Daily Market Analysis and News From NordFX

[Stan NordFX]

CRYPTOCURRENCIES: Numerous Predictions, Uncertain Outcome

Last week, the long-awaited regulatory saga finally concluded: as expected, on January 10th, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved a batch of all 11 applications from investment companies to launch spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) based on bitcoin. This news initially caused a spike in bitcoin's price to around $49,000. However, the cryptocurrency then depreciated by about 15%, falling to $41,400. Experts cite overbought conditions or what is known as "market overheating" as the main reason for this decline. As Cointelegraph reports, the SEC's positive decision was already factored into the market price. In 2023, bitcoin had grown 2.5 times, with a significant part of this growth occurring in the fall when the approval of the ETFs became almost inevitable. Many traders and investors, especially short-term speculators, decided to lock in profits rather than buy the now more expensive asset. This is a classic example of the market adage, "Buy on rumors (expectations), sell on facts."

It cannot be said that this price collapse was unexpected. In the lead-up to the SEC's decision, some analysts had predicted a downturn. For instance, experts at CryptoQuant talked about a potential drop in prices to $32,000. Other forecasts mentioned support levels at $42,000 and $40,000. "Bitcoin failed to break through the $50,000 level," analysts at Swissblock wrote. "The question arises whether the leading cryptocurrency can regain the momentum it has lost."

Our previous review was titled "D-Day Has Arrived. What Next?". More than a week has passed since the approval of the Bitcoin ETF, but judging by the BTC/USD chart, the market still hasn't decided on an answer to this question. According to Michael Van De Poppe, head of MN Trading Consultancy, the price is stuck between several levels. He believes that resistance lies at $46,000, but bitcoin could test support in the range between $37,000 and $40,000. In reality, for almost the entire past week, the primary cryptocurrency moved in a narrow sideways channel: between $42,000 and $43,500. However, on January 18-19, bitcoin experienced another bear attack, recording a local minimum at $40,280.

Evaluating the impact of the launch of spot bitcoin ETFs will require some time. Suitable data for analysis is expected to accumulate around mid-February. However, as noted by Cointelegraph, these funds have already attracted over $1.25 billion. On the first day alone, the trading volume of these new financial market instruments reached $4.6 billion.

Andrew Peel, Head of Digital Assets at investment bank Morgan Stanley, points out that the weekly inflow of funds into these new products already exceeds billions of dollars. He believes that the launch of spot bitcoin ETFs could significantly accelerate the process of de-dollarization of the global economy. He is quoted as saying, "Although these innovations are still in their infancy, they open up opportunities for challenging the hegemony of the dollar. Macro investors should consider how these digital assets, with their unique characteristics and growing adoption, can change the future dynamics of the dollar." Andrew Peel reminds us that the popularity of BTC has been growing steadily over the last 15 years, with over 106 million people worldwide now owning the first cryptocurrency. Meanwhile, Michael Van De Poppe notes that the events of January 10 will change the lives of many people around the world. However, he warns that "this will be the last 'easy' cycle for bitcoin and cryptocurrencies" and that it "will take longer than before."

The impact of the newly launched bitcoin ETFs on the global order has also been a topic of discussion among many influencers at the top of the power pyramid, underscoring the significance of this event. For instance, Elizabeth Warren, a member of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, criticized the SEC's decision, expressing concerns that it could harm the existing financial system and investors. In contrast, Kristalina Georgieva, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), holds a different view. She believes that cryptocurrencies are a class of assets, not money, and it's crucial to make this distinction. Therefore, she argues, bitcoin will not be able to replace the U.S. dollar. Additionally, the IMF head disagrees with those who expect that bitcoin ETFs will contribute to the mass adoption of the first cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin's price is projected to reach $100,000 - $150,000 by the end of 2024 and $500,000 within the next five years, according to Tom Lee, co-founder of the analytics firm Fundstrat, in an interview with CNBC. "In the next five years, supply will be limited, but with the approval of spot bitcoin ETFs, we have potentially huge demand, so I think something around $500,000 is quite achievable within five years," the expert stated. He also highlighted the upcoming halving in the spring of 2024 as an additional growth factor.

ARK Invest CEO Cathy Wood, also speaking on CNBC, predicted a bullish scenario where the first cryptocurrency could reach $1.5 million by 2030. Her firm's analysts calculated that even under a bearish scenario, the price of the digital gold would grow to at least $258,500.

Another forecast was given by Anthony Scaramucci, founder of SkyBridge Capital and former White House Communications Director. "If bitcoin is at $45,000 during the halving, then by mid-to-late 2025, it will be worth $170,000. Whatever the price of bitcoin is on the day of the halving in April, multiply it by four, and it will reach that figure within the next 18 months," said the SkyBridge founder in Davos, ahead of the World Economic Forum.

It's interesting to see how different AI chatbots have provided varied predictions for the price of bitcoin by December 31, 2024. Claude Instant from Anthropic predicted $85,000, while Pi from Inflection expects a rise to $75,000. Bard from Gemini forecasts that the price of BTC will exceed $90,000 by that date, though it cautions that unforeseen economic obstacles could limit the peak to around $70,000. ChatGPT-3.5 from OpenAI sees a price range of $75,000 to $85,000 as plausible but not guaranteed. A more conservative estimate from ChatGPT-4 suggests a range of $40,000 to $60,000, factoring in potential market fluctuations and investor caution, but doesn't rule out a rise to $80,000. Lastly, Bing AI from Co-Pilot creative predicts a price around $75,000, based on the information it has gathered.

These diverse predictions from AI systems reflect the inherent uncertainty and complexity in forecasting cryptocurrency prices, highlighting a range of factors that could influence market dynamics over the next few years.

As of the evening of January 19, BTC/USD was trading around $41,625. The total market capitalization of the cryptocurrency market stood at $1.64 trillion, down from $1.70 trillion a week earlier. The Bitcoin Fear & Greed Index, a measure of market sentiment, has dropped from 71 to 51 points over the week, moving from the 'Greed' zone to the 'Neutral' zone. This shift indicates a change in investor sentiment, reflecting a more cautious approach in the cryptocurrency market.

In conclusion regarding the growing market speculation about the imminent launch of spot ETFs on Ethereum, in our previous review, we cited a statement by SEC Chairman Gary Gensler, who clarified that the regulator's positive decision applies exclusively to exchange-traded products based on bitcoin. According to Gensler, this decision "does not signal readiness to approve listing standards for crypto assets that are considered securities." It's important to note that the regulator still classifies only bitcoin as a commodity, while "the vast majority of crypto assets are seen as investment contracts (i.e., securities)."

Now, analysts from the investment bank TD Cowen have confirmed pessimism regarding ETH-ETFs. Based on the information they have; it seems unlikely that the SEC will begin reviewing applications for this investment instrument in the first half of 2024. "Before approving ETH-ETFs, the SEC will want to gain practical experience with similar investment instruments in bitcoin," commented Jaret Seiberg, head of TD Cowen Washington Research Group. TD Cowen believes that the SEC will revisit the discussion of Ethereum ETFs only after the U.S. presidential elections in November 2024.

Nikolaos Panagirtzoglou, a senior analyst at JP Morgan, also does not expect a quick approval of spot ETH-ETFs. He opines that for the SEC to make a decision, it needs to classify Ethereum as a commodity rather than a security. However, JP Morgan considers such a development unlikely in the near future.


NordFX Analytical Group


Notice: These materials are not investment recommendations or guidelines for working in financial markets and are intended for informational purposes only. Trading in financial markets is risky and can result in a complete loss of deposited funds.

