US: Dip In Trump's Approval Rating Could Complicate Legislation
Feb-18 19:17
US President Donald Trump has seen a modest dip in approval since taking office on January 20. According to 538’s approval tracker, Trump currently has a net approval rate of +4.0%, down from +8.2% in late January.
- The dip is approval is likely due to a dip in moderate and soft-Democratic support that helped power Trump’s popular vote victory in November. In particular, several surveys have noted that special advisor Elon Musk and his affiliated Department of Government Efficiency have been poorly received by voters.
- An Economist survey published last week found, “Just 39 percent of adults under 30-years-old… reported a favorable opinion of Trump. That number stood at 50 percent just two weeks ago.”
- Should Trump’s approval dip further, it may impact the decision-making of Congressional Republicans ahead of a critical period for Trump’s agenda in Congress. All legislation in Congress will require the near-unanimous support of House Republicans. Any signal from voters that plans to cut welfare programmes like Medicaid will put moderates or those representing districts with a high proportion of welfare recipients in a challenging position.
Figure 1: Donald Trump Approval Rating
Source: 538
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EURUSD TECHS: Trend Signals Still Bearish
Jan-19 19:02
- RES 4: 1.0630 High Dec 06
- RES 3: 1.0513 50-day EMA
- RES 2: 1.0437/58 High Jan 6 / High Dec 30
- RES 1: 1.0345/54 20-day EMA / High Jan 15
- PRICE: 1.0282 @ 19:12 GMT Jan 17
- SUP 1: 1.0178 Low Jan 13 and the bear trigger
- SUP 2: 1.0138 1.764 proj of the Sep 25 - Oct 23 - Nov 5 price swing
- SUP 3: 1.0122 2.0% 10-dma envelope
- SUP 4: 1.0031 2.000 proj of the Sep 25 - Oct 23 - Nov 5 price swing
The trend condition in EURUSD is unchanged, it remains bearish and last week’s recovery appears corrective. Recent weakness resulted in a print below 1.0226, the Jan 2 low. The breach confirms a resumption of the downtrend and maintains the bearish price sequence of lower lows and lower highs. Sights are on 1.0138 next, a Fibonacci projection. Resistance to watch is 1.0437, the Jan 6 high. Initial resistance is at 1.0345, the 20-day EMA.
MNI: US TSY TICS NET FLOWS IN NOV +$159.9B
Jan-17 21:00
- MNI: US TSY TICS NET FLOWS IN NOV +$159.9B
- US TSY TICS NET L-T FLOWS IN NOV +$79.0B
US TSYS: Tsy Curves Twist Flatter, Heavy Short End Sales Ahead Inauguration
Jan-17 20:10
- Treasuries look to finish mixed Friday, well off early session highs with heavy short end selling weighing across the strip while curves twisted flatter (2s10s -4.357 at 33.679, 5s30s -2.657 at 43.037).
- Massive -46k Mar'25 2Y futures sale triggered a broad based reversal by midmorning, while morning headlines that incoming President Trump held a call with China President Xi elevated volatility. Descriptions of a positive tone for China/US relations provided a boost for the Chinese Yuan.
- A surprise $10B 5-tranche debt issuance from Bank of America contributed to selling in rates.
- Generally positive data: Industrial production surprisingly jumped 0.9% M/M (cons 0.3) in Dec after an upward revised 0.2% M/M (initial -0.1%). Utilities may have helped with their 2.1% M/M increase (strongest since May) but manufacturing production was also stronger than expected with 0.6% M/M (cons 0.2%) after an upward revised 0.4% M/M (initial 0.2%).
- Building permits were a little higher than expected in December at 1483k (cons 1460k) for little change from 1493k in Nov. Housing starts meanwhile, which are more prone to weather disruption, surprisingly jumped to 1499k (cons 1327k) after 1294k in Nov.
- Reminder, the Federal Reserve enters their policy Blackout at midnight tonight through January 30.
- Corporate earnings pick up in earnest next week, headliners expected to announce next Tuesday include KeyCorp, DR Horton Inc, Charles Schwab, Prologis Inc and 3M Co before the market opens, Fifth Third Bancorp, Netflix Inc, Interactive Brokers, United Airlines, Seagate Technology and Capital One Financial after the market closes.
