Analytics, News, and Forecasts for CFD Markets: currency news — 21-05-2018.

• U.S. demands on Iran 'aren't unreasonable' and hopes Tehran takes a different path

• Convinced that over time allies will recognize that Trump administration strategy is the right one toward Iran

• If we don't get what we want on China trade, Trump can put tariffs back on

• Structural changes to U.S. trade with China will be part of our framework, will continue to have meetings

• We'll see where we get on NAFTA talks in next few weeks, still trying to get a new deal done

• Catalonia needs to return to institutional, economic, social normality

• Needs a government that is capable of serious dialogue

• Says C.Bank does not see strong impact from rouble rate on inflation

• C.Bank to review its short-term oil price forecast in june

• There is only marginal impact from roulbe weakness in april on inflation

• Outlook for Netherlands reflects expectation that it would be able to withstand potential financial and economic shocks

• Risks to Netherlands' growth stem from external environment - Brexit, increasing tendency toward protectionism, potential reduction in global trade

Japan had a merchandise trade surplus of 626.0 billion yen in April, according to rttnews.

That exceeded expectations for a surplus of 440.0 billion yen following the downwardly revised 797.0 billion yen surplus in March (originally 797.3 billion yen).

Exports were up 7.8 percent on year, missing forecasts for an increase of 8.7 percent but up from 2.1 percent in the previous month.

Imports advanced an annual 5.9 percent versus expectations for 9.8 percent following the 0.6 percent contraction a month earlier.

• Industry movements were divided, with 7 showing higher sales volumes and 8 showing lower sales volumes.

• Electrical and electronic goods had the largest dollar volume increase in this series, up 5.4 percent. Trends for the sales volume in this industry have been rising over the past 10 years; coincidently price changes in this industry have generally fallen over the same period.

• Supermarket and grocery stores, plus pharmaceutical and other store-based industries, both recorded notable increases for the March 2018 quarter, up 1.0 percent and 2.7 percent, respectively.

• Clothing, footwear, and accessories had the largest fall in the March 2018 quarter, down 5.0 percent, after a year of increased sales growth.

• Fuel showed a 2.1 percent fall in sales volume when the effects of price changes are removed.

EUR/USD

Resistance levels (open interest**, contracts)

$1.1935 (1997)

$1.1876 (1653)

$1.1838 (329)

Price at time of writing this review: $1.1752

Support levels (open interest**, contracts):

$1.1721 (2898)

$1.1692 (3144)

$1.1659 (2426)

Comments:

- Overall open interest on the CALL options and PUT options with the expiration date June, 8 is 153156 contracts (according to data from May, 18) with the maximum number of contracts with strike price $1,1400 (7177);

GBP/USD

Resistance levels (open interest**, contracts)

$1.3649 (2688)

$1.3618 (939)

$1.3568 (1028)

Price at time of writing this review: $1.3432

Support levels (open interest**, contracts):

$1.3409 (2387)

$1.3381 (1298)

$1.3349 (2472)

Comments:

- Overall open interest on the CALL options with the expiration date June, 8 is 38599 contracts, with the maximum number of contracts with strike price $1,3600 (2688);

- Overall open interest on the PUT options with the expiration date June, 8 is 40839 contracts, with the maximum number of contracts with strike price $1,3400 (2472);

- The ratio of PUT/CALL was 1.06 versus 1.04 from the previous trading day according to data from May, 18.

* - The Chicago Mercantile Exchange bulletin (CME) is used for the calculation.

** - Open interest takes into account the total number of option contracts that are open at the moment.