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[Stan NordFX]

CryptoNews of the Week

– On January 11, bitcoin reached a peak of $47,787, a height last seen in the spring of 2022. However, instead of the anticipated growth, it plummeted and recorded a local low of $38,520 on January 23. In just 12 days, the leading cryptocurrency lost nearly 20%. According to experts, this is a classic case of the "buy the rumour, sell the news" scenario. Initially, there was an impressive bull rally, fueled by speculation about the launch of bitcoin ETFs on the stock exchange. However, once these funds became operational, market participants began actively taking profits.
The inflow of capital into BTC-ETFs, many of which were launched by major Wall Street players like BlackRock, was not as substantial as expected. Data from CoinShares shows that the 10 new funds launched on January 11 had gathered $4.7 billion by the end of Tuesday. Meanwhile, $3.4 billion flowed out of the Grayscale trust, which was considered the world's largest holder of bitcoin and has now also been transformed into a BTC-ETF. Logic suggests that a significant portion of the money in the 10 new funds likely came from Grayscale investors who switched to competitors with lower fees. If this is the case, then the inflow of new investments into the funds amounts to only $1.3 billion.

– Along with bitcoin, all major altcoins, including Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Cardano (ADA), Avalanche (AVAX), Dogecoin (DOGE), Binance Coin (BNB), and others, also suffered losses. Analysts believe that digital assets are facing additional pressure due to improvements in the stock markets, with both American and European indices on the rise. Investors are anticipating the recovery of the US economy ahead of the January 25 publication of the country's GDP data for Q4 2023.

– Peter Schiff, President of Euro Pacific Capital, didn't miss the opportunity to gloat over the buyers of bitcoin ETF shares. The share price of these funds fell by 20% or more from their peak. The FBTC shares suffered the most, depreciating by 32%. "I think VanEck should change the ticker of its ETF from HODL to GTFO [from 'hold' to 'get rid of", Schiff commented. This advocate for physical gold didn't limit his criticism to spot BTC-ETFs but also highlighted the ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO), which allows investment in bitcoin futures. Since the launch of this derivative in October 2021, its share price has plummeted by more than half.
Schiff believes that the owners of spot bitcoin ETFs will continue to incur losses. Some experts do not rule out the possibility of the coin's price falling to $30,000 - $35,000, lending some credence to the financier's bleak forecast.

– An analyst operating under the pseudonym Ali illustrated the price patterns of the last two cycles of the first cryptocurrency and suggested a further decline in its value. The expert pointed out that during previous rallies, bitcoin followed a consistent pattern: first reaching the Fibonacci level of 78.6%, followed by a correction to 50%. Hence, according to this model, a drop in the BTC/USD pair to $32,700 (50%) is not ruled out.
Trader Mikeystrades also considered a dip to $31,000 and advised against opening long positions. "Save your money until the market starts showing bullish strength and follows the flow of orders," the expert emphasized.
A crypto trader known as EliZ predicted a fall in bitcoin's value to $30,000. "I anticipate a bearish distribution over the next two to three months, with the second half of 2024 likely to be truly bullish. These pauses are necessary to keep the market in a healthy state," he stated.

– Caroline Mauron, the head of OrBit Markets, told Bloomberg that if bitcoin fails to consolidate above $40,000 soon, we could witness a significant liquidation of positions in the futures market accompanied by a panic withdrawal of capital from the crypto sphere.
Michael Van De Poppe, the founder of MN Trading, has a different view. He emphasized that bitcoin has gathered liquidity and is approaching a local bottom. "Buy at the lows. Bitcoin under $40,000 is an opportunity," the analyst urges.
Yann Allemann, co-founder of blockchain data provider Glassnode, also known as Negentropic, believes that a bullish rally in the bitcoin market will start in the first half of 2024. He predicts that by early July, the coin's value will rise to $120,000. This forecast is based on the asset's past price dynamics after the appearance of a bullish flag on the chart.

– In recent critical remarks about digital gold, Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan, once again expressed doubts about the asset's finite supply limit of 21 million coins.
In response, Jameson Lopp, co-founder & CTO of Casa, posted a fragment of the bitcoin protocol code that establishes a halving of miners' rewards every 210,000 blocks, or approximately every four years. This mechanism implies that after 33 halvings, the reward will drop to zero from the initial 50 BTC, meaning no new coins will be produced. Lopp asserted that "even Satoshi [Nakamoto] can't force" a change in these five lines of the software.
However, some experts believe that theoretically, modifications to bitcoin's source code, like any other, are possible, and the emission limit of 21 million coins could be lifted. But such a decision would have to be made by a consensus of miners. A historical precedent cited is the "block size war" of 2017, when some developers, crypto companies, and mining pools wanted to increase the block size from the original 1 MB to scale the network. This idea was rejected by the community as it would have led to greater centralization of bitcoin.
In a Bitcointalk forum discussion of Dimon's statement, users noted that increasing the emission would negatively impact trust in the cryptocurrency. "The finite supply of 21 million BTC is an advantage that sets bitcoin apart from other banking products. With an emission limit, the asset becomes more valuable. Any attempt to increase the supply is foolishness by short-sighted people who want to undermine trust in digital gold," comments on the forum read. Most participants in the discussion agreed that the final decision remains with the community, which is unlikely to support a change in emission parameters.

– The crypto exchange BitMEX organized a mission with an ambitious goal: to deliver the main digital asset to the surface of Earth's natural satellite. Aboard the lunar lander was a 43-gram cold crypto wallet containing 1 BTC. The module was inscribed with text from the bitcoin genesis block: a tribute to the creator of the first cryptocurrency, Satoshi Nakamoto.
However, something went wrong. The spacecraft, launched into space ten days ago, struggled to maintain orientation towards the Sun, necessary for charging its onboard batteries. Engineers at Astrobotic detected a fuel leak in the module's engine system, but it was too late. NASA recommended burning the module in the atmosphere. Eventually, it almost completely burned up, with the remnants falling somewhere in the southern part of the Pacific Ocean. Thus, the bitcoin managed to travel only 50,000 km from Earth's surface, instead of the planned 385,000 km.

– Bloomberg exchange analyst James Seyffart believes that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) may authorize the trading of options on spot bitcoin ETFs. He announced this on his page on X (formerly Twitter). Seyffart notes that the SEC has already taken into consideration applications under form 19b-4 for the possibility of trading such instruments. According to the analyst, approval could occur between February 15 and September 21 of this year.

– Last week, Morgan Stanley published a document titled "Digital (De)Dollarization?" authored by the bank's COO, Andrew Peel. According to the author, there is a clear shift towards reducing reliance on the dollar, which in turn is fuelling interest in digital currencies such as bitcoin, stablecoins, and CBDCs (Central Bank Digital Currencies). Peel writes that the recent surge in interest in these assets could significantly alter the currency landscape. He cites a recent survey by Sygnum Bank, which found that over 80% of institutional investors believe cryptocurrencies play a vital role in the global financial industry.

– Popular analyst Lark Davis has pointed out the significant demand for cryptocurrencies in South Korea. He suggests that if local authorities decide to approve a spot bitcoin ETF, it could potentially generate up to $3 billion per year. Additionally, Davis reminded that organizations in Hong Kong are planning to launch their debut product in Q1 this year. If this happens, the influx could amount to about $6 billion over 12 months.

– The number of cryptocurrency users has reached over half a billion people, which is approximately 6% of the Earth's population. According to recent data, the number of people owning Ethereum has increased from 89 million to 124 million, while the number of Bitcoin owners by the end of the year rose from 222 million to 296 million. Notably, 40% of BTC owners also hold ETH, whereas 42% of cryptocurrency owners do not have these coins in their portfolios.
The increase in user numbers is linked to the prolonged bearish trend in the crypto market, as the authors of the study believe: “The adoption of cryptocurrencies in 2023 grew despite macroeconomic obstacles, namely: tightening of monetary policies by Western central banks in an attempt to curb inflation, military conflicts, and the long-term consequences of the pandemic.” Analysts at Crypto.com noted a particularly sharp demand for bitcoin in Q4 2023, spurred by expectations related to the launch of BTC-ETFs.

