World currency market news from 28 March 2024

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28.03.2024
22:04
GBP/JPY Price Analysis: Consolidates around 191.00 amid thin liquidity conditions
  • GBP/JPY hovers around 191.00, reflecting market caution ahead of Japanese unemployment and industrial production updates.
  • Wall Street ends Q1 on a mixed note, with UK's recession confirmation and vigilance over JPY's weakness influencing sentiment.
  • Technical analysis suggests potential for movement if GBP/JPY breaches key levels, with 192.00 and 193.00 as notable targets.

The GBP/JPY barely moved on Thursday amid thin liquidity conditions and is hovering around 191.00, virtually unchanged as Friday’s Asian session begins.

Wall Street posted a stellar first quarter of 2024, with the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones finishing in the green. The outlier was the Nasdaq Composite, which dropped 0.12% in the last trading day of Q1.

In addition, economic data from the UK showed that Britain’s economy hit a technical recession, as expected by the market consensus. In Japan, authorities remain vigilant about the Japanese Yen's (JPY) weakness, which sent the USD/JPY rallying near 152.00.

As the Asian session begins, the Japanese economic docket will reveal the unemployment rate for February, which is expected to remain at 2.4%. At the same time, Industrial Production figures for the same month are expected to rise from -6.7% MoM to 1.4%, while Retail Sales are foreseen to expand by 3%.

GBP/JPY Price Analysis: Technical outlook

The GBP/JPY is subdued as liquidity conditions tumble. If buyers regain control, they must push prices above the Tenkan-Sen level at 191.57, which could open the door to challenge 192.00. Further upside is seen at 193.00, followed by the year-to-date (YTD) high at 193.53

On the flip side, if the pair drops below 191.00, that would pave the way for further losses. The next support would be the Kijuin-Sen at 190.74, followed by the 190.00 mark.

GBP/JPY Price Action – Daily Chart

GBP/JPY

Overview
Today last price 191.06
Today Daily Change -0.09
Today Daily Change % -0.05
Today daily open 191.15
 
Trends
Daily SMA20 190.34
Daily SMA50 189.26
Daily SMA100 186.67
Daily SMA200 184.78
 
Levels
Previous Daily High 191.54
Previous Daily Low 190.51
Previous Weekly High 193.54
Previous Weekly Low 189.54
Previous Monthly High 191.33
Previous Monthly Low 185.23
Daily Fibonacci 38.2% 190.9
Daily Fibonacci 61.8% 191.15
Daily Pivot Point S1 190.6
Daily Pivot Point S2 190.04
Daily Pivot Point S3 189.57
Daily Pivot Point R1 191.62
Daily Pivot Point R2 192.1
Daily Pivot Point R3 192.65

 

 

21:30
NZD/JPY Price Analysis: Bears maintain control, pushes cross below the 100-day SMA
  • Daily chart signals rising selling traction with the pair now below the key level of 90.50.
  • Hourly chart indicators depict a potential consolidation period with indicators somewhat flat.
  • The last hope for the cross is now the 200-day SMA.

In Thursday's session, the NZD/JPY declined to 90.40, with a decline of 0.43%. Bears are in control after successfully conquering the 100-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) while the selling momentum seems to have flattened on the hourly time frame.

On the daily chart, the NZD/JPY pair exhibits a faltering momentum. Despite intermittent upticks, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) has spent much of the last sessions in negative territory, indicating a dominance of sellers. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) complements this view as it showcases rising red bars, pointing toward an increase in negative momentum.

NZD/JPY daily chart

Switching to the hourly chart, RSI values are mildly oscillating in the negative territory with the latest reading clocked at 42. The hourly MACD histogram adds to the complexity as it reveals green bars that suggest the downward momentum might be slowing. Comparing the daily and hourly charts, contrasting signals hint at a period of consolidation for NZD/JPY before a clearer direction emerges.

NZD/JPY hourly chart

On a larger scale, the pair resides now below the 20 and 100-day Simple Moving Averages (SMAs), indicating bearishness. Yet, its position above the 200-day SMA adds a hint of bullish potential. However, as bearish momentum is growing, the sellers might attack the longer moving average to confirm the negative trend.

NZD/JPY

Overview
Today last price 90.4
Today Daily Change -0.38
Today Daily Change % -0.42
Today daily open 90.78
 
Trends
Daily SMA20 91.13
Daily SMA50 91.17
Daily SMA100 90.51
Daily SMA200 89.13
 
Levels
Previous Daily High 91.07
Previous Daily Low 90.61
Previous Weekly High 92.2
Previous Weekly Low 90.52
Previous Monthly High 93.45
Previous Monthly Low 89.26
Daily Fibonacci 38.2% 90.79
Daily Fibonacci 61.8% 90.9
Daily Pivot Point S1 90.57
Daily Pivot Point S2 90.36
Daily Pivot Point S3 90.11
Daily Pivot Point R1 91.03
Daily Pivot Point R2 91.28
Daily Pivot Point R3 91.49

 

 

20:22
EUR/USD dips below 1.0800 amid ECB dovish dovish signal and strong US GDP figures EURUSD
  • EUR/USD faces downward pressure after ECB’s Villeroy highlights the necessity of rate cuts to achieve inflation targets.
  • Strong US economic performance, highlighted by revised GDP growth and sustained labor market tightness, supports the Dollar.
  • Market anticipation grows for the upcoming US Core PCE price index, with potential implications for Fed's monetary policy.

The Euro extends its losses against the US Dollar, with the major diving below the 1.0800 figure, following dovish comments by European Central Bank (ECB) policymaker Francois Villeroy. The EUR/USD trades at 1.0787, down 0.37%.

