Surging US Dollar Technically Strong on the Chart

The greenback, as illustrated by the USDX, has managed to poke through the chart resistance level at 87 in today's session. The overnight, surprise action by the Bank of Japan, has given currency traders a strong reason to hammer the Yen lower and they are doing exactly that.

The Euro is holding a bit better and is only down some .7% compared to the 2.5+% beating that the yen is taking, but both majors are down against the Dollar and that has enabled the greenback to finally better that tough chart level noted.

Essentially what we have is a currency, that was trading in a very broad range for the last two years that broke out of that range to the upside in September. The reason for the breakout was simple - investors and traders are convinced that is any of the Western industrialized nations ( and I am including Japan in this group ) was going to move higher on the interest rate front, it would be the US.

This is in spite of the clear statements by the Fed that they intend to keep interest rates low for a "considerable time".

The issue however is very clear - the ECB and the Bank of Japan were NOT going to move higher on rates. Neither was Canada or Australia, not with the price of commodities moving lower. In effect, the Dollar wins by default when it comes to the currency of choice for investors and traders in such an environment.

After the upside breakout on the chart, the Dollar has spent the last month consolidating its gains building a base from which to launch the next move higher. That appears to have finally taken place today with the BOJ move the catalyst.

At this point, a weekly CLOSE above 87, sets up a likely run at 89.  As long as the Dollar is exhibiting such strength, gold has little chance of halting its slide lower.

I can add another comment to this... grain traders who are oblivious to these movements in the critical currency markets and are happily chasing grain and bean prices higher, are going to experience a lesson in global markets very soon that they will not forget.

With crusher margins at levels not seen in two months, and at levels which by any historical standard of comparison, are incredibly profitable, they will crush as many beans as they can get their hands upon and do it as fast as they possibly can. At some point, the supposed meal shortage is going to become a meal glut.