EUR/USD strives for a direction, trading sideways around 1.0770 in Monday’s European session. The major currency pair consolidates as the Eurozone economic calendar lacks tier-1 data this week. The European Central Bank (ECB) is widely anticipated to shift to policy normalization in the June meeting. Therefore, speculation about ECB’s stance on interest rates for the second-half of the year will influence the Euro’s move.
ECB policymakers are divided over extending the interest rate-cut cycle after the June meeting. A few policymakers believe that extending rate cuts from the July meeting could revamp price pressures. For the entire year, ECB policymaker and Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras said in an interview with a Greek media outlet that he sees three rate cuts this year. He sees a rate cut in July as possible and added that the Eurozone’s economic rebound in the first quarter of the year made three cuts more likely than four. The Eurozone economy expanded by 0.3% in the January-March period, beating expectations of 0.1% gain.
EUR/USD extends its winning spell for the fourth trading session on Monday but is trading inside Friday’s trading range, exhibiting a sideways performance. The near-term appeal of the shared currency pair is upbeat as it is trading above the 20-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA), which trades around 1.0730.
Broadly, EUR/USD exhibits a sharp volatility contraction due to a Symmetrical Triangle formation on a daily timeframe. The upward-sloping border of the triangle pattern is plotted from October 3 low at 1.0448 and the downward-sloping border is placed from December 28 high around 1.1140.
The 14-period Relative Strength Index (RSI) shifts into the 40.00-60.00 range, suggesting indecisiveness among market participants.
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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