Forex
Euro Recovers Partially Against Dollar After 1% Fall: Russia Gas Cut, US Rate Hike Worries Linger
Traders are reconsidering their attitude to the dollar after two important events — the Fed meeting and the publication of disappointing GDP. This gives a head start to the other major currencies — the euro and pound sterling. The Japanese yen showed bright dynamics at the end of the week, while the British pound has good potential. The euro is also trying to keep up, especially as there are new arguments for a large-scale and rapid increase in rates by the ECB. Also, the euro and pound sterling should not be underestimated by American businesses.
So, the dollar index fell below 106 on Friday, the lowest in more than three weeks. The U.S. economy is contracting for the second straight quarter, heightening fears of a recession and raising expectations that the Fed will have to slow the pace of rate hikes.
It is worth noting that the dollar has retreated from its 20-year high of 109.3 reached in mid-July, and is on track to decline for the second week in a row.
Dollar bulls are trying to hold off the 106.00 area at the end of the week. If the index breaks above that level, we could see a move to the 2022 high near 109.40. At the same time, an attack of additional weakness could bring the dollar down to 104.70. Therefore, the euro and pound sterling against the dollar strengthened.
The momentum of the euro growth today was given not only by the weak dollar, but also by the domestic component. GDP growth and inflation reports were released, which surpassed analysts’ estimates. Inflation does not seem to have peaked, as consumer prices accelerated in July to a new record high of 8.9%. Against this background, the difference between the euro and the pound sterling has shrunk.
What will be the exchange rate between the euro and the pound sterling?
As for economic growth, preliminary data showed a 0.7% quarter-on-quarter increase exceeding market expectations for a 0.2% gain. Reports from France and Spain surprised with growth, while Germany’s economy unexpectedly stalled. On an annualized basis, GDP rose 4% vs. the forecasted 3.4%. Thus, market players have more arguments in favor of a more aggressive approach by the ECB.
How will this help the euro? With a strong dollar and a recession expected in the region next year — nothing. Wells Fargo is pessimistic about the euro’s prospects. They expect the EUR/USD exchange rate to fall to 0.9600 or below. The ECB is likely to have a relatively limited cycle of policy tightening. The situation with a potential recession is exacerbated by restrictions on Russian gas supplies and concerns about rationing of gas consumption in the eurozone this winter.
Economists expect the eurozone economy to shrink by 0.2% in 2023
However, Friday’s data may briefly support the EUR/USD pair, which gained bullish momentum and rose above the key level of 1.0230. The sellers are staying away for now.
If 1.0230 proves to be support, the next target for bulls may be 1.0300 and 1.0370. In case of breakdown of 1.0230 additional losses may be observed in the direction of 1.0200 and 1.0150.
The Euro, as well as the Pound, are the currencies that have had disappointing results this year. However, they can start a strong series of recovery against the dollar if there is more evidence of problems in the U.S. economy.
Is pound sterling the strongest currency today?
GBP/USD will be in the spotlight for the next week and a half. The markets will pay attention to the pound due to the next meeting of the Bank of England. Please be reminded that the previous approach of the CB to increase interest rates (by 25 bps) was strongly criticized as the inflation rate in the UK has grown to a new 40-year high of 9.4%.
Traders now wonder if it will join the rest of the central banks known for raising 50 bps or more on Thursday. It is worth noting that the current situation is far from peak euro pound sterling historical exchange rates.
If that happens, the GBP/USD might hit 1.2500 by next Friday, especially if the U.S. macro data is weakening in parallel.
Commenting on the current situation, analysts stated that GBP/USD rose for the second week in a row after the exit of the descending wedge pattern upwards. The short-term path of least resistance is directed upward. The pair should strengthen the bullish rush and move higher.
Short-term support, at 1.2090, is expected to keep GBP/USD from a possible failure.
Investing.com – The US dollar rose in thin holiday-impacted trade Tuesday, retaining recent strength as traders prepared for fewer Federal Reserve rate cuts in 2025.
At 04:25 ET (09:25 GMT), the Dollar Index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six other currencies, traded 0.1% higher to 107.905, near the recently hit two-year high.
Dollar remains in demand
The dollar has been in demand since the Federal Reserve outlined a hawkish outlook for its interest rates after its last policy meeting of the year last week, projecting just two 25 bp rate cuts in 2025.
In fact, markets are now pricing in just about 35 basis points of easing for 2025, which has in turn sent US Treasury yields surging, boosting the dollar.
The two-year Treasury yield last stood at 4.34%, while the benchmark 10-year yield steadied near a seven-month high at 4.59%.
