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- US Dollar suffers losses as traders digest February NFP
US Dollar suffers losses as traders digest February NFP
- Nonfarm Payrolls data reported by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics came in higher than expected.
- Average Hourly Earnings for February unveiled a lower figure than expected, while the Unemployment Rate increased.
- Markets are still seeing the first cut in June.
- The index will close out a 1% losing week, its worst performance since December.
The US Dollar Index (DXY) is trading near 102.60 on Friday, recording a loss. The driving factors for these movements largely include the dovish stance of the Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair, Jerome Powell, and the weak performance of the US labor market in February.
Despite the Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) report for February showing that the US Unemployment rate increased while Earnings mildly eased, markets are still betting that the easing cycle will begin in June. For the next session, the USD may suffer additional losses as investors fear an economic slowdown.
Daily digest market movers: DXY falls to lows after NFPs figures
- February's Nonfarm Payrolls reported by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics exceeded expectations, coming in at 275,000, remarkably higher than the predicted 200,000, indicating robust employment growth.
- On the negative side, the Unemployment rate for February saw an increase to 3.9%, higher than expectations of 3.7%.
- Wage inflation measured by the Average Hourly Earnings missed the consensus to rise by 4.3% YoY.
- US Treasury yields show a mixed performance with the 2-year yield at 4.48%, the 5-year yield at 4.06%, and the 10-year yield at 4.09%.
- According to the CME FedWatch Tool, the odds of Fed interest rate cuts in March and May remain low. Markets are bracing for the first cut to come in June.
DXY technical analysis: DXY bears seize control, oversold signals loom
The DXY's outlook is predominantly bearish despite the Relative Strength Index (RSI) nearing oversold conditions. The RSI's position near 30 often signals the potential for a price reversal. With the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) presenting rising red bars, the momentum is currently pointing toward the bears.
Further compounding this bearish notion, DXY resides below its 20, 100 and 200-day Simple Moving Averages (SMAs), contributing to an overall downward trend. These SMAs are pivotal technical markers, and their placement below current prices typically strengthens the sellers’ grip.
The bearish price action in recent trading sessions allies with the technical indicators to forge a negative short-term outlook. However, the RSI's near-oversold position may provide some potential for buyers to contest the bear’s hold, but they will struggle against the prevailing negative momentum.
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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