Date | Rate | Change |
---|
USD/CAD’s rebound from the mid-1.3500s reached on Tuesday has extended to the low 1.3600s again. Economists at Scotiabank analyze the pair’s outlook.
Spot gains from the intraday low on Tuesday have returned the USD to the recent range peaks around 1.3600/1.2610 but the lift in funds has given momentum a slightly more positive undertone on the intraday chart which tilts risks to the USD remaining firm or perhaps strengthening a bit more.
On the face of it, resistance around the figure has been solid but the CAD needs to do more work to remove the risk of the USD rebound extending (potentially towards the low 1.3700s).
Support remains 1.3550 and (firmer) 1.3450/1.3455.
"There are risks to easing policy too much or too soon as well as too late," Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook said on Monday, per Reuters.
"Careful approach to easing policy over time can ensure inflation returns sustainably to 2% while striving to maintain strong labor market."
"Risks to achieving US central bank's employment and inflation goals moving into better balance."
"Inflation has fallen considerably; labor market has remained strong."
"Path of disinflation, as expected, has been bumpy and uneven."
"Current low rate of increase on new rental leases suggests housing services inflation will continue to fall."
"Strong productivity growth could mean faster pace of wage growth not inflationary."
"Could be that some services prices still adjusting to increase in pandemic-era input costs."
"Comprehensive measures of wage growth show gradual cooling."
"Wage growth differential between job switchers, those staying in jobs has narrowed."
"Artificial intelligence a potentially significant source of productivity growth; that will take time."
The US Dollar stays under modest bearish pressure following these comments. At the time of press, the US Dollar Index was down 0.23% on the day at 104.19.
Silver (XAG/USD) attracts some sellers following an intraday uptick on Thursday and for now, seems to have stalled its modest recovery from the $22.30-$22.25 region, or a two-week low touched the previous day. The white metal trades just below the mid-$22.00s during the first half of the European session and seems vulnerable to sliding further.
The recent failure to find acceptance above the very important and significant 200-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) and the subsequent slide from a multi-week high, around mid-$23.00s touched on February 16, validates the negative outlook. Moreover, oscillators on the daily chart have just started drifting in the negative territory and support prospects for a further near-term depreciating move for the XAG/USD.
That said, it will still be prudent to wait for some follow-through selling below the overnight swing low, around the $22.30$22.25 area before placing fresh bearish bets. The XAG/USD might then accelerate the fall towards retesting sub-$22.00 levels, or a two-month low touched in January. The downward trajectory could extend further and drag the white metal to the next relevant support near the $21.40-$21.35 region.
On the flip side, the daily peak, around the mid-$22.00s, might continue to act as an immediate hurdle ahead of the $22.70-$22.75 region. This is followed by the $23.00 round-figure mark, which if cleared decisively might trigger a short-covering rally, though the momentum runs the risk of fizzling out near the 200-day SMA, currently around the $23.30 zone. This should cap the upside near the mid-$23.00, or the monthly peak.
The US Dollar Index (DXY) is up 2.4% since January on repricing of Fed cuts from six to three. Economists at Société Générale analyze Greenback’s outlook.
PCE inflation is the next signpost on Thursday. We forecast headline +0.3% (2.4% YoY) and Core +0.4% (2.8% YoY). The spotlight will be on Core services after the 0.8% MoM spike in equivalent CPI two weeks ago.
The repricing of Fed cuts from six to three since January has boosted the DXY by 2.4% over the past eight weeks but doubts over sustained upswing have emerged following the failure to orbit 105.00 after CPI and PPI. PCE must exceed forecasts or Euro inflation must underwhelm for the trend to continue.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) published the Minutes of its February monetary policy meeting on Tuesday, highlighting that the Board members decided the case for steady rates was the stronger one at this meeting. Additional details of the RBA Minutes suggest that the board agreed it was appropriate not to rule out another rise in rates.”
“Board considered the case to hike by 25 bps or to hold steady.”
“Case to hold steady was the stronger one, appropriate given balanced risks to the outlook.”
“Data gave board more confidence inflation would return to target in a reasonable timeframe.”
“However, it would "take some time" before the board could be confident enough on inflation.”
“So, the board agreed it was appropriate not to rule out another rise in rates.”
“Board noted hiking rates would not prevent it from cutting should the economy weaken.”
“Noted forecasts of inflation back in target in 2025 assumed no further rate hikes.”
“Goods inflation had fallen faster than expected, service inflation still high.”
“Data on labor market, consumption had been weaker than expected.”
“High inflation, higher tax, and interest payments had weighed on consumption.”
