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- US dollar trades lower as investors factor in US CPI and potential dovish stance from the Fed
US dollar trades lower as investors factor in US CPI and potential dovish stance from the Fed
- The DXY Index is trading with losses below the 104.00 mark.
- US November showed no surprises and confirmed a deceleration.
- Investors await Fed Interest Rate Decision due this Wednesday.
The US Dollar (USD) is currently undergoing a slight retreat as the DXY index trades at 103.95 after the release of November’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) figures from the US, which fueled dovish bets on the Federal Reserve.
Against a backdrop of cooling inflation and despite a strong labor market, the Fed appears susceptible to veering toward a more dovish stance. In that sense, Fed officials are not ruling out further policy tightening, so markets will closely monitor the bank’s stance at the upcoming meeting on Wednesday.
Daily Market Movers: US dollar dips after CPI data, markets see rate cuts in May 2024
- The US Dollar trades lower as investors assess the impact of US CPI data and dovish expectations from the Federal Reserve.
- In November, the US saw a predicted easing in inflation, according to the CPI. The CPI recorded a modest rise of 0.1% for the month. Compared to October's 3.2%, the annual inflation rate slightly decreased to 3.1%.
- Core CPI reported by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics remained unchanged at 4% YoY, matching both the previous and expected figures.
- Meanwhile, US bond yields are down with 2-year, 5-year and 10-year yields at 4.71%, 4.23%, and 4.22%, respectively.
- According to the CME FedWatch Tool, a rate hike is not expected in Wednesday’s meeting, with the market betting on rate cuts likely to happen in May 2024.
Technical Analysis: DXY bulls hold resilient, indicators still weak
The indicators on the daily chart reflect a bit of a mixed picture for the pair. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is in negative territory with a negative slope, indicating diminishing buying momentum. This is reaffirmed by the status of the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator, which is registering decreasing green bars.
Bucking short-term cues, the Simple Moving Averages (SMAs) showcase a broader bullish trend. The pair remains above the 20-day SMA and crucially above the 200-day SMA, highlighting that bulls have the upper hand in a wider time frame despite temporary bearish leanings.
However, the pair's position below the 100-day SMA suggests a note of caution and potentially a near-term consolidation or pullback phase. The ongoing action on the charts can be seen as bears taking a breather, while bulls remain resilient.
Support levels: 103.70 (20-day SMA), 103.50, 103.30.
Resistance levels: 104.50 (100-day SMA), 104.50, 104.70.
US Dollar FAQs
What is the US Dollar?
The US Dollar (USD) is the official currency of the United States of America, and the ‘de facto’ currency of a significant number of other countries where it is found in circulation alongside local notes. It is the most heavily traded currency in the world, accounting for over 88% of all global foreign exchange turnover, or an average of $6.6 trillion in transactions per day, according to data from 2022.
Following the second world war, the USD took over from the British Pound as the world’s reserve currency. For most of its history, the US Dollar was backed by Gold, until the Bretton Woods Agreement in 1971 when the Gold Standard went away.
How do the decisions of the Federal Reserve impact the US Dollar?
The most important single factor impacting on the value of the US Dollar is monetary policy, which is shaped by the Federal Reserve (Fed). The Fed has two mandates: to achieve price stability (control inflation) and foster full employment. Its primary tool to achieve these two goals is by adjusting interest rates.
When prices are rising too quickly and inflation is above the Fed’s 2% target, the Fed will raise rates, which helps the USD value. When inflation falls below 2% or the Unemployment Rate is too high, the Fed may lower interest rates, which weighs on the Greenback.
What is Quantitative Easing and how does it influence the US Dollar?
In extreme situations, the Federal Reserve can also print more Dollars and enact quantitative easing (QE). QE is the process by which the Fed substantially increases the flow of credit in a stuck financial system.
It is a non-standard policy measure used when credit has dried up because banks will not lend to each other (out of the fear of counterparty default). It is a last resort when simply lowering interest rates is unlikely to achieve the necessary result. It was the Fed’s weapon of choice to combat the credit crunch that occurred during the Great Financial Crisis in 2008. It involves the Fed printing more Dollars and using them to buy US government bonds predominantly from financial institutions. QE usually leads to a weaker US Dollar.
What is Quantitative Tightening and how does it influence the US Dollar?
Quantitative tightening (QT) is the reverse process whereby the Federal Reserve stops buying bonds from financial institutions and does not reinvest the principal from the bonds it holds maturing in new purchases. It is usually positive for the US Dollar.
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