Mexican Peso strengthens against US Dollar ahead of Fed speakers, Banxico decision

• Mexican Peso appreciates, trading at 16.90 against US Dollar, a 0.26% decline for USD/MXN amid a busy economic week.
• Mexico’s key economic events include Consumer Confidence and auto data, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Banxico’s policy decision.
• External factors like the US employment report's impact and upcoming US economic data could further sway the USD/MXN exchange rate.

The Mexican Peso begins the week on a higher note and appreciates modestly against the US Dollar in a week characterized by a busy economic docket in Mexico. The highlights of the week would be Mexico’s inflation report and the Bank of Mexico (Banxico) monetary policy decision. The USD/MXN trades at 16.90, down 0.26%.

Mexico’s economic docket will be busy. On Tuesday, May 8, Consumer Confidence and automobile data would be revealed. The next day, inflation data is expected, along with Banxico’s decision, followed by Friday’s Industrial Production data.

Last week, Banxico’s April poll showed that private economists estimate inflation to end the year at 4.2% in 2024, underlying prices at 4.1% and the economy to grow by 2.25%. Regarding the USD/MXN, analysts revised their projections downward from 18.10 to 17.

Across the pond, traders continued to digest a softer than expected employment report in the United States (US), which sparked speculation that the Federal Reserve (Fed) might cut rates in 2024, contrary to market participants’ belief. In addition to that, a scarce economic schedule led by Fed officials crossing the newswires, US unemployment claims and the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment report could help dictate the USD/MXN direction.

Daily digest market movers: Mexican Peso appreciates ahead of busy schedule

• Mexico’s economic calendar will feature the release of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for April, estimated at 0.18% MoM, below March’s reading and in the twelve months to the last month, is foreseen climbing from 4.42% to 4.63%.
• Banxico is expected to hold rates unchanged at 11.00%.
• Mexico’s Industrial Production is projected to improve from -0.1% in February to 0.7% MoM. On a yearly basis, IP is foreseen plunging to -2.9% from 3.3% in a previous month.
• US Nonfarm Payrolls missing the figures increased the likelihood that the Fed could begin to ease policy faster than expected. The US economy added just 175K people to the workforce in April, missing estimates, and trailing March’s revised 315K figure.
• Data from the futures market see odds for a quarter percentage point Fed rate cut in September at 95%, versus 55% ahead of last week’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) decision.
• Fed speakers this week are led by Richmond Fed’s Thomas Barkin and New York Fed’s John Williams on Monday. On Tuesday, a scarce economic docket will feature Minnesota Fed’s Neil Kashkari and the RCM/TIPP Economic Optimism Index.
• Last Wednesday, the Fed decided to keep the fed funds rate unchanged at 5.25%-5.50%. They acknowledged that risks to achieving the Fed’s dual mandate on employment and inflation “moved toward better balance over the past year.” Although they said there’s progress on inflation, recent data shows that it has stalled.
• Fed policymakers said they would reduce the rate of shrinking its balance sheet beginning in June. This will be done by lowering the cap from $60 billion to $25 billion for the amount of Treasury maturities not reinvested every month.

Technical analysis: Mexican Peso gathers steam as USD/MXN plunges below 17.00

From a technical standpoint, the USD/MXN continues to trend lower with sellers gathering momentum as shown by the Relative Strength Index (RSI). The RSI shifted bearish, justifying the recent strength of the Mexican currency, but there’s some key levels to breach before the pair extends to new yearly lows.

If USD/MXN tumbles below the 50-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) at 16.81, that could pave the way to challenge the 2023 low of 16.62, followed by the current year-to-date (YTD) low of 16.25.

On the other hand, buyers need to reclaim the 100-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) at 16.94, followed by the 17.00 figure, if they would like to remain hopeful of higher prices. The next resistance is the 200-day Simple Moving Average at 17.17 that could pave the way to test the January 23 swing high of 17.38 and the year-to-date high of 17.92.