EUR/USD fails pressured by ECB’s rate cut hints

ECB’s Villeroy comments increased EUR/USD sellers’ momentum late in the North American session. He said that core inflation decline is rapid but still high. He added that the 2% ECB inflation goal is within reach, while he saw increasing downside risks if the ECB didn’t cut rates. On the data front in the Eurozone, German Retail Sales plunged below estimates.

Recent data from the United States (US) showed the economy remains resilient after the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for Q4 2023 was revised from 3.2% to 3.4%. Other data showed that the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits was below estimates, and the previous week’s data, for the fourth consecutive week, an indication of the tightness of the labor market.

Further data revealed that the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment hit its highest level since 2021, coming at 79.4, above the preliminary estimate of 76.5. Meanwhile, Pending Home Sales were up 1.6% Month over Month in February, beating expectations.

Given the backdrop, along with hawkish comments by Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller, were the drivers behind US Dollar bulls, which stepped in ahead of the release of the US Core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index data.

EUR/USD Price Analysis: Technical outlook

After diving below the 200-day moving average (DMA), the EUR/USD has resumed to the downside, breaching below the February 29 cycle low of 1.0794 and sliding towards the 1.0780 area. If the pairs post a daily close below 1.0800, that will exacerbate the challenge of the February 14 low of 1.0694, ahead of 1.0600.

In another scenario, if EUR/USD buyers lift the pair above 1.0800, that could pave the way to test the 200-DMA at 1.0835.

 

Euro FAQs

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.

 

19:47
NZD/USD declines on dovish RBNZ stance NZDUSD
  • RBNZ Governor Orr was seen dovish, which seems to be applying pressure to the NZD.
  • GDP and Initial Jobless Claims cushion the USD. Weak Chicago PMI figures limit the upside.
  • Markets adjusted their expectations for a June rate cut which also adds strength to the USD.

The NZD/USD is currently traded at 0.5977, reflecting a decrease of 0.43%. The pair's movement was influenced by somewhat dovish comments from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) Governor Orr and by mixed data from the US. Ahead of Friday’s session, markets await Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) data from the US from February.

RBNZ Governor Orr commented that inflation is normalizing while aggregate demand is slowing which would lead to a low and stable inflation on the horizon in hand with normalized interest rates. As a reaction markets are betting on 75 bps of easing in 2024, while the RBNZ hinted that the first cut would come in 2025 and as long as markets underestimate the bank, the NZD may suffer additional losses.

On the USD side, The recent release of Initial Jobless Claims data showed figures slightly below the consensus, with 210K reported against the anticipated 215K for the week ending on March 23. Additionally, the Q4 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was revised upwards, showcasing a yearly growth of 3.4%. However, not all economic indicators were positive; the March Chicago Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) data from the Institute for Supply Management fell short of expectations, coming in at 41.4 against the forecasted 46 and previous 44.

Regarding the Federal Reserve (Fed) expectations, the probability of a rate cut in June has decreased to 66% from 85% earlier in the week, providing some support to the Greenback. That being said, the release of the headline Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) on Friday, will likely fuel volatility markets as investors may readjust their bets on the Fed.

NZD/USD technical analysis

On the daily chart, the NZD/USD pair's Relative Strength Index (RSI) is notably fixated within negative territory. The latest RSI reading swings back to a negative trend, marking a score of 33 which suggests a strong bearish sentiment in the market. Concurrently, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) histogram prints red bars, evidencing a negative momentum that further reinforces the downward pressure on this currency pair.

Moving to the Simple Moving Average (SMA) analysis, the pair is trading below the respective 20, 100, and 200-day Simple Moving Averages (SMAs), supporting the continuing negative trend.

NZD/USD daily chart

NZD/USD

Overview
Today last price 0.5975
Today Daily Change -0.0029
Today Daily Change % -0.48
Today daily open 0.6004
 
Trends
Daily SMA20 0.6091
Daily SMA50 0.6109
Daily SMA100 0.6136
Daily SMA200 0.6074
 
Levels
Previous Daily High 0.6011
Previous Daily Low 0.5987
Previous Weekly High 0.6107
Previous Weekly Low 0.5989
Previous Monthly High 0.6219
Previous Monthly Low 0.6037
Daily Fibonacci 38.2% 0.6002
Daily Fibonacci 61.8% 0.5996
Daily Pivot Point S1 0.5991
Daily Pivot Point S2 0.5977
Daily Pivot Point S3 0.5967
Daily Pivot Point R1 0.6015
Daily Pivot Point R2 0.6025
Daily Pivot Point R3 0.6039

 

 

19:36
Forex Today: US Dollar firmer ahead of Fed’s favorite inflation gauge

What you need to take care of on  Friday, March 28:

The US Dollar surged on Thursday, helped by hawkish comments from Federal Reserve (Fed) official Waller, who suggested the central bank may keep rates at current restrictive levels for longer. Near-term bond yields advanced, while stock markets also maintained the positive momentum.

European Central Bank (ECB) Board member Fabio Panetta repeated that the risks to price stability in the Euro Zone are diminishing, materializing the conditions for starting to ease monetary policy. Several ECB officials have hinted at a rate cut in June, aligned with President Christine Lagarde.

United States (US) data was generally encouraging. The final estimate of the Q4 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was upwardly revised to 3.4% from the previous 3.2% estimate. Additionally, the country released Initial Jobless Claims for the week ended March 22, which came in better than anticipated at 210K. Finally, the March Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index was upwardly revised to 79.4, much better than the preliminary estimate of 76.5, while Pending Home Sales were up 1.6% MoM in February, beating expectations.

Most markets will remