Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Economic Calendar for week 26th - 28th March 2008

PLEASE NOTE - All times GMT

Wednesday Mar 26th:

EU - 09:00 - German Ifo Business Climate Index
EU -
09:00 - German Ifo Business Expectations Index
EU -
09:00 - Current Account
EU -
10:00 - Industrial New Orders M/M
US -
12:30 - Core Durable Goods Orders M/M
US - 12:30 - Durable Goods Orders M/M
US -
14:00 - New Home Sales
US -
14:30 - Crude Oil Inventories

Thursday Mar 27th:

EU - 07:00- German Consumer Confidence
UK -
09:30 - BBA Mortgage Approvals
UK -
09:30 - Business Investment q/q (r)
UK -
11:00 - CBI Distributive Trades Realized
US -
12:30 - Final GDP Annualized q/q
US -
12:30 - Final GDP Deflator Annualized q/q
US -
12:30 - Unemployment Claims

Friday Mar 28th:

UK - 09:30 - Current Account
UK -
09:30 - GDP q/q (r)
US - 12:30 - Core PCE Price Index M/M
US -
12:30 - Personal Spending M/M
US -
12:30 - Personal Income M/M
US -
14:00 - Consumer Sentiment (r)

EU - Europe wide
FR -
France
UK -
United Kingdom
US -
United States
GE - Germany

The week ahead.

Just when you think a trend has been established, the market throws you a wrench and totally changes the whole picture. Before the markets even opened, the Bear Stearns saga hit its highest note, with JP Morgan offering $2 per share for Bear Stearns, and the latter accepting, mainly because the only other option was Bankruptcy.

On Tuesday after the much anticipated FOMC rate cut, the US dollar rallied on what analysts called a clearer picture from the Federal Reserve, and that they are almost at the end of the tightening cycle.

Commodities took it on the chin, most contracts losing more then 10% this week, with gold falling from the $1030 high it touched on Monday, to trade currently as low as $910 per troy ounce. They were not the only ones who took a big hit, currencies had their much anticipated correction, with the Euro falling more then 300 pips in a 48 hour period.

What was lost in all this sea of red was the fact that equities in North America actually had a week of positive results. The Dow Jones ended the week up almost 200 points, mainly on the help of a late Thursday upgrade of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by an analyst. The late Thursday gains should translate into a higher open on the FTSE when it comes back from the Easter holiday.

Since there was not much economic data out last week, the market was prone to rumors. HBOS and Lehman Brothers both suffered on rumors that they were in a liquidity crunch, and are the next ones to fail. Both rumors were proven false, but not before both stocks fell more then 10%, with Lehman falling as much as 40% before correcting.

The strength of the US dollar wasn't because of a change in fundamentals. We are expecting for the correction to wane and as a result here is this week's play.

A no touch on the Euro/USD for 11 days, 536 basis points below the current spot, could pay ROI 8%

Arthur Smelyansky
Copyright from
BetOnMarkets

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