 

[Stan NordFX]

Forex and Cryptocurrencies Forecast for January 29 – February 02, 2024​

EUR/USD: US Economy Delivers Surprises

The two most significant events last week occurred on Thursday, January 25. On this day, the European Central Bank (ECB) held a meeting, and preliminary GDP data for the US for Q4 2023 was published.

As expected, the ECB left the key interest rate unchanged at 4.50%. The regulator also maintained other critical parameters of its monetary policy. At the press conference following the meeting, ECB President Christine Lagarde refrained from commenting on potential timelines for rate cuts. She reiterated her previous statements, noting that the ECB Governing Council members believe it is premature to discuss policy easing. However, Lagarde highlighted that wage growth is already declining and added that they anticipate further inflation reduction throughout 2024.

Overall, the first event passed without surprises, unlike the second. The preliminary GDP data for Q4 2023 released by the US Bureau of Economic Analysis showed the expected slowdown in American economic growth compared to the extremely high rates of Q3 (4.9%), reaching 3.3% on an annual basis. However, this was significantly above the market consensus forecast, which anticipated a more substantial slowdown to 2.0%. Thus, it turned out that for the entire year of 2023, the country's economy grew by 2.5% (compared to 1.9% in 2022). The data confirmed the national economy's resilience to the most significant interest rate hike cycle since the 1980s – instead of the expected slowdown, it continues to grow at rates above the historical trend (1.8%).

These impressive results were a surprise for market participants. They look particularly 'stellar' compared to the performance of other currency zones. For instance, Japan's GDP continues to crawl back to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, and the Eurozone's GDP seems to have been in a state of stagnation for some time. This benefits the dollar, as a stable economy allows the Federal Reserve to delay the start of monetary policy easing and maintain restrictive measures for a while longer. According to CME futures quotes, the probability of an interest rate cut in March is currently 47%, almost half of what was expected a month ago (88%). Many experts believe the Fed will start gradually reducing the cost of federal fund loans no earlier than May or June, waiting for signs confirming the sustainability of the inflation slowdown.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics also reported on January 25 that the number of initial unemployment claims for the week ending January 20 rose to 214K, exceeding the previous week's figures and forecasts of 200K. Despite the slight increase, the actual value still represents one of the lowest levels since the end of last year.

As mentioned earlier, the economic situation in the Eurozone appears significantly worse, exacerbated by Russia's military actions in Ukraine and the downturn of China's economy, an important partner for Europe. Against this backdrop, the ECB may become the most hasty among the G10 central banks to start reducing interest rates. Such a step would exert strong pressure on the common European currency, placing the euro at a disadvantage in the Carry-trade segment. Additionally, the advantages of the dollar as a safe-haven currency should not be overlooked.

The dollar index DXY found strong support at the 100.00 level at the end of last year, rebounded upwards, and has been consolidating around 103.00 for the past week, seemingly 'sticking' to its 200-day moving average. Market participants are awaiting the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting of the US Federal Reserve, scheduled for Wednesday, January 31, amidst strong GDP data and convincing evidence of disinflation. It is likely that, as with the ECB, the interest rate will remain at the current level (5.50%). Moreover, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's remarks, similar to the ECB's, are expected to be cautious regarding the timelines for rate cuts. However, his more favourable tone regarding inflation reduction may be enough to restore market confidence in the beginning of monetary policy easing as early as March. In this case, DXY could resume its movement towards 100.00. Otherwise, a renewal of the December peak of 104.28 seems quite plausible.

Data on personal consumption expenditures in the US were released at the very end of the workweek, on Friday, January 26. The Core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index showed a monthly increase from 0.1% to 0.2%, which fully matched forecasts. Year-on-year, the index stood at 2.9%, lower than both the previous value (3.2%) and the forecast (3.0%).

These figures did not significantly impact the exchange rates, and EUR/USD closed the week at 1.0854. Currently, the majority of experts predict the strengthening of the US dollar in the near future. Among them, 80% voted for the dollar's appreciation, 0% sided with the euro, and the remaining 20% held a neutral position. However, in the monthly perspective, the balance of power between bullish (red), bearish (green), and neutral (grey) is evenly distributed: a third for each. Oscillator readings on the D1 timeframe confirm the analysts' forecast: 100% of them are coloured red (15% indicating oversold conditions). Among trend indicators, the balance of power is 65% in favour of the reds and 35% for the greens. The nearest support levels for the pair are located in the zones 1.0800-1.0820, followed by 1.0725-1.0740, 1.0620-1.0640, 1.0500-1.0515, and 1.0450. The bulls will encounter resistance in the areas of 1.0905-1.0925, 1.0985-1.1015, 1.1110-1.1140, 1.1230-1.1275, 1.1350, and 1.1475.

In the upcoming week, in addition to the aforementioned FOMC meeting and subsequent press conference, we are expecting the release of Q4 GDP data for Germany and the Eurozone on Tuesday, January 30. On Wednesday, we will see the retail sales volumes and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in Germany, as well as the state of employment in the US private sector from ADP. On Thursday, February 1, inflation data (CPI) for the Eurozone and business activity in the US manufacturing sector (PMI) will be published. Additionally, on February 1 and 2, we will traditionally receive a wealth of statistics from the US labor market, including the unemployment rate and the number of new jobs created outside of the agricultural sector (Non-Farm Payrolls, NFP).

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[Stan NordFX]

GBP/USD: Inflation Continues to Bolster the Pound

The retail sales report released on January 19 in the United Kingdom turned out to be disappointing. Retail sales volumes in December decreased by -3.2% following a 1.4% increase in the previous month, while analysts had expected a -0.5% drop. Year-on-year, this indicator declined by -2.4% after increasing by 0.2% a month earlier (forecast was -1.1%). Sales excluding fuel dropped by -3.3% month-on-month and -2.1% year-on-year, against expert forecasts of -0.6% and -1.3%, respectively.

However, despite this, GBP/USD not only maintains its position within the six-week lateral channel of 1.2600-1.2800 but is even seeking to consolidate in its upper half. Analysts believe that the British currency continues to be supported by expectations that the Bank of England (BoE) will likely be among the last to lower rates this year.

It's worth recalling that the December inflation data showed the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in the United Kingdom rose month-on-month from -0.2% to 0.4% (consensus forecast was 0.2%), and year-on-year reached 4.0% (compared to the previous value of 3.9% and expectations of 3.8%). The core CPI figure remained at the previous level of 5.1% year-on-year. Following the release of this report, which showed rising inflation, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak quickly sought to reassure the markets. He stated that the government's economic plan remains sound and continues to work, having reduced inflation from 11% to 4%. However, despite the Prime Minister's optimistic statement, many market participants are now more convinced that the Bank of England will delay the start of easing its monetary policy until the end of the year. "Concerns that the disinflation process may stall have probably increased," Commerzbank economists wrote at the time. "And the market will likely bet that the Bank of England will respond accordingly and, therefore, be more cautious about the timing of the first interest rate cut."

The British currency was also bolstered by preliminary data on business activity in the country, released on Wednesday, January 24. The Manufacturing PMI rose from 46.2 to 47.3, against a forecast of 46.7. Furthermore, the Services PMI and the Composite PMI firmly established themselves in the growth zone (above 50 points). The Services PMI increased from 53.4 to 53.8 (forecast was 53.2), and the Composite PMI went up from 52.1 to 52.5 (forecast was 52.2). From these figures, the market inferred that the country's economy could withstand high interest rates for an extended period.

