Rate whipsaws hard, both sides get hurt as stops cleared first to the upside and then to the downside putting the 23 year lows in sight. Reversal off weekly highs a negative technical; Likely an upside rally is still in the works but the rate needs to rebound hard to wash-out the shorts again.

After today’s action I think both sides will take a break. Traders report stops in-range adding for two-way action. Long-term tech resistance now at 1.5000 area likely to cap near term but stops are building above and the 1.5000 handle is a big psychological number.

It was a wild ride in the major pairs today as the USD fell sharply ahead of the New York open only to reverse hard and make highs in some pairs ahead of the close; traders note that participants were caught “wrong footed” after the New York open and stops from late longs in some pairs liquidated trades done expecting a higher close in the majors. Despite a 300 point rally by the DJIA today the USD continued to attract buyers after the London fix but traders note that the rally in at least two pairs was on thinner volume possibly exaggerating the moves.

Rate follows GBP in two-way action, holding support now at 1.2550 area once again. Aggressive traders can add to open longs on this dip. Cross-spreaders supporting rate as GBP drops. Stops building on both sides as the rate tests for stops on the downside first.

Upside stops likely building in the 1.2630/50 area again, overhead resistance at 1.2720 area now with stops likely the other side. Key 1.3030 area likely next; failure to hold 1.2900 likely going to be the test for the bulls this week. Close above key 1.3030 area needed for further upside until then rallies likely to be sold so expect more two-way action.

The USD is holding gains into the end of New York trading today after solid two-way action overnight put the Greenback on the offensive into this morning. Rising to new weekly highs against GBP and yearly highs against CAD; other major pairs remain range-bound and inside-range. Traders note that cross-spreaders for GBP pairs kept Sterling on the defense all day putting in a low print at 1.3741 before stabilizing back on the 1.3800 handle for most of the day.

The USD is higher this morning after a slow start on the defense in Asia, the majors making the best levels of the day ahead of European trade. The Greenback is making fresh highs against the majors in early New York as technical trade and cross spreaders pressure to the upside.

Overnight equities markets were lower adding to the upside as well. The big mover this morning is GBP dropping through several levels of technical support finding stops layered underneath recent lows as EURO/GBP traders sell the GBP side of the cross. Stops under 1.4050 and 1.4000 area gave way to a test of the 1.3950 area and stops were larger on the dip traders say suggesting that lots of bulls came to the table near the 1.4000 area last week.