“Labour market relatively tight, wage growth slowing in some sectors.”
“Financial conditions restrictive on some measures, less so on others.”
At the time of writing, the AUD/USD pair is trading near 0.6530, holding lower while losing 0.15% on the day.
Strong US jobs data and a higher-than-expected January CPI number have unnerved the disinflation trade in FX markets – namely, that of a benign decline in the Dollar. Economists at ING analyze Greenback’s outlook.
Federal Reserve officials accept that the disinflationary path will be a ‘bumpy’ one. However, we retain a view that inflation will remain on track towards policy targets. If that is the case, current Dollar strength may only last another month or two.
For the FX benchmark EUR/USD, that probably means that the downside is limited to the 1.0500/1.0700 area this month; recall that January and February are typically strong months for the Dollar.
We continue to expect a modest rally this summer and EUR/USD to end the year somewhere near 1.1500.
The US Dollar (USD) is telling two stories this week with, on the one hand, the recent uptick in inflation had hit a nerve in markets with a firm risk-off reaction on Tuesday. Though, the Retail Sales from Thursday show that dynamics for customers are changing with a substantial drop in numbers and the downward revision made traders completely write off the inflation report from Tuesday as a one off. This puts the US Dollar Index (DXY) flat to the same level where it opened on Monday with just one trading session left to look for direction.
On the economic data front, the decision on where the US Dollar will be heading, will be taken on the back of two key data points this Friday: The Producer Price Index elements and the University of Michigan print. These two elements will define the outcome for this week, with overall expectations to see further easing in the price pressure and a softer US Dollar on the back of that.
The US Dollar Index (DXY) briefly bounced off the 100-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) near 104.20 on Thursday. This comes as quite a surprise seeing its poor performance over the past few days and weeks. With two key elements still on the calendar this Friday, pressure could mount further and snap the 100-day SMA in the process.
Should the US Dollar jump Friday’s data to 105.00, 105.12 as key levels to keep an eye on. One step beyond there comes in at 105.88, the high of November 2023. Ultimately, 107.20 – the high of 2023 – could even come back into scope, but that would be when several inflation measures are coming in higher than expected for several weeks in a row.
As mentioned at the second paragraph above, that 100-day Simple Moving Average looks rather doubtful, near 104.24, so the 200-day SMA near 103.67 looks more solid. Should that give way, look for support from the 55-day SMA near 103.08.
The US Dollar (USD) is the official currency of the United States of America, and the ‘de facto’ currency of a significant number of other countries where it is found in circulation alongside local notes. It is the most heavily traded currency in the world, accounting for over 88% of all global foreign exchange turnover, or an average of $6.6 trillion in transactions per day, according to data from 2022.
Following the second world war, the USD took over from the British Pound as the world’s reserve currency. For most of its history, the US Dollar was backed by Gold, until the Bretton Woods Agreement in 1971 when the Gold Standard went away.
The most important single factor impacting on the value of the US Dollar is monetary policy, which is shaped by the Federal Reserve (Fed). The Fed has two mandates: to achieve price stability (control inflation) and foster full employment. Its primary tool to achieve these two goals is by adjusting interest rates.
When prices are rising too quickly and inflation is above the Fed’s 2% target, the Fed will raise rates, which helps the USD value. When inflation falls below 2% or the Unemployment Rate is too high, the Fed may lower interest rates, which weighs on the Greenback.
In extreme situations, the Federal Reserve can also print more Dollars and enact quantitative easing (QE). QE is the process by which the Fed substantially increases the flow of credit in a stuck financial system.
It is a non-standard policy measure used when credit has dried up because banks will not lend to each other (out of the fear of counterparty default). It is a last resort when simply lowering interest rates is unlikely to achieve the necessary result. It was the Fed’s weapon of choice to combat the credit crunch that occurred during the Great Financial Crisis in 2008. It involves the Fed printing more Dollars and using them to buy US government bonds predominantly from financial institutions. QE usually leads to a weaker US Dollar.
Quantitative tightening (QT) is the reverse process whereby the Federal Reserve stops buying bonds from financial institutions and does not reinvest the principal from the bonds it holds maturing in new purchases. It is usually positive for the US Dollar.
European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council member Boris Vujcic argued on Tuesday that it would not make a big difference whether the ECB starts lowering rates in April or June, per Reuters.
"I think it's more important that we achieve a kind of smooth transition," he added and continued:
"I think that 25 basis point moves are preferable to larger steps. It doesn't have to be continuous, there will some be pauses."