GBP/USD concluded the previous week at a level of 1.2701. Regarding the analysts' forecasts for the coming days, the sentiment is similar to that for EUR/USD: 70% voted for the pair's decline, only 10% were in favor of its rise, and 20% preferred to remain neutral. The outlook for the monthly and longer-term horizon is more ambiguous. Among the trend indicators on the D1 timeframe, in contrast to the specialists' opinions, there's a clear preference for the British currency: 80% indicate a rise in the pair, while 20% suggest a decline. Among oscillators, 35% are in favour of the pound, 10% for the dollar, and the remaining 55% maintain a neutral stance. Should the pair move southward, support levels and zones at 1.2595-1.2610, 1.2500-1.2515, 1.2450, 1.2330, 1.2210, 1.2070-1.2085 await it. In case of an upward movement, the pair will encounter resistance at levels 1.2750-1.2765, 1.2785-1.2820, 1.2940, 1.3000, and 1.3140-1.3150.

In addition to the FOMC meeting of the US Federal Reserve, we will also have a meeting of the Bank of England in the upcoming week. It is scheduled for Thursday, February 1st, and according to forecasts, the BoE is also expected to keep the borrowing rate at the current level of 5.25%. Besides this, no other significant events related to the economy of the United Kingdom are anticipated in the near future.

USD/JPY: Does the Drift Towards 150.00 Continue?

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) in the Tokyo region unexpectedly dropped from 2.4% to 1.6% in January, and the figure excluding food and energy prices decreased from 3.5% to 3.1%. Such a significant weakening of inflationary pressure could lead the Bank of Japan (BoJ) to refrain from tightening monetary policy in the foreseeable future.

This forecast is also supported by the monthly economic report of the Japanese government, published on Thursday, January 25. The report states that the consequences of the strong earthquake on the Noto Peninsula in central Honshu, Japan's main island, could reduce the national GDP by 0.5%. These estimates increase the likelihood that the Bank of Japan will maintain its ultra-loose monetary policy at least until mid-2024. Consequently, any speculation about an interest rate hike in April can be disregarded.

The minutes from the Bank of Japan's December meeting reinforce this outlook. It was noted that the Board members agreed that "it is necessary to patiently maintain an accommodative policy." Many members (another quote) "stated that it is necessary to confirm a positive wage-inflation cycle to consider the issue of phasing out negative rates and YCC." "Several members said they do not see the risk of the Central Bank falling behind schedule and can wait for developments at the annual wage negotiations this spring." And so on in the same vein.

Economists at MUFG Bank in Japan believe that the current situation does not hinder the selling of the yen. "Given our view on the strengthening of the US dollar in the near term and the more significant-than-expected drop in inflation data [in Japan]," they write, "we may see an increase in the appetite for Carry-trade positions funded by the yen, which will contribute to the further rise of USD/JPY." MUFG strategists opine that the pair will continue its drift northward, towards 150.00. However, as it approaches this level, the threat of currency interventions by Japanese financial authorities is expected to gradually increase.

In the interest of fairness, it should be noted that there are still those who believe in an imminent shift by the BoJ to a tighter policy. For instance, specialists at the Dutch Rabobank still adhere to a forecast suggesting the regulator could raise rates as early as April. "However," the bank's experts write, "everything will depend on strong wage data from the spring negotiations and evidence of changes in corporate behaviour regarding wages and pricing." "Our forecast, which sees USD/JPY ending the year at 135.00, assumes that the Bank of Japan will raise rates this year," continue the Rabobank economists. However, they add that there is still a possibility of disappointment in the pace of rate hikes.

USD/JPY recorded its peak for the past week at 148.69, finishing slightly lower at 148.11. In the near-term outlook, 30% of experts anticipate further strengthening of the dollar, 30% side with the yen, and 40% hold a neutral position. Regarding the trend indicators and oscillators on the D1 timeframe, all 100% point north, though 10% of them are in the overbought zone. The nearest support level is located in the 146.65-146.85 zone, followed by 146.00, 145.30, 143.40-143.65, 142.20, 141.50, and 140.25-140.60. Resistance levels are positioned at 148.55-148.80, 149.85-150.00, 150.80, and 151.70-151.90.

No significant events related to the Japanese economy are anticipated in the upcoming week.

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[Stan NordFX]

CRYPTOCURRENCIES: Why Bitcoin Fell

On January 10, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved a batch of all 11 applications from investment companies to launch spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) based on bitcoin. Against this backdrop, the quotations of the main cryptocurrency momentarily spiked to $47,787, a level last seen in the spring of 2022. However, instead of the expected growth, bitcoin then tumbled and recorded a local minimum of $38,540 on January 23. Thus, in just 12 days, the cryptocurrency lost nearly 20% of its value. According to several specialists, this is a classic case of the "buy the rumour, sell the news" scenario. Initially, there was a significant bull rally fueled by speculations about the launch of bitcoin-based ETFs. Now that these funds are operational, market participants have begun actively taking profits.

However, there are other reasons for the decline, reflected in specific figures. The capital inflow into BTC-ETFs, many of which were launched by major Wall Street players like BlackRock, turned out to be smaller than expected. It appears that investors have become disillusioned with cryptocurrency. According to CoinShares, the 10 new funds had gathered $4.7 billion by the end of Tuesday. Meanwhile, $3.4 billion flowed out of the Grayscale trust, which was considered the world's largest bitcoin holder and has now also been transformed into a BTC-ETF. Logic suggests that a significant portion of the funds likely just shifted from Grayscale investors to the 10 new funds with lower fees. If this is the case, then the net new investment inflow is just $1.3 billion. Moreover, in recent days, this has turned into a net outflow of $25 million.

It's also important to note that since the approval of BTC-ETFs, along with short-term speculators and Grayscale investors, the sell-off has been influenced by the bankruptcy manager of the FTX crypto exchange and especially by miners. Together, they have unloaded $20 billion worth of coins on the market, a large portion of which belongs to the miners. They are particularly concerned about the increasing computational difficulty and the halving in April, which will force many of them out of business. As a result, since January 10, miners have sent a record 355,000 BTC worth $15 billion to crypto exchanges, the highest in six years. In these circumstances, the demand for a spot bitcoin ETF of $4.7 billion (or realistically $1.3 billion) seems modest and unable to compensate for the resulting outflow of funds. Hence, we are witnessing such a significant drop in the price of the main digital asset.

Along with bitcoin, major altcoins, including Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Cardano (ADA), Avalanche (AVAX), Dogecoin (DOGE), Binance Coin (BNB), and others, also incurred losses. Analysts believe that the improvement in the stock markets has also exerted additional pressure on cryptocurrencies – over the last three weeks, both American and European indices have shown growth.

Peter Schiff, the president of Euro Pacific Capital, did not miss the opportunity to gloat over the buyers of bitcoin ETF shares. He believes that the approval of these funds does not create new demand for cryptocurrency. According to the financier, those investors who previously bought cryptocurrency on the spot market or invested in shares of mining companies and Coinbase are now merely shifting their investments to ETFs. "Shuffling deck chairs won't save the ship from sinking," predicted this advocate of physical gold.

Schiff thinks that the fate of investors in the spot product will be similar to those who invested in the futures ETF BITO, launched in the fall of 2021. Currently, shares of this fund are trading at a 50% discount, implying that bitcoin is also expected to fall to around $25,000. Since January 10, 2024, the share price of BTC-ETFs has already fallen by 20% or more from their peak. The shares of FBTC suffered the most, decreasing in value by 32% in two weeks. "I think VanEck should change the ticker of its ETF from HODL to GTFO [from 'hold' to 'get the heck out']," Schiff sarcastically commented on the situation.

Caroline Mauron, head of OrBit Markets, told Bloomberg that if bitcoin fails to firmly establish itself above $40,000 soon, it could trigger a massive liquidation of positions in the futures market, accompanied by a panic outflow of capital from the crypto sphere.

An analyst using the pseudonym Ali illustrated the price patterns of the last two cycles and, like Caroline Mauron, suggested a further decline in the coin's value. The expert noted that in previous rallies, bitcoin followed a consistent pattern: first reaching the 78.6% Fibonacci level and then correcting to 50%. Thus, according to this model, a drop in the BTC/USD pair to $32,700 (50%) is not ruled out.

