUD

• The
  RBA left interest rates unchanged as expected at the last meeting and
  finally dropped the tightening bias.
• The
  last Monthly CPI report came in line with
  expectations although the underlying inflation measure increased from the prior
  month.
• The
  latest labour market report missed expectations by a big
  margin.
• The
  wage price index surprised to the upside as wage
  growth in Australia remains strong.
• The
  latest Australian PMIs showed the Manufacturing PMI falling
  further into contraction while the Services PMI continue to increase and remain
  in expansion.
• The
  market expects the first rate cut in November.

AUDUSD Technical Analysis –
Daily Timeframe

On the daily chart, we can see that AUDUSD fell
below the 0.6440 low and extended the selloff into the 0.64 handle. The price
is a bit overstretched as depicted by the distance from the blue 8 moving average. In such
instances, we can generally see a pullback into the moving average or some
consolidation before the next move. In this case, the pullback would also
coincide with the support now turned resistance and the
38.2% Fibonacci retracement level
which will be a nice zone for the sellers to enter the market again with a
better risk to reward setup.

AUDUSD Technical
Analysis – 4 hour Timeframe

On the 4 hour chart, we can see that we have a
minor trendline defining
the current downward momentum with the blue 8 moving average acting as dynamic
resistance. We can expect the sellers to lean on this trendline with a defined
risk above it to position for further downside. The buyers, on the other hand,
will want to see the price breaking higher to position for a rally into the
0.65 resistance zone.

AUDUSD Technical Analysis –
1 hour Timeframe

On the 1 hour chart, we can see that the
price has been diverging with
the MACD which
is generally a sign of weakening momentum often followed by pullbacks or
reversals. In this case, if get a pullback, the sellers should lean on the
trendline where they will also find the confluence of the
trendline, the Fibonacci retracement levels and the red 21 moving average. If
the price were to break higher though, the reversal will be confirmed, and the
buyers will pile in for a rally into the 0.65 resistance zone.

Upcoming Events

On Thursday we get the Australian jobs data and the latest
US Jobless Claims figures.

This article was written by FL Contributors at www.forexlive.com.

What a run it has been for gold in 2024, and we’re still only just four months in. A surging run from $2,000 all the way to $2,400 in a time when the dollar is also holding strong says quite a lot. That especially when traders are also seen paring back rate cut bets since the start of the year.

Amid ongoing tensions involving Iran and Israel, the precious metal ran up just above $2,400 on Friday. That before some profit-taking eventually kicked in and we’re seeing price chop around a fair bit in the last few sessions. But what does the technical picture say about gold at the moment?

The near-term chart seen above shows that buyers are still in control at this point. And during the run higher in April so far, they have done their part in defending the more bullish near-term bias.

The first couple of brushes against the 100-hour moving average (red line) were quickly defended before the strong dip buying yesterday at the 200-hour moving average (blue line). In short, sellers were unable to seize back near-term control in their first attempt.

As such, buyers are still poised with price action holding above both key hourly moving averages. Even with the slight drop today, it isn’t all too bad for gold in terms of the charts.

In the bigger picture, I can’t help but think there’s still so much more potential for gold to rip higher. As mentioned, we’re seeing gold surge despite a stronger dollar and softening of rate cut bets. What happens when those two factors switch around?

I reckon we might be due a major retracement/correction before that. But if anything else, that’s just going to present another prime dip buying opportunity – similar to October last year.

This article was written by Justin Low at www.forexlive.com.

• February eurozone industrial production -6.4% vs -5.7% expected
• ECB’s Kazimir: ECB can cut rates in June given persistent fall in inflation
• ECB’s Rehn: Rates can be lowered in June if inflation slows as expected
• Donald Trump’s hush-money criminal trial starts today
• France’s Macron says will urge Israel not to reply with further escalation
• Germany’s Baerbock: Isreal should secure ‚defensive victory‘ with diplomatic means
• UK Prime Minister Sunak could announce Iran sanctions later today
• UK’s Cameron: We will consider more sanctions against Iran
• Tesla may announce large workforce layoffs this week
• ECB’s Simkus: Rate cut is also possible in July
• Swiss March price prices +0.1% vs +0.1% prior

Markets:

• Gold up $15 to $2359
• US 10-year yields up 7.8 bps to 4.58%
• WTI crude down 67-cents to $84.99
• S&P 500 futures up 27 points
• AUD leads, JPY lags

Yields are up but the US dollar is down. That’s the kind of rare dynamic you see when a geopolitical flight-to-safety bid is fading from the US dollar. That’s exactly what’s ongoing as markets calculate the the Isreali response to Iran won’t lead to war. That’s likely to be highly variable depending on what happens so it will remain a critical market focus and the latest reports say action is likely sooner rather than later.

The general theme in European trading so far has been a small improvement in the risk mood with local stock markets up from 0.5-1.0%, aside from the UK, which is down. The euro has edged higher with the pound doing a bit better.

The yen is struggling and hit fresh 34-year lows. There was some modest verbal intervention that caused a brief 15 pip dip but now the pair remains pushed up near 154 after steady bids in Asia.

Commodity currencies are higher despite a moderate decline in oil prices as the risk mood improves.

Overall, moves outside of the yen have been medium-sized to start the week but some of the excitement could be held back ahead of today’s US retail sales report, coming up shortly.

This article was written by Adam Button at www.forexlive.com.

Israel’s war cabinet is still debating how to respond to Iran attack, according to CNN. They still remain on track to respond but the report says the ‚heated debate‘ is looking at military and diplomatic options.

Among the military options that are being considered, the war cabinet is considering an attack on an Iranian facility that would send a message, but would avoid causing casualties, one Israeli official said. But Israeli officials recognize that will be a difficult needle to thread, hence the ongoing debate.

The report says Netanyahu and fellow cabinet ministers have yet to make a decision.

This article was written by Adam Button at www.forexlive.com.

• ECB can cut rates in June given persistent fall in inflation, restriction can be gradually reduced
• ECB not committing to any policy path beyond June
• Economic recovery taking hold, will accelerate in H2

I don’t think there’s any doubt about the ECB plan from here.

This article was written by Adam Button at www.forexlive.com.

There are a chorus from the ECB teeing up a June rate cut.

This article was written by Adam Button at www.forexlive.com.

The initial reaction to Goldman Sachs earnings has been positive with the shares up around 3%. Shares fell heavily on Friday in sympathy with JP Morgan earnings, which caused the sharpest earnings fall in JPM in 23 years.

This article was written by Adam Button at www.forexlive.com.