Will 2016 Bring A Turnaround In FX?

Lior Alkalay - INO.com Contributor - Forex


The year 2015, no doubt, has been a year to remember. Markets saw the first Fed rate hike in years which pushed the Dollar ever higher. In the Eurozone, the ECB's QE pushed the Euro to lows it hasn't seen in years. And in China, the Yuan, too, is being pushed to record lows as China's economy gets squeezed.

Now, with 2016 practically knocking at the door, the question is will 2016 be the year of a turnaround? Or will the themes of 2015 continue to dominate? Here are some major areas to focus on which can help us figure it all out. Continue reading "Will 2016 Bring A Turnaround In FX?"

Why The Euro Is Rising And Why It Can't Last

Lior Alkalay - INO.com Contributor - Forex


For the investors who are watching the Euro, its latest behavior might appear bewildering. After all, the ECB, slightly undershooting expectations, still increased its target asset purchases to roughly €1.5tn. At the same time, the ECB cut the deposit rate to -0.3%. And let's not forget the goings on over on the other side of the Atlantic. There, the Federal Reserve is gearing towards its first rate hike in almost a decade. What, then, could possibly incentivize investors to buy Euros? And can it last?

Draghi's Words Hit a Nerve

When investors expect more central bank easing, they also expect the obligatory rhetoric. But what they hate is when the rhetoric is of a very specific sort. In this case, it is when a central banker stresses the limitations of monetary stimulus. Yet, in practically the same breath, they drive home the need for more government input. And essentially, that is exactly what Mario Draghi said.

Now, when the Fed unleashed similar rhetoric, it was seen as a signal that its ammunition might be running out. Earlier this year, the BoJ had made a similar statement in an attempt to lower expectations of more stimulus. Continue reading "Why The Euro Is Rising And Why It Can't Last"

Is Now The Time To Buy Stocks?

That is the million-dollar question right now given the market action in the equity markets in the last few days. Is this a buying opportunity or has the market reached an important top? It's a very valid question and one I hope to address in today's video.

As I've said before, this is an aging bull market that has been supported in part by quantitative easing (QE) and a very accommodating stance by the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve has been thinking of raising interest rates for some time and the last time the Fed raised rates was in June 2006. Continue reading "Is Now The Time To Buy Stocks?"

And The Winners Are...

Hello MarketClub members everywhere, there are two big winners today. The first winner has to be Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), they announced earnings last night and blew away all the estimates by a wide margin. Amazon announced its first real profit in 20 years. In after-hours trading, the stock was up over 11% which made Jeff Bezos, who founded Amazon a little over 20 years ago, the third wealthiest man in America right behind Warren Buffet and Bill Gates. I congratulate both Amazon and Jeff Bezos for sticking to their guns and providing an amazing, first-class service.

If you watched yesterday's video, MarketClub's Trade Triangles nailed Amazon's up move and I predicted that the stock would trade at $600 or higher. You can watch yesterday's video right here. For those of you who watched the video and took action, you just made a quick 10% on your money in less than 24 hours.

The second winner is Continue reading "And The Winners Are..."

Mario Draghi Must Act Now

Lior Alkalay - INO.com Contributor - Forex


The coming weeks could be pivotal ones for the Euro. This time, it isn’t because of a threat to its existence or a member state’s bankruptcy. No, this time, it will be because of the actions of Mario Draghi and the European Central Bank. The ECB chief has the power to ignite the momentum desperately needed to awaken the Eurozone from its economic stupor. Simply put, Mario Draghi must push the Euro below 1 Dollar.

The Eurozone Lately

When we examine the latest trends in the Eurozone, we do see some positive signs. Exports have recovered, and industrial production has increased, as well. On the consumer front, retail sales have also been accelerating nicely. On top of that, the Eurozone’s GDP growth rate has been inching up, albeit at a very moderate pace. Continue reading "Mario Draghi Must Act Now"