Price action around the Euro (EUR) appears inconclusive against the US Dollar (USD) on Tuesday, motivating the EUR/USD pair to hover around the 1.0800 neighbourhood.
The Greenback also exchanges ups and downs around the 104.00 region when tracked by the USD Index (DXY). Meanwhile, US yields show renewed weakness amidst speculation of the Federal Reserve (Fed) pausing its interest-rate hiking cycle at the September meeting and opting for a quarter-point rate hike in November.
Looking at the broader picture, there is a renewed discourse regarding monetary policy, specifically the Fed's dedication to maintaining a more stringent approach for a prolonged period. This heightened attention stems from the remarkable resilience exhibited by the US economy, even in the face of a slight easing in the job market and declining inflation figures observed in recent months.
Across the pond, internal conflicts among members of the European Central Bank (ECB) governing council are emerging regarding the possibility of extending the restrictive policy stance beyond the summer season. These differences of opinion are contributing to persistent uncertainty around the central bank and act as a source of potential weakness for the single currency.
On the domestic data space, Consumer Confidence in Germany worsened to -25.5 when tracked by GfK for the month of September, while Consumer Confidence in France held steady at 85 in August.
In the US, the Conference Board will publish its Consumer Confidence measure along with the FHFA House Price Index and JOLTS Job Openings.
EUR/USD is battling to keep the trade above the key 1.0800 hurdle in quite an apathetic trading session.
Further declines could motivate EUR/USD to revisit Friday's low of 1.0765, ahead of the May 31 low of 1.0635 and the March 15 low of 1.0516. The loss of this level could prompt a test of the 2023 low at 1.0481 seen on January 6 to reemerge.
Occasional bouts of strength should meet provisional resistance at the 55-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) at 1.0965, prior to the psychological 1.1000 barrier and the August 10 high at 1.1064. Once the latter is cleared, spot could challenge 1.1149 from July 27. If the pair surpasses this region, it could alleviate some of the downward pressure and potentially visit the 2023 peak of 1.1275 seen on July 18. Further up comes the 2022 high at 1.1495, which is closely followed by the round level of 1.1500.
Furthermore, sustained losses are likely in EUR/USD once the 200-day SMA (1.0807) is breached in a convincing fashion.
The Euro is the currency for the 20 European Union countries that belong to the Eurozone. It is the second most heavily traded currency in the world behind the US Dollar. In 2022, it accounted for 31% of all foreign exchange transactions, with an average daily turnover of over $2.2 trillion a day.
EUR/USD is the most heavily traded currency pair in the world, accounting for an estimated 30% off all transactions, followed by EUR/JPY (4%), EUR/GBP (3%) and EUR/AUD (2%).
The European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt, Germany, is the reserve bank for the Eurozone. The ECB sets interest rates and manages monetary policy.
The ECB’s primary mandate is to maintain price stability, which means either controlling inflation or stimulating growth. Its primary tool is the raising or lowering of interest rates. Relatively high interest rates – or the expectation of higher rates – will usually benefit the Euro and vice versa.
The ECB Governing Council makes monetary policy decisions at meetings held eight times a year. Decisions are made by heads of the Eurozone national banks and six permanent members, including the President of the ECB, Christine Lagarde.
Eurozone inflation data, measured by the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), is an important econometric for the Euro. If inflation rises more than expected, especially if above the ECB’s 2% target, it obliges the ECB to raise interest rates to bring it back under control.
Relatively high interest rates compared to its counterparts will usually benefit the Euro, as it makes the region more attractive as a place for global investors to park their money.
Data releases gauge the health of the economy and can impact on the Euro. Indicators such as GDP, Manufacturing and Services PMIs, employment, and consumer sentiment surveys can all influence the direction of the single currency.
A strong economy is good for the Euro. Not only does it attract more foreign investment but it may encourage the ECB to put up interest rates, which will directly strengthen the Euro. Otherwise, if economic data is weak, the Euro is likely to fall.
Economic data for the four largest economies in the euro area (Germany, France, Italy and Spain) are especially significant, as they account for 75% of the Eurozone’s economy.
Another significant data release for the Euro is the Trade Balance. This indicator measures the difference between what a country earns from its exports and what it spends on imports over a given period.
If a country produces highly sought after exports then its currency will gain in value purely from the extra demand created from foreign buyers seeking to purchase these goods. Therefore, a positive net Trade Balance strengthens a currency and vice versa for a negative balance.
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