Quote from trade-ya1:
I believe that the main reason for this significant counter-trend move is simply the date on the calendar. Put another way, the big money and real investor-set is long the EUR. This is supported by the longer-term charts (continued uptrend in the EUR) as well as what now seems to be improving fundamentals in the form of a softening of US economic indicators which calls into question the speed and pace of further Fed tightening. As this is typically the vacation period (last week of August) in the US, I believe that there is a perception amongst smart (yes, smart) shorter-term traders that there is no major impetus for the EUR to move higher in the very short term as many real-money accounts are unlikely to make significant moves this week do to vacations and reduced liquidity. Thus, I believe that these wiseguys (said in the most flattering way) have taken this opportunity to pressure the longer-term money during an illiquid and quiet week. As such, I continue to believe in the long side of the EUR trade and I believe that we are cleaning out the weak-handed longs with a lack of conviction or the johnny-come-latelies to the EUR trend.
However, I strongly believe that while today was quite a significant move, the short-term traders cannot and will not be able to push the EUR much lower before some real-money guys pick up their cellphones from the Hamptons and start lifting offers. If the EUR trades below 1.2000, I would have to seriously re-think my longer term opinions and strategy. At this stage, I do not believe that I will be put into that position. Respectful comments welcome.
Neal,
Not that I'm going to hold a long position from here to 1.20, but I think 1.20 is a poor place to abandon a long term view of the Euro strengthening against the dollar. Remember that only three weeks ago (8/4) the Euro bounced off the 1.1970 area. There was a lot of buying interest below 1.20 and it didn't spend very much time down there. The Euro rising against the dollar has never been a Euro strength story but rather a dollar weakness story. It looks like the budget deficit and the current account deficit are going to continue to grow and that will mean more dollar weakness in the medium and longer term.