Fundamental Outlook for US Dollar: Bullish

- Existing home sales see a record increase in July thanks to deflated prices through foreclosures, inventories
- Fed Chairman Bernanke offers a cautiously optimistic outlook among his peers at Jackson Hole
- Will the dollar topple or has resistance set the stage for a true reversal?

The US dollar ended this past week in a precarious position. After four consecutive days of selling pressure (the currency’s worst trend since the end of May), the greenback once again finds itself within arm’s reach of its yearly lows. The market has flirted with renewing the dollar’s bear trend for nearly two months now. It is only a matter of time and speculation before the world’s reserve currency finds direction once again – especially as the global recovery gathers traction and the scales between risk and reward tilt towards higher returns. In determining what may be the ultimate catalyst for a renewed trend, we have to determine what traders are more concerned about: risk appetite or growth potential. Investor sentiment is notoriously difficult to gauge as it is notoriously fickle and often sparked by innocuous factors that quickly snowball through speculation. However, there is a good chance that, in the end, both paths may lead back to growth.

Through the worst of the financial crisis, the US dollar garnered a clear distinction as a safe haven through its reserve status and the liquidity of the government debt that backed it. Whether this title still fits or not, the dollar’s flight-to-safety quality continues to drag it down while equities, commodities and other popular ‘risky’ asset classes rally. In the short-term, this designation may in fact benefit the currency. While we have seen investor sentiment steadily rise over the months, with the S&P 500 just recently hit new highs for the year; there are signs that optimism is flagging. Taking a look at the volume data that accompanies the steady trend in equities, there is a clearly diminishing trend in conviction behind this move. Considering the risks just beneath the surface of this speculatively-fueled recovery, it is no surprise that doubt is developing. Since the worst of the financial crisis depressed investment levels to oversold conditions, we have seen a natural rebound turn into an impromptu bull trend on the foundation that the global economy is returning to growth. However, the early signs of recovery that market participants have attached themselves to are merely evidence that the recession is easing and stability is returning. Policy officials and economists have unanimously warned that expansion through the next year will stagnate; but speculation has built off of its own momentum. Eventually, these divergent assessments have to realign - and it isn’t the nature of growth projections to suddenly change. However, with statistics like rising unemployment, strained credit availability and the US already facing the most bank failures in a year since 1992 (through August nonetheless); there are plenty of catalysts to spark a wave of fear.

Looking outside of the simple measure of the appetite for and aversion to risk, we also have to consider the dollar’s relationship to this fundamental qualifier. The currency has been labeled a safe haven partly as a holdover from the panic-stage of the crisis through the end of 2008 and partly due to its loose monetary policy approach in the face of what some market participants consider a clear recovery (a situation which would likely suppress growth and yields). However, if indeed the global recovery will stagnate through the near-term, maintaining its fiscal stimulus, guarantees and bailout loans may actually encourage a faster return to sustainable growth. In the days ahead, the market will find a better sense of the United State’s standing in the race to recovery. Second readings of German, UK and US 2Q GDP numbers will provide important updates on the component data behind the headline readings. Consumer spending, capital investment and exports will be critical in evaluating the pace of recovery beyond the three months ending in June. Among the other notable economic listings on the docket, consumer confidence, personal income and spending figures will measure the health of an economic group that accounts for approximately 70 percent of GDP. Another notable contribution could be made housing. This past week, existing home sales marked their biggest jump on record, but due to a sharp drop in prices due to foreclosures and at the consequence of rising inventories. A genuine recovery in this vital source of wealth and employment depends on credit and consumer health.

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