GF - I saw ECI as very tame as well. Doesn't change the fact that the Fed will hike in May to 5%, then pause, and the ECB will probably not hike at all because, as you say, they don't want a stronger euro. I also agree with your synopsis on the RBA hiking.
At the end of the day, maties made an excellent point:
"For every $10bil I leave in a US bank will provde me with $259mil more in one year than in the EU Bank."
Rates may be pausing in the US, but no one has said they will be done there. In fact, Bernarke stated the opposite actually - a pause doesn't mean we're done.
When does anyone expect the EZ to hit 5%? How about 4%?
I continue to maintain that this latest EUR craze is based on emotional fallout from the G7, with some diversification mixed in for good measure.