US Dollar starts week on firm footing ahead of PMI data

• US Dollar stays strong against its major rivals to start the week.
• US Dollar Index clings to modest daily gains above 101.00.
• US Services and Manufacturing PMI surveys could drive USD's valuation later in the day.

The US Dollar started the new week on a bullish note after having outperformed its major rivals in the previous week. The US Dollar Index, which tracks the USD's valuation against a basket of six major currencies, touched its highest level since July 12 near 101.50 in the early European session.

The USD captured capital outflows out of the Euro and Pound Sterling after the Services and Manufacturing PMI data from Germany, the EU and the UK came in weaker than expected for early July.

The US economic docket will feature S&P Global's PMI surveys in the second half of the day. The USD's valuation could be impacted by the PMI readings ahead of the US Federal Reserve's all-important policy announcement on Wednesday. 

Daily digest market movers: US Dollar holds ground on Monday

• S&P Global Composite PMI in the US is forecast to edge slightly lower to 53.1 in July's flash estimate. A print above would reflect an expansion in the private sector's business activity.
• 10-year US Treasury bond yield staged a rebound in the second half of last week and closed above 3.8% after having declined toward 3.7% earlier in the week.
• According to the CME Group FedWatch Tool, a 25-basis-point Fed rate hike on Wednesday is fully priced in. The probability of the Fed hiking the policy rate one more time before the end of the year stands at 23%.
• Assessing the USD's short-term outlook, "positioning data suggests investors are running reasonably large short Dollar positions into this week's Fed, ECB and BoJ policy meetings," noted economists at ING. "We do like a weaker USD later this year, but the Dollar's recent corrective rally might endure this week if the Fed hangs onto its tightening bias."
• Wall Street's main indexes ended the previous week on a mixed note. Early Monday,  US stock index futures trade modestly higher on the day.
• German HOCB Composite PMI fell to 48.3 in Early July from 50.6 in June. Commenting on the data, “There is an increased probability that the economy will be in recession in the second half of the year," said Dr. Cyrus de la Rubia, Chief Economist at Hamburg Commercial Bank (HCOB). 
• HCOB Composite PMI for the Eurozone worsened to 48.9 from 49.9 in the same period, while the UK S&P Global/CIPS Composite PMI fell to 50.7 from 52.8.

Technical analysis: US Dollar Index closes in on dynamic resistance

The US Dollar Index (DXY) started to edge higher after having tested 101.00 (static level) earlier in the day, confirming that level as important near-term support. Meanwhile, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) indicator on the daily chart extended its recovery toward 50, reflecting the lack of seller interest.

On the upside, the 20-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) aligns as dynamic resistance at 101.70 ahead of 102.00 (static level, former support). A daily close below the latter could bring in additional buyers and open the door for an extended uptrend toward 102.50/60 (50-day SMA, 100-day SMA).

In case the DXY returns below 101.00, 100.50 (static level) could be seen as the next support before 100.00 (psychological level, static level).