Analysts at ANZ noted the positioning data is for the week ending 1 March 2016.
For the week ended 1 March, speculative funds added back USD1.6bn of net long USD positions to USD13.1bn for the first time in five weeks. However, in direct bets on the ICE Dollar Index, they reduced their net long USD positions by a further USD0.2bn to USD2.6bn. Indeed, price action post the cut-off date suggests that net USD longs have most likely been pared back through last Friday after the US payroll report.
For the week, much of the increase in net USD longs was against the EUR, with net EUR shorts up USD2.3bn to USD6.2bn. Again, the EUR has since rebounded, suggesting some pare-back of short positions.
Speculative accounts continued to add to net JPY longs for a third consecutive week by a further USD0.8bn to USD3.0bn. They however remain bearish on the GBP, with net short positions up USD0.9bn to USD5.6bn, which are the most shorts in three weeks.
Reflecting the rebound in commodities, speculative funds continued to pare back on their net shorts in CAD and AUD by USD0.5bn (to USD2.7bn) and USD0.2bn (to USD0.2bn) respectively (see Figures 9 and 10 in PDF). Meanwhile, they added a small USD0.01bn to net NZD longs (to USD0.03bn) after turning into net longs last week. With the risk rally post the cut-off date, speculative funds have most likely further reduced their net USD longs against commodity currencies.
On EM currencies, with the rebound in commodity prices and the risk rally, speculative accounts added USD0.01bn each to their small net longs in the BRL and RUB. However, they increased their net MXN shorts by USD0.1bn to USD0.7bn. Post the cut-off date, MXN has gained ground in tandem with other EM currencies, suggesting a pare-back in MXN shorts.”
(Market News Provided by FXstreet)