“We think this hawkish re-tuning of the Fed’s communication will lay the foundation for sustained dollar strengthening into the new year,” said analysts at ING,in a note.
Trading volumes are likely to thin out as the year-end approaches, with this trading week shortened by the festive period.
Euro near to two-year low
In Europe, fell 0.1% to 1.0396, near a two-year low, with the set to cut interest rates more rapidly than its US rival as the eurozone struggles to record any growth.
The ECB lowered its key rate earlier this month for the fourth time this year, and President Christine Lagarde said earlier this week that the eurozone was getting “very close” to reaching the central bank’s medium-term inflation goal.
“If the incoming data continue to confirm our baseline, the direction of travel is clear and we expect to lower interest rates further,” Lagarde said in a speech in Vilnius.
Inflation in the eurozone was 2.3% last month and the ECB expects it to settle at its 2% target next year.
traded largely flat at 1.2531, with sterling showing signs of weakness after data showed that Britain’s economy failed to grow in the third quarter, and with Bank of England policymakers voting 6-3 to keep interest rates on hold last week, a more dovish split than expected.
Bank of Japan stance in focus
In Asia, fell 0.1% to 157.03, after rising as high as 158 yen in recent sessions, after the signaled that it will take its time to consider more interest rate hikes.
edged 0.1% higher to 7.3021, remaining close to a one-year high as the prospect of more fiscal spending and looser monetary conditions in the coming year weighed on the currency.
Beijing signaled that it will ramp up fiscal spending in 2025 to support slowing economic growth.
Investing.com– Most Asian currencies moved in a tight range on Tuesday, while the dollar extended overnight gains as traders positioned for a slower pace of interest rate cuts in the coming year.
Trading volumes were muted before the Christmas break, while most regional currencies were nursing steep losses against the greenback for the year.
Asian currencies weakened sharply last week after the Federal Reserve effectively halved its outlook for rate cuts in 2025, citing concerns over sticky U.S. inflation.
Dollar near 2-year high on hawkish rate outlook
The and both rose about 0.1% in Asian trade, extending overnight gains and coming back in sight of a two-year high hit last week.
While the greenback did see some weakness after data read lower than expected for November, this was largely offset by traders dialing back expectations for interest rate cuts in 2025.
The Fed signaled only two rate cuts in the coming year, less than prior forecasts of four.
Higher U.S. rates diminish the appeal of risk-driven Asian markets, limiting the amount of capital flowing into the region and pressuring regional markets.
Asia FX pressured by sticky US rate outlook
Most Asian currencies weakened in recent sessions on the prospect of slower rate cuts in the U.S., while uncertainty over local monetary policy and slowing economic growth also weighed.
The Japanese yen’s pair fell 0.1% on Tuesday after rising as high as 158 yen in recent sessions, after the Bank of Japan signaled that it will take its time to consider more interest rate hikes.
The Australian dollar’s pair fell 0.2% after the minutes of the Reserve Bank’s December meeting showed policymakers saw an eventual easing in monetary policy, citing some progress in bringing down inflation. But they still flagged potential upside risks for inflation.
The Chinese yuan’s pair rose 0.1% and remained close to a one-year high, as the prospect of more fiscal spending and looser monetary conditions in the coming year weighed on the currency.
Beijing signaled that it will ramp up fiscal spending in 2025 to support slowing economic growth.
The Singapore dollar’s pair rose 0.1%, while the Indian rupee’s pair rose 0.1% after hitting record highs above 85 rupees.
Investing.com — The dollar has surged past its post-2022 range, buoyed by U.S. economic exceptionalism, a widening interest rate gap, and elevated tariffs, setting the stage for further gains next year.
“Our base case is that the dollar will make some further headway next year as the US continues to outperform, the interest rate gap between the US and other G10 economies widens a little further, and the Trump administration brings in higher US tariffs,” Capital Economics said in a recent note.
The bullish outlook on the greenback comes in the wake of the dollar breaking above its post-2022 trading range, reflecting renewed confidence among investors driven by robust U.S. economic data and policy expectations.
A key risk to the upside call on the dollar is a potential economic rebound in the rest of the world, similar to what occurred in 2016, Capital Economics noted.
Following the 2016 U.S. election, economic activity in the rest of the world rebounded, while Trump’s tax cuts didn’t materialize until the end of 2017, and the Fed took a more dovish path than discounted, resulting in a 10% drop in the DXY on the year, which was its “worst calendar year performance in the past two decades,” it added.
While expectations for a recovery in Europe and Asia seem far off, a positive surprise for global growth “should be ruled out”, Capital Economics said.
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