Trader Mikeystrades also allowed for a drop to $31,000 and advised against opening long positions. "Save your money until the market begins to demonstrate bullish strength and follows the flow of orders," the expert recommended.

A crypto trader known as EliZ predicted a fall in the bitcoin price to $30,000. "I expect a bearish distribution over the next two to three months, but the second half of 2024 will be truly bullish. These stops are necessary to keep the market in a healthy state," he stated.

Michael Van De Poppe, founder of MN Trading, holds a different view. He emphasized that bitcoin has already collected liquidity and is approaching a local bottom. "Buy at the lows. Bitcoin below $40,000 is an opportunity," the analyst urged. Yann Allemann, co-founder of Glassnode, believes that a bullish rally in the bitcoin market will start in the first half of 2024, with the coin's value increasing to $120,000 by early July. This forecast is based on the dynamics of the asset's value changes in the past after the appearance of a bullish flag pattern on the chart.

Indeed, negative scenarios should not be ignored. However, it's important to consider that current pressures are largely due to temporary factors, while long-term trends continue to favor digital gold. For instance, since the fall of 2021, there has been an increase in the proportion of coins that have remained inactive for over a year. This indicator is now showing a record 70%. An increasing number of people are trusting bitcoin as a tool for inflation protection and savings. The number of cryptocurrency users has reached over half a billion people, about 6% of the Earth's population. According to recent data, the number of Ethereum holders has grown from 89 million to 124 million, while the number of bitcoin owners by the end of the year increased from 222 million to 296 million people.

There is also growing acceptance of this new type of asset among large capital representatives. Last week, Morgan Stanley published a document titled "Digital (De)Dollarization?", authored by the investment bank's COO Andrew Peel. According to the author, there is a clear shift towards reducing dependency on the dollar, simultaneously fuelling interest in digital currencies such as bitcoins, stablecoins, and CBDCs. Peel writes that the recent surge in interest in these assets could significantly alter the currency landscape. According to a recent Sygnum Bank survey, over 80% of institutional investors believe that cryptocurrencies already play an important role in the global financial industry.

As of the evening of January 26, when this review was written, BTC/USD is trading around $42,000. The total market capitalization of the crypto market stands at $1.61 trillion, down from $1.64 trillion a week ago. The Bitcoin Fear & Greed Index remains in the Neutral zone at 49 points, slightly down from 51 a week earlier.


NordFX Analytical Group


Notice: These materials are not investment recommendations or guidelines for working in financial markets and are intended for informational purposes only. Trading in financial markets is risky and can result in a complete loss of deposited funds.

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[Stan NordFX]

CryptoNews of the Week

– Analysts note that the 12-month volatility of the first cryptocurrency has reached its lowest level in 12 years. The indicator has fluctuated significantly over the years, but overall, it has shown a clear downward trend during this period. From 179% in January 2012, it fell to 45% at the beginning of this year. A higher figure indicates significant price variability and signals greater market unpredictability. Lower metric values suggest much more stable trading conditions.
CryptoQuant believes that reduced volatility may indicate a greater number of long-term holders. Meanwhile, the research department at Galaxy Digital predicts that the launch of spot bitcoin ETFs in the USA will further smooth price fluctuations. "A huge amount of BTC will be in the accounts of [investment] advisors. They are not interested in intraday trading," the experts state.

– Analysts at Matrixport have predicted a fall in the price of the first cryptocurrency to $36,000. They believe that bitcoin can then appreciate, but only against the backdrop of favourable macroeconomic conditions and increased liquidity. It's worth recalling that in December, these same analysts forecasted bitcoin to reach $125,000 in 2024.

– Chris Burniske, a partner at the venture firm Placeholder, has forecasted that the price of bitcoin will initially drop to the $30,000-$36,000 range, before potentially reaching a local bottom around $20,000. "We're heading towards a consolidation lower than most people expect, due to too many variables (such as the specifics of the crypto market, macroeconomics, the adoption and development of new products)," the expert warned. However, he believes that testing levels around $20,000 will be a "real step" towards eventually returning to previous highs. "The journey there will be volatile – expect setbacks. And it will take months. As always, your best friend is patience," Burniske emphasized, adding that the fall in other assets will be deeper than that of bitcoin.

– Amazon MGM Studios has launched the production of the feature film "Razzlekhan," which will narrate the story of the 2016 Bitfinex cryptocurrency exchange hack involving 120,000 BTC. The film is based on a 2022 New York Times article about the married couple, Russian Ilya Lichtenstein and American Heather Morgan, who are accused of laundering the stolen funds. The film's title is derived from Morgan's rap pseudonym.
In February 2022, the U.S. authorities arrested the couple and seized bitcoins worth $3.6 billion. That same month, Morgan was released on a $3 million bail, while Lichtenstein remained in custody.

– Peter Schiff, President of Euro Pacific Capital and a well-known opponent of the first cryptocurrency, unexpectedly conceded that by 2031, the price of bitcoin could reach $10 million, albeit under a very hypothetical scenario. According to him, this could occur if the US dollar follows the path of the "German paper mark". This term informally referred to the currency introduced in Germany at the beginning of World War I in 1914, replacing the previous mark, which was backed by gold.
In the early 1920s, the paper mark depreciated due to hyperinflation. During these years, companies paid salaries several times a day so that workers could make purchases before the next price increase. The money supply grew so rapidly that the state couldn't print banknotes fast enough and had to involve private printers. The largest denomination issued was a 100 trillion-mark banknote.

– While Peter Schiff may be sceptical and ironic about the prospect of an economic collapse and the fall of the US dollar, Robert Kiyosaki, the investor and bestselling author of "Rich Dad Poor Dad," harbours no such doubts. He insists that gold, silver, and bitcoin should be part of every investor's portfolio. Kiyosaki, admitting his limited knowledge about the main cryptocurrency, believes in the success of bitcoin due to the "very smart people" involved in it. He is confident that the price of BTC could reach $1 million in the event of a global economic downturn.

– The analyst known as Rekt Capital believes traders have one last opportunity to purchase bitcoin at a low price. His analysis of historical data has led him to several conclusions. 1. If bitcoin's price does not decrease within the next two weeks, it's unlikely to significantly drop before the halving, which is scheduled for April 19. 2. Around 60 days prior to the halving, BTC’s price is expected to increase due to the excitement surrounding the event. 3. Following the halving, there might be a rush by speculators to sell their holdings, potentially causing bitcoin's price to fall for several weeks, possibly by 20-38%. 4. After this period, a phase of accumulation is anticipated, which could last up to 150 days and is characterized by relatively low price volatility for BTC. 5. This accumulation phase is expected to be followed by a phase of parabolic growth in bitcoin's rate, culminating in a new historical high.

– A new study has revealed that the adoption of digital assets continues to grow actively in Europe. The Binance team conducted a survey across several European countries, including France, Italy, Spain, and Sweden, involving over 10,000 participants. The findings from the study showed that 73% of European residents believe in the future of cryptocurrencies. 55% of respondents reported using cryptocurrency for purchases, with 10% doing so on a weekly basis. Additionally, 24% indicated that nearly half of their trading operations involve tokens.
The main factors contributing to the adoption of digital assets in Europe, as identified by survey participants, include high profitability, decentralization, and innovation. Rachel Conlan, Chief Marketing Officer at Binance, noted that such widespread integration of digital assets in Europe is facilitated by a safe and harmonized regulatory framework in the region.

– Analyst DonAlt informed his 56,700 YouTube subscribers that despite the volatility due to the launch of BTC exchange-traded funds (ETFs), bitcoin has managed to avoid a complete price collapse. The digital gold remains strong even after its price fell below $40,000 last week. The expert believes that the absence of major selloffs is a positive sign. "For this reason, I'm no longer in the bear camp; now I'm in the bull camp," he stated. DonAlt also emphasized that bitcoin is consolidating within a strong upward trend and is likely to regain its bullish momentum as soon as it overcomes the resistance level at $44,000.

