Alan's Forex Blog

We all remember the term “Grexit.” It was coined when investors began thinking Greece might soon exit the euro zone. Not long after came similar headwinds in Spain. And analysts began talking of Spain possibly leaving the euro zone, too.
At about that time I looked hard at whether Germany might in fact be the first [...]

by Jack Crooks

It seems to me the Great Depression has cast a long dark shadow over Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke’s thinking. The man seems obsessed by the idea, based on his own historical research that if the Fed had just done “more” the Great Depression could have been avoided.
I think he is dead wrong. And [...]

We frequently hear the financial press refer to the U.S. dollar as the “world’s reserve currency,” implying that our dollar will always retain its value in an ever shifting world economy.  But this is a dangerous and mistaken assumption.
Since August 15, 1971, when President Nixon closed the gold window and [...]

by Jack Crooks
Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 7:30am

Many commentators who follow the global markets were very excited on the recent announcement that China would “widen the trade band” for its currency.
The People’s Bank of China, China’s central bank, said it would allow the yuan to trade up to 1 percent on either [...]

Balance of volatility is the key to unlocking profits in the foreign exchange market; too little and your returns are scant, too much and you could get caught out and lose everything.
Recent months have seen extreme swings in the markets with previous safe havens no longer offering sanctuary for investors and economies that promised so [...]

Dukascopy Fundamental Analysis
EUR
Nicolas Sarkozy, France’s President, said that the country may consider withdrawing for Schengen zone unless more efforts are put in stopping illegal immigration. Sarkozy speaking at President’s election rally stressed that the progress has to be made during next 12 months otherwise France will exit Schengen zone. Illegal immigration is expected to be [...]

Dukascopy Fundamental Analysis
EUR
“The debt-swap results show that international markets see the prospects the Greek economy has to regain a sustainable fiscal situation”
- Evangelos Venizelos, Greek Finance Minister
Greece pushed through the bond swap offer averting the immediate threat of an uncontrolled default and opening the way for a second rescue package.

USD
“The labor market has found its [...]

Dukascopy Fundamental Analysis
EUR
Germany’s factory orders unexpectedly slipped in January as overseas demand for machinery and similar investment goods fell. Factory orders lost 2.7% compared to a 1.6% gain in December, said Economy Ministry. Economists questioned by Bloomberg earlier predicted an 0.6% increase. On yearly basis orders have dropped 4.9%. Euro erased morning gains on report.
[...]