EUR/USD edged slightly higher following these comments and was last seen trading at 1.0845, rising 0.1% on the day.
FX markets continue to trade in mixed fashion. Economists at ING analyze Dollar’s outlook.
On the one hand, the mildly pro-risk sentiment should be a mild Dollar negative. Yet, decent US growth plus rates falling faster in Europe than in the US are keeping the Dollar mildly bid.
We doubt this challenge gets resolved in the short term, even though today’s US Core PCE deflator should again come in at a very well behaved 0.2% month-on-month, 2.0% year-on-year and point to the Fed’s job being done.
Given our view on a less-than-dovish FOMC meeting next week and potential market noise around Monday’s announcement of the US Quarterly Refunding, we suspect DXY can hold support levels near 103.00 and could nudge up towards the 104.00/104.25 area early next week.
The US Dollar (USD) is still on top across G10 and EM FX. Economists at ING analyze Greenback’s outlook.
We think the Dollar can consolidate after the recent gains, continuing to draw some benefits from Christopher Waller’s remarks earlier this week, which may have led markets to favour defensive positions heading into the FOMC on 31 January.
The only key data release in the US before then is the fourth quarter GDP figures next week, and barring major surprises there, there is no compelling bearish story for the next week or so.
The US Dollar (USD) is firmer today but has edged off earlier highs versus the majors. Economists at Scotiabank analyze Greenback’s outlook.
While the January data round for the US got off to a poor start on Tuesday, with a much weaker-than-expected Empire Manufacturing Survey, the USD barely flinched. Higher US yields and supportive comments from the Fed’s Waller – who at the very least sounded in no rush to cut rates – helped keep the USD supported.
Soft stocks and firm or firmer US yields (Treasurys are little changed on the day) will keep the USD supported in the short run and help extend the USD’s corrective rebound in the early part of this year.
The USD/CAD pair falls slightly to near 1.370 after failing to sustain above the round-level resistance of 1.3400. The Loonie asset demonstrates a sheer consolidation as investors shift focus towards the United States inflation data for December, which will be published on Thursday.
S&P500 futures struggle to hold gains as market mood remains cautious. The US Dollar Index (DXY) drops to near 102.44 despite persistent uncertainty over rate cuts by the Federal Reserve (Fed). 10-year US Treasury yields have slipped slightly below 4.0%.
Investors will keenly watch the US inflation data as it will provide fresh cues about likely rate cuts by the Federal reserve (Fed) in March. According to the estimates, the headline inflation rose by 0.2% against 0.1% growth in November. The annual headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) grew by 3.2% from 3.1% increase a month ago.
Meanwhile, core inflation grew steadily on a monthly basis. The annual core CPI data decelerated to 3.8% against the former reading of 4.0%.
USD/CAD struggles for a direction amid formation of a volatility contraction pattern on an hourly scale near 1.3400. A sharp decline in volatility indicates indecisiveness among market participants amid absence of a potential trigger. Horizontal resistance plotted from December 15 high around 1.3405 continues to act as barricade for US Dollar bulls.
The 50-period Exponential Moving Average (EMA) around 1.3380 continues to provide support to the US Dollar.
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) (14) oscillates in a 40.00-60.00 range, which indicates a consolidation ahead.
Fresh upside would appear if the Loonie asset breaks above January 9 high of 1.3415. This would open upside towards December 3 low at 1.3480, followed by December 5 low at 1.3540.
On the flip side, a downside move below January 5 low at 1.3288 would expose the asset to December 22 low at 1.3220. Breach of the latter would build more pressure on the asset and will drag it towards December 27 low at 1.3177.
According to the FOMC Minutes:
© 2000-2024. All rights reserved.
This site is managed by Teletrade D.J. LLC 2351 LLC 2022 (Euro House, Richmond Hill Road, Kingstown, VC0100, St. Vincent and the Grenadines).
The information on this website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute any investment advice.
The company does not serve or provide services to customers who are residents of the US, Canada, Iran, The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Yemen and FATF blacklisted countries.
Making transactions on financial markets with marginal financial instruments opens up wide possibilities and allows investors who are willing to take risks to earn high profits, carrying a potentially high risk of losses at the same time. Therefore you should responsibly approach the issue of choosing the appropriate investment strategy, taking the available resources into account, before starting trading.
Use of the information: full or partial use of materials from this website must always be referenced to TeleTrade as the source of information. Use of the materials on the Internet must be accompanied by a hyperlink to teletrade.org. Automatic import of materials and information from this website is prohibited.
Please contact our PR department if you have any questions or need assistance at pr@teletrade.global.