📊 The U.S. economy's strength pressures the euro
The euro (EUR) lost 0.2% against the U.S. dollar (USD) on Tuesday as the greenback strengthened against most major currencies following better-than-expected retail sales data.
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Possible effects for traders
Yesterday's U.S. Retail Sales report indicated that the underlying economic momentum in the U.S. is resilient, defying expectations of a slowdown. Strong economic data, coupled with expectations of potentially rising inflation from Donald Trump policies, leads investors to expect fewer rate cuts from the Federal Reserve (Fed) in 2025. At the same time, the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) is already just 1% below a two-year high, meaning that many bullish factors are already priced in. 'The market is trying to debate whether it's time to fade the dollar, which has had an incredible run this year. But it seems hard to really push back against U.S. exceptionalism and a stronger dollar going into the new administration, whether we're talking about a Fed that will probably not seem as dovish as did in September or the challenges that keep popping up in the emerging and developed markets that make the dollar a safe haven', said Marvin Loh, senior global market strategist at State Street.
At the same time, the European Central Bank (ECB) has explicitly stated that more rate cuts are highly likely. 'If the incoming data continue to confirm our baseline, the direction of travel is clear, and we expect to lower interest rates further', Christine Lagarde, the ECB President, said in a speech in Vilnius. By mid-2025, investors expect U.S. interest rates to be in the 4–4.25% range and anticipate the ECB to reduce borrowing costs towards just 2% over the same period. This divergence in monetary policy expectations between two central banks continues to exert a bearish pressure on EURUSD.
EURUSD was rising slightly during the Asian and early European trading sessions. Today, the main focus is on the Fed's interest rate decision due at 7:00 p.m. UTC. Attention is also on the Fed's updated economic projections and the dot plot, which could shift expectations for the rate trajectory through 2025 and 2026. If the FOMC statement adds hawkish details, EURUSD will likely fall below the important 1.04500 level. Conversely, dovish rhetoric by Jerome Powell may temporarily pull the pair towards 1.05770.
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