FX options wrap - Positioning for a weaker USD
FX options have been positioning for a weaker USD as expectations of Fed easing gathered pace and some currency pairs appear more fearful than others about an extended USD decline.
A UK holiday dampened incentive and trade flows on Monday, but there has been demand and increased volatility premium for options including impending NFP data after Fed chair Powell's comments on Friday.
EUR/USD implied volatility gained amid the recent EUR/USD rally through various topside barriers to reach 1.1201 on Friday (matched Monday). Benchmark 1-month expiry 25 delta risk reversals traded their highest topside over downside strike premium since late 2020 at 0.4 on Monday - reflecting the risk of more topside potential if EUR/USD can break more key barriers.
GBP/USD benchmark 1-month expiry 25 delta risk reversal has erased its long standing downside strike premium for the first time since 2020, but is struggling to adopt a topside premium.
USD/JPY 1-month risk reversals trade 2.4 JPY calls over puts - a high downside strike premium, which when combined with outright demand for JPY calls against numerous currencies, shows a market wary of more JPY strength.
AUD/USD bulls failed to break key technical resistance and FX option barriers by 0.6800. Option implied volatility remains well below recent highs and its premium for downside vs upside strikes via risk reversals is lower, yet still intact. This might indicate a reluctance to place too many bets on further AUD/USD gains, at least for now.
Larger FX option strikes expiring this week nL1N3KD06H
For more click on FXBUZ
GBP/USD FXO 1-month expiry 25 delta risk reversals https://tmsnrt.rs/3ABpvmh
EUR/USD 1-month 25 delta FXO risk reversal https://tmsnrt.rs/3SYA3SD
1-month expiry FXO implied volatility https://tmsnrt.rs/4fXBDya
(Richard Pace is a Reuters market analyst. The views expressed are his own)
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