Sony / Ninty Yen boost. Markets finally catch up with me ;-)

[binary solo]

kowenicki said:

binary solo said:
Isn't it the case that the Japanese economy is not doing great, so the only reason the Yen has been on the high side is because the European and US economies are doing as bad or worse? If Japan's improvement lags the USA and Europe's a bit, especially if USA and Europe raise interest rates slightly in the next year or so, then the Yen should depreciate further.

Is the 80/100 level significant in a medium term context?

Hopefully this also means an easing of the NZD vs the USD. We don't like being in the high 70s - low 80s. Mid 60s to low 70s is a lot more comfortable for us.

There isnt much chance of interest rates rising, or if they do it would be by very small amounts.  Feeling in the UK is that interest rates stay low for years to come.

I didnt know you lived in NZ.  The NZD is killing one of my clients that emigrated there a couple of years ago.  I am waiting to send him a significant 6 figure sum but we simply cant whilst the NZD is so high.  He is even thinking about selling the house he built over there, moving back to the UK, waiting for the currency to devalue and moving back to NZ again - it would probably pay off.

And yet, bizarrely, predictions are that the reserve bank will increase interest rates here (late) next year, and that would only push up the NZ dollar even more worsening our trade deficit. The NZ dollar is subject to rather sudden downshifts. There was a time when UK pensioners were on to a winner by moving here because it instantly tripled the value of their pension while only increasing cost of living by a relatively small amount. What cost 1 pound in GB cost about $1.50 here. Things aren't quite the same now. It does make gaming consoles cheaper though. Really hoping our dollar doesn't tank before the rest of the next gen launches.

Even a 0.25% lift in interest rates in Europe / the USA would be significant for how it's interpretted: real economic growth is being experienced and things are well and truly on the mend. Especially in the USA a small lift in interest rates would see people starting to go back to the dollar. Hopefull that lot start putting up interest rates at about the same time, or before we do.