– According to analysts at Glassnode, the majority of long-term investors are still reluctant to part with their coins. The Glassnode report indicates that the vast majority of BTC holders are adhering to a hodling strategy in anticipation of higher spot prices. K33 Market Research reports that the volume of spot trading in bitcoins has reached "consistently high activity following the approval of ETFs." It's noted that "a significant portion of ETF flows is likely distributed among other over-the-counter orders, not affecting the spot market order books." According to The Block’s Data Dashboard, the monthly volume of on-chain transactions in the bitcoin network in January was at a multi-month high, with trading volume for January exceeding $1.11 trillion.

– Anthony Scaramucci, founder of SkyBridge Capital hedge fund, believes that the price of bitcoin will surge to at least $170,000 following the halving in April. "On the day of the halving, multiply the BTC price by four, and it will reach this level within the next 18 months," he stated. "For instance, if the price is $50,000, then later bitcoin will be worth $200,000," explained the investor. Previously, the head of SkyBridge had claimed that the BTC price post-halving could reach $100,000. He also cited the reduction of the Federal Reserve's interest rate in the USA as an additional reason for the onset of a bullish rally.
Regarding the long-term price, Scaramucci forecasts that bitcoin's market capitalization could reach half of gold's market capitalization, which is $14.5 trillion. Consequently, according to his calculations, the price of the coin could be around $345,000.

– Markus Thielen, Head of Research at 10x Research, utilizes Elliott Wave Theory in his forecasts, which suggests that asset prices move in five waves. According to this theory, the first, third, and fifth waves are "impulse waves," while the others are "corrective waves." The recent decline in bitcoin’s price represents the fourth wave, or a correction, the analyst believes. Currently, the fifth wave is starting, which could drive the price upwards. "Wave analysis has marked this recovery up to $52,671 potentially by the end of Q1 2024," the 10x Research representative announced. In his view, the bitcoin price is influenced by the overall growth of the stock market and the cessation of fund outflows from Grayscale's largest bitcoin exchange-traded fund. The growth of digital assets will also be supported by Google's decision to allow advertising for cryptocurrency ETFs.


Notice: These materials should not be deemed a recommendation for investment or guidance for working on financial markets: they are for informative purposes only. Trading on financial markets is risky and can lead to a loss of money deposited.

#eurusd #gbpusd #usdjpy #btcusd #ethusd #ltcusd #xrpusd #forex #forex_example #signals #cryptocurrencies #bitcoin #stock_market

 

[Stan NordFX]

January 2024 Results: Gold Regains Value in the New Year​

NordFX, a brokerage firm, has summarized the trading performance of its clients for January 2024. The effectiveness of social trading services, PAMM and CopyTrading, as well as the profits earned by the company's IB partners, were also evaluated.

- The most successful trader in the first month of the new year was a client from Western Asia, with account number 1740XXX, who achieved a profit of 18,732 USD through transactions with gold (XAU/USD).
- The XAU/USD pair also aided a representative from South Asia, account number 1694XXX, to secure the second step on the podium with a result of 16,355 USD.
- Third place went to a compatriot of the latter, the owner of account number 1595XXX. By trading the same instrument favoured by NordFX traders, gold (XAU/USD), as well as the British pound (GBP/USD), he earned a profit of 12,725 USD.

As for NordFX passive investment services, the situation unfolded as follows:

- In the PAMM service, the Trade and Earn account continues to attract the attention of passive investors. Opened in March 2022, it remained dormant for four months before awakening in November. As a result, during its "active" period, its return exceeded 415%. Unfortunately, at the end of 2023, the account manager made a serious mistake. While for a long time the maximum drawdown did not exceed 17%, in just a few days of December, it approached a dangerous 60%. However, the manager was able to rectify the situation afterwards, leading to a sharp increase in profitability, with the maximum drawdown in January not exceeding 10%.

Among startups, the account Kikos2 is noteworthy, showing a profit of 325% in just 72 days. However, given the aggressive trading strategy, it also experienced a significant maximum drawdown of about 60%. This serves as a reminder that investors should exercise utmost caution when investing their money. Past results do not guarantee future performance, so it is important to assess one's financial capabilities and be prepared for potential setbacks.

- In CopyTrading, we continue to monitor the signal from yahmat-forex, which has shown a return of 335% over 222 days, with a maximum drawdown of 37%. The startup Fund Manage Global 100 also caught our attention, delivering a 160% return in just 83 days with a relatively moderate drawdown of 20%. Additionally, the signal FX NEW SKY cannot be overlooked. In just two weeks, it achieved not just a sky-high, but a cosmic profit of 1820%. However, it also experienced a cosmic maximum drawdown of 77%. After all, as is well known, journeys to the stars are exceptionally risky and fraught with potential crashes and catastrophes.

Among the IB partners of the brokerage firm NordFX, the top 3 are as follows:
- The largest commission reward in January was credited to a partner from East Asia, with account number 1218XXX, amounting to 8,268 USD;
- is was followed by a colleague from West Asia, account number 1645XXX, who earned 5,746 USD for the month;
- nally, completing the top three is a partner from South Asia, account number 1718XXX, who received 3,842 USD in commissions.


Notice: These materials should not be deemed a recommendation for investment or guidance for working on financial markets: they are for informative purposes only. Trading on financial markets is risky and can lead to a loss of money deposited.

#eurusd #gbpusd #usdjpy #btcusd #ethusd #ltcusd #xrpusd #forex #forex_example #signals #cryptocurrencies #bitcoin #stock_market

 

[Stan NordFX]

Forex and Cryptocurrencies Forecast for February 05 – 09, 2024​

EUR/USD: Dollar Strengthening Prospects Increase

Throughout January, a series of indicators: GDP, employment, and retail sales, consistently highlighted the strength of the US economy. The threat of recession diminished, and it became evident that the high interest rate did not significantly hinder economic performance. Market participants were keenly awaiting the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting of the US Federal Reserve, scheduled for Wednesday, January 31, against the backdrop of these positive economic indicators.

As anticipated, the regulator maintained the key rate at its current level (5.50%) but shifted its rhetoric to indicate that its next move would likely be to ease monetary policy. The question on everyone's mind was: when? During the press conference, Fed Chair Jerome Powell sought to temper expectations. He stated that FOMC members wanted to be 100% certain of victory over inflation and that they would not rush into a dovish pivot until convincing evidence of inflation falling below the 2.0% target was seen. Fortunately, the strong economy permits this cautious approach. However, Powell acknowledged that should there be a sharp cooling in the labour market, the easing of monetary policy could occur quite swiftly.

It should be noted that throughout the latter half of January, Fed officials made concerted efforts to temper expectations of a rate cut starting as early as March. And it must be said, they succeeded. The probability of a policy reversal in March dropped from a peak of 90% to 35.5%, while the likelihood of a rate cut in May increased to 61%.

The market's reaction to the outcome of the FOMC meeting was rather muted. The DXY dollar index failed to reach 104.00, and EUR/USD, having dropped to 1.0800 on February 1, reversed direction and climbed back to 1.0900 by Friday, in anticipation of the release of data on the state of the American labour market.

The data published on February 2 revealed that the number of new jobs in the US non-farm sector (Non-Farm Payrolls) increased by 353,000 in January, far exceeding the expected 180,000. This followed a December increase of 333,000. Unemployment remained stable at 3.7%, while wage inflation rose to 4.5% on an annual basis, significantly surpassing market expectations of 4.1%. Thus, Fed Chair Jerome Powell's concerns about a sharp cooling of the labour market were unfounded, which clearly benefited the American currency.

Let's recall that a week earlier, on January 25, the European Central Bank (ECB) held a meeting where the regulator also left the key interest rate unchanged at 4.50%. During the press conference following the meeting, ECB President Christine Lagarde refrained from commenting on the possible timing of rate cuts. According to her, the Governing Council members believe it is too early to discuss easing monetary policy. However, many market participants think that economic challenges may prompt the ECB to initiate this process first. A comparison of macroeconomic indicators between the Old and the New World is enough to support this view.

