The attention of investors shifted from the Middle East to Japan late last week, as the natural devastation caused by a massive earthquake trumped the manmade chaos that has been playing out in Libya, Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere in the oil-rich region. With rescue efforts intensifying in the north of Japan after a magnitude 8.9 quake and resulting tsunami, a potential nuclear crisis has emerged as another threat that could impact the entire country. The death toll had climbed to nearly 1,600 on Sunday, but by some estimates that figure will reach as high as 10,000 as rescue efforts continue. [click to continue…]
As the Japanese economy has continued to sputter in recent months, frustration has gradually built over the stubborn strength of the yen. Still perceived as a safe haven, the Japanese currency has been gaining ground against virtually all of its major rivals as a wave of risk aversion washed over global markets. That has been [...]
For many in the U.S., a strong currency sounds like a nice problem to have. A firm greenback effectively reduces the cost of flat-screen TV’s from Asia and makes overseas vacations a little more affordable. In reality, however, currency strength can be an significant obstacle to economic growth, especially for export-dependent economies. No one knows [...]
Frustration in Japan is running high these days, as the thorn in the side of the struggling Asian economy digs deeper still. While many in America cheer any appreciation in the dollar–a strong greenback makes Asian electronics and European vacations more affordable–Japan has learned the hard way about the adverse impacts of a rallying local [...]
With ongoing weakness in Europe pushing the euro to double digit losses against major rival currencies this year, many investors have sought out safe havens such as the U.S. dollar to ride out the storm. The presence of general economic uncertainty has sent the greenback sharply higher against virtually every major currency year-to-date. However, a [...]
With just two and a half months in the books, 2010 has already been an odd year from an investment perspective. A small European nation that accounts for just a fraction of global GDP has become a major driver of stock and bond markets around the globe, capable of setting off both buying and selling [...]
Michael Johnston, senior analyst for ETF Database appeared on live television earlier today to discuss the rally of the US Dollar. ADZ, DDP, DGZ, EUO, UUP, and YCS are some of the ETFs that have been affected. Watch the complete interview at BNN.
After a rocky start to 2009, global equity markets finally found a bottom, and began an impressive recovery effort that saw many indexes nearly double from their March lows. While not all recoveries were created equal — emerging markets sprinted into the lead early and distanced themselves from the world’s developed economies throughout the year [...]
More much of the second half of 2009, one of the overarching themes has been continued weakness in the U.S. dollar, as a perfect storm of economic and political factors combined to push the greenback continually lower against major rivals. But once the calendar turned to December, the tables turned as well, and the U.S. [...]
On the issue of currencies, investors are somewhat divided. Some prefer to avoid currency investing altogether, likening the activity to high-stakes gambling that can lead to big swings in fortunes in a matter of minutes. While this might be an accurate portrayal of leveraged forex trading, proponents of including currencies as an asset class within [...]
