About Currency Currents

With Currency Currents, you can stay tuned-in to our current global-macro view and our analysis of key investment themes driving currency prices.

We consistently focus on the key asset classes responsible for the flow of global capital -- including equities, fixed income, commodities and, of course, currencies.

Nothing is off limits to us in this free-wheeling look at the markets. Some days you’ll receive ramblings on trading psychology, while other days we may take an academic approach in explaining esoteric economic issues. Ultimately we have one goal in mind: to help you get a handle on the key investment themes driving global capital flow. Because if you know where the money is going, it increases the probability that your position in the market will be a profitable one.

Who is Jack the Pipper?

Jack Crooks is Black Swan Capital LLC, President and Chief Trading Officer.

Jack is founder and president of Black Swan Capital LLC. He has also operated a discretionary money management firm specializing in global stock, bond, and currency asset management for retail clients. In addition, he was general partner in a firm specializing in currency futures and commodities trading. Neither firm is now in operation.

Prior to entering the investment arena, Jack worked in various corporate finance positions. He has written extensively on the subject of global currencies and international economics.

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Don't Let the Facts Get in the Way of a Good Story

Posted 08:44 19 May 2009

Key News

German Investor Confidence Soars More Than Estimated to Three-Year High (Bloomberg)
Local Banks Face Big Losses Commercial real-estate loans could generate losses of $100 billion by the end of next year at over 900 small and midsize U.S. banks if economic woes deepen, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis. (Wall Street Journal)

Key Reports (WSJ):
7:45 a.m. ICSC Chain Store Sales Index For May 16: Previous: +0.3%.
8:30 a.m. Apr Housing Starts: Expected: +3.9%. Previous: -10.8%.
8:55 a.m. Redbook Retail Sales Index For May 16: Previous: +0.1%.
4:30 p.m. May 15 API Oil Industry Report
5:00 p.m. ABC/Wash Post Consumer Conf For May 16: Previous: -42.

Quotable

"After today, whether you're a goat or a hero, you're gonna make me a great story."

Max Mercy

FX Trading - Don't Let the Facts Get in the Way of a Good Story
The second 'Key News' headline I included above is the type of news item I consider in formulating a fundamental view of the economy and markets.

The first 'Key News' headline I included above is the type of news item that says "forget the second news item, you idiot; bad news doesn't matter anymore."

So let's not let the facts get in the way because, really, the market is wearing rose colored glasses ... and love's what it's seeing. German investor confidence is pumping at a time when the most recent growth numbers came out ridiculously negative for Europe's largest economy.

As Jack said this morning upon flipping through the headlines: "I guess it is 2001 all over again."

If that's the case, then clearly no one should be holding US dollars. You'd want other currencies. Or you might even want stocks since that's the only thing the currencies seem to care about these days.

The Australian dollar is already back on the horse, knocking out the recent highs marked before risk appetite took a breather last week. Same goes for the pound - it barely flinched.

Of course, stocks have yet to retake similar levels ... but that doesn't matter because the feeling seems to be that they most certainly will. Last Tuesday's Commitment of Traders report shows that non-commercial longs outnumbered non-commercial shorts by almost 2 to 1.

The comparison to the previous reported showed little change to the long position but a notable reduction in short positions. The two Tuesday reports straddled the recent daily high and could simply show that shorts are having trouble hanging on in this environment that's just not that bad anymore, I guess.

The Japanese yen hit the deck hard yesterday. Is this a sign the risk-taking crowd is rested and raring to go?