The unemployment rate in the Eurozone stands at 6.4% compared to 3.7% in the US. European GDP barely moved from a recessionary negative level of -0.1% to 0% in Q4, while the US saw a growth of +3.3%. Moreover, inflation in the Eurozone is close to the target of 2.0%, currently at 2.9%, compared to 3.4% in the US. All these indicators could prompt the European Central Bank to begin easing monetary policy soon. Furthermore, ECB Vice President Francois Villeroy de Galhau recently stated that the rate could be reduced at any moment. Many market participants interpreted this as a signal that a dovish trend might begin within the next two months.

However, analysts at Commerzbank believe that an initial rate cut in March or April might not occur. They note that one negative factor for the euro persists. The bank's strategists think that there is a significant faction within the ECB Governing Council that is merely biding time, to then seize the first opportunity to advocate for a rate cut. "This may even be too soon," Commerzbank warns.

Economists at another bank, the British HSBC, expect the dollar to strengthen slightly in the medium term, especially against the euro and the pound. This is attributed to the continued outperformance of the US economy compared to many other G10 countries, allowing the Federal Reserve to delay easing its policy. "A less aggressive easing path could lead to a decrease in risk appetite, which would support the US dollar," HSBC specialists write.

EUR/USD closed the week at 1.0787. At present, 30% of experts have voted for the dollar to strengthen in the near future, anticipating further decline in the pair. An equal percentage sided with the euro, believing that the pair will at least remain within the 1.0800-1.0900 channel. The remaining 40% have adopted a neutral stance. Indicator readings on the D1 are more definitive. Oscillators are 100% in the red (though 20% of them signal oversold conditions). Among trend indicators, the balance of power is 85% red to 15% green. The nearest support for the pair is located in the 1.0780 zone, followed by 1.0725-1.0740, 1.0620-1.0640, 1.0500-1.0515, and 1.0450. Bulls will encounter resistance in the areas of 1.0820, 1.0890-1.0925, 1.0985-1.1015, 1.1110-1.1140, and 1.1230-1.1275.

Key events for the upcoming week include the release of data on business activity (PMI) in the US services sector on Monday, February 5. The next day, volumes of retail sales in the Eurozone will be disclosed. Thursday traditionally brings information on the number of initial jobless claims in the United States. And towards the very end of the workweek, on Friday, February 9, data on consumer price inflation (CPI) in Germany, the main engine of the European economy, will be released.

GBP/USD: US Labor Market Delivers Blow to the Pound

Last week, on Thursday, February 1, the Bank of England (BoE), like its counterparts across the Channel and the Atlantic, maintained its key interest rate at 5.25%. The Bank of England made no changes to its policy and did not issue any dovish statements. However, the pound received support as two members of the BoE's Monetary Policy Committee continued to vote for a rate hike of 25 basis points. This argument proved to be relatively weak, especially since another committee member voted for a rate cut, while the overwhelming majority, eight members, supported keeping the rate unchanged.

Analysts continue to believe that expectations are on the side of the British currency, speculating that the BoE might be among the last to cut rates this year. However, according to Scotiabank specialists, for further growth of the GBP/USD pair, a breakthrough of the late December peak at 1.2825 is necessary. Yet, there seems to be no foundation for this at the moment. Moreover, strong data from the US labour market strengthened the dollar and prevented the pair from remaining near the upper boundary of the 1.2600-1.2800 sideways channel, where it has been trading for seven weeks.

GBP/USD concluded the past week at 1.2632. According to economists at Internationale Nederlanden Groep (ING), a strong dollar may keep GBP/USD around the 1.2600-1.2700 range in Q1 2024. Regarding the median forecast of analysts for the coming days, 35% voted for the pair falling below the 1.2600 support level, 50% for its rise, and 15% preferred to maintain neutrality. Unlike the experts, trend indicators on D1 show a slight bias towards the American currency, with 60% indicating a strengthening dollar and further decline of the pair, against 40% suggesting its rise. Among oscillators, 65% lean towards the dollar (with 10% indicating oversold conditions), 10% favour the pound, and the remaining 25% hold a neutral position. Should the pair move south, it will encounter support levels and zones at 1.2595-1.2610, 1.2500-1.2515, 1.2450, 1.2330, 1.2210, and 1.2070-1.2085. In case of an upward movement, resistance will be met at levels 1.2695-1.2725, 1.2785-1.2820, 1.2940, 1.3000, and 1.3140-1.3150.

No release of significant macroeconomic data related to the economy of the United Kingdom is anticipated for the upcoming week.

continued below...

 

[Stan NordFX]

USD/JPY: BoJ Policy Shift: Dreams or Reality?

Strong U.S. labour market statistics dashed the hopes of bulls not only for the euro and the pound but also for the yen. At the beginning of the past week, the Japanese currency was gaining, and USD/JPY was trending downwards, marking a local minimum at 145.89 on Thursday, February 1. A sharp decline in the yield of U.S. Treasuries helped the yen. Specifically, the yield on 10-year U.S. bonds fell to its lowest level since the end of December: 3.9%. It is worth noting the correlation between U.S. securities and USD/JPY. If the yield on ten-year Treasury notes falls, the yen strengthens, and USD/JPY forms a downward trend. This was exactly the case. However, the end of the workweek was characterized by a clear advantage for the American currency, and the pair soared again, concluding at 148.35.

Many market participants continue to harbour hopes for a tightening of monetary policy by the Bank of Japan (BoJ). For instance, analysts at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) expect the BoJ to move away from negative interest rates in April, with additional changes in its Yield Curve Control (YCC) policy to support the Japanese yen in the second half of the year. "We believe," CIBC strategists write, "that USD/JPY has already reached its peak and should [...] decrease to 144.00 in Q2. Following this, we anticipate that rate cuts by the Federal Reserve and the prospect of gradual adjustments to the BoJ's YCC will lead to a decline in USD/JPY to 140.00 in Q3 and 135.00 in Q4 2024."

It's important to note that many experts had anticipated a tightening of the Bank of Japan's (BoJ) monetary policy already in 2023: a topic extensively covered in previous discussions. However, this did not occur. And it might not happen now either.

In January, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in the Tokyo region unexpectedly fell from 2.4% to 1.6%, and the core CPI, excluding fresh food and energy prices, decreased from 3.5% to 3.1%. Additionally, the growth of industrial production in Japan in December slowed to 1.8%, against a forecast of 2.4%. On a year-over-year basis, industrial production also showed further deceleration: in December, this indicator was -0.7% (year-on-year), an improvement compared to the previous period's -1.4% but still marking a decline.

Such a significant easing of inflationary pressure and a slowdown in economic growth may lead to the BoJ not tightening its policy in the foreseeable future, leaving the interest rate at -0.1%. This forecast was also confirmed by the minutes from the Bank of Japan's December meeting. It was indicated that the Board members agree that "it is necessary to patiently maintain a loose policy."

Regarding the near-term outlook, only 25% of experts expect further strengthening of the dollar and an increase in USD/JPY. In contrast, 75% are siding with the yen, agreeing with CIBC economists that the pair has reached its peak. Trend indicators and oscillators on D1 are all pointing northward, with 100% indicating upward momentum, although 10% of the latter are in the overbought zone. The nearest support level is located in the 147.60 zone, followed by 146.85-147.15, 146.00, 145.30, 143.40-143.65, 142.20, 141.50, and 140.25-140.60. Resistance levels and zones are at 148.55-148.80, 149.85-150.00, 150.80, and 151.70-151.90.

No significant events or statistics related to the Japanese economy are expected in the upcoming week.

continued below...

 

[Stan NordFX]

CRYPTOCURRENCIES: Halving – Grief or Joy?

Throughout the past week, BTC/USD moved with support at $42,000 without showing any significant results in either direction, drawing special attention to its statistics. Analysts note that the 12-month volatility of the first cryptocurrency has reached its lowest level in 12 years. The indicator has varied significantly over the years but has generally shown a clear downward trend over this period. From 179% in January 2012, it dropped to 45% at the beginning of this year.

A higher volatility figure indicates significant price variability and signals greater market unpredictability. Lower metric values suggest much more stable trading conditions. The decreased volatility could mean a larger number of long-term holders, according to CryptoQuant. The research department at Galaxy Digital predicts that the spot bitcoin ETFs launched in January will further smooth out price fluctuations. "A huge amount of BTC will be held in [investment] advisory accounts. They are not interested in intraday trading," the experts state.

Analysts at Glassnode also spoke about long-term investors. Their report indicates that the overwhelming majority of such BTC holders still do not wish to part with their coins and adhere to a hodling strategy in anticipation of higher spot prices. According to K33 Market Research, the volume of spot trading in bitcoin reached "sustainably high activity following the approval of ETFs." Data from The Block’s Data Dashboard shows that the monthly volume of on-chain transactions in the bitcoin network in January was at a multi-month high, with trading volume for January exceeding $1.11 trillion.

Regarding the Bitcoin ETFs launched in January, the situation has not been as promising as expected. According to several experts, this is a classic case of "buy the rumour, sell the news." Initially, there was an impressive bull rally. Now, however, as these funds have become operational, market participants have begun actively taking profits.

The Grayscale ETF was converted from a trust fund, and by the end of January, it experienced a withdrawal of funds amounting to $2.2 billion. The reason for this is not only the profit-taking by the trust's shareholders in 2023 but also dissatisfaction with high management fees. Grayscale charges a 1.5% fee, whereas other funds have managed to keep their fees between 0.2-0.3%. Among the ETF competitors, BlackRock continues to lead with $2.2 billion, with Fidelity approaching $2 billion. WisdomTree is at the bottom of the ranking with $6.3 million. As for the net inflow of funds since the launch of spot BTC-ETFs, it stands at a modest $760 million.

In addition to profit-taking, another reason putting pressure on the market has been the miners. The halving is scheduled for April 19, leaving roughly 2.5 months. If the price of digital gold does not show significant growth during this period, the majority of miners will face a severe liquidity shortage. Therefore, they have already started to sell off their BTC reserves to replenish liquidity. Since the approval of spot ETFs on January 10, they have sent a record 624,000 BTC to exchanges over the last six years, approximately worth $26 billion. According to estimates, miners still have about 1.8 million BTC left, valued at $76 billion. The sale of these reserves could potentially push bitcoin prices significantly lower.

Analysts at Matrixport have forecasted a drop in BTC/USD to $36,000. They believe that bitcoin might then appreciate in value, but only against a backdrop of favourable macroeconomic conditions and increasing liquidity. (It's worth mentioning that these same analysts had predicted bitcoin would reach $125,000 in 2024 back in December).

Chris Burniske, a partner at the venture firm Placeholder, provided an even more pessimistic forecast. He believes that the price of the leading cryptocurrency will first fall to the $30,000-$36,000 range and then likely reach a local bottom around $20,000. "The consolidation will come lower than most people expect, due to too many variables (e.g., specifics of the crypto market, macroeconomics, adoption, and development of new products)," the expert warned. However, testing the levels around $20,000 will be a "real step" towards reaching previous highs, he believes. "The journey there will be volatile – expect setbacks. And it will take months. As always, your best friend is patience," Burniske emphasized, adding that the decline in other assets will be even deeper than that of bitcoin.

Contrary to Chris Burniske, the forecast by analyst DonAlt appears significantly more optimistic. He cheered his 56,700 YouTube subscribers by noting that bitcoin managed to avoid a total price collapse after the launch of the Bitcoin ETFs. "Digital gold looks strong even after its price dropped below $40,000 last week," he observed. The expert believes that the absence of mass selloffs is a positive sign. "For this reason, I am no longer in the bear camp; now, I am with the bulls," he declared. DonAlt also emphasized that bitcoin is consolidating within a strong upward trend and is likely to regain bullish momentum once it overcomes resistance at the $44,000 level.

Another expert, known by the nickname Rekt Capital, believes traders have one last chance to buy bitcoin at a low price. He analysed historical data and came to the following conclusions:

1. If bitcoin does not become cheaper in the next two weeks, then the coin's price will not significantly fall until the halving. 2. Approximately 60 days before the halving, BTC's price will rise on the wave of hype surrounding the event. 3. After the halving, speculators will rush to sell the cryptocurrency, so bitcoin will depreciate for several weeks, and its value may drop by 20-38%. 4. Then a period of accumulation will begin, lasting up to 150 days, characterized by a relatively low level of BTC price volatility. 5. After this, a phase of parabolic growth in the bitcoin price will start, and its price will reach a new all-time high.

Markus Thielen, Head of Research at 10x Research, is a proponent of Elliott Wave Theory, which suggests that asset prices move in five waves. According to this theory, the first, third, and fifth waves are "impulse waves" that move the asset in the direction of the trend, while the others are corrective "retracement waves." The analyst believes the recent decline in bitcoin's price represents the fourth wave, i.e., a retracement. At present, the fifth wave is beginning, which could push the price upward. "Wave analysis has marked this recovery up to $52,671 potentially by the end of the first quarter of 2024," Thielen announced.

Anthony Scaramucci, the founder of hedge fund SkyBridge Capital, pointed to a similar figure. "Suppose the price [on the day of the halving] is $50,000," he predicts. "Multiply this BTC price by four, and it will reach this level [$200,000] within the next 18 months." Previously, the head of SkyBridge claimed that the BTC rate could reach $100,000 after the halving. As an additional reason for a bullish rally, he cited the reduction of the US Federal Reserve's interest rate.

Regarding the long-term course, Scaramucci forecasts that bitcoin's market capitalization could reach half of gold's, which stands at $14.5 trillion. Therefore, by his calculations, the price per coin would amount to about $345,000.

Peter Schiff, the President of Euro Pacific Capital and a staunch opponent of the first cryptocurrency, made an unexpected long-term forecast. While he typically predicted a complete crash for bitcoin, he has now suggested that by 2031 the price of the coin could reach ... $10 million, albeit under a very hypothetical scenario. According to him, this would only occur if the US dollar were to follow the path of "German paper marks." This term informally referred to the currency introduced in Germany at the start of World War I in 1914 as a replacement for the previous gold-backed mark. In the early 1920s, the paper mark depreciated due to hyperinflation. At that time, companies paid wages several times a day so that workers could make purchases before prices rose again. The money supply grew so rapidly that the state could not print banknotes fast enough and had to enlist private companies for help. The largest denomination issued was a banknote worth 100 trillion marks.

In reality, Peter Schiff does not believe in an economic collapse and the fall of the US dollar. Thus, this forecast of his can be considered mockingly sarcastic towards bitcoin. However, Robert Kiyosaki, the economist and author of the bestseller "Rich Dad Poor Dad," harbours no doubts about such a scenario. He continues to insist that gold, silver, and bitcoin should be part of every investor's portfolio. He is confident that the price of BTC could reach $1 million in the event of a global economic collapse.

As of the evening of February 2, when this review was written, the global economy has not collapsed, BTC/USD has not reached either $1 million or $10 million, and is currently trading around $43,000. The total market capitalization of the crypto market stands at $1.65 trillion (up from $1.61 trillion a week ago). The Crypto Fear & Greed Index has increased to 63 points (from 49 a week ago), moving from the Neutral zone into the Greed zone.


NordFX Analytical Group


Notice: These materials are not investment recommendations or guidelines for working in financial markets and are intended for informational purposes only. Trading in financial markets is risky and can result in a complete loss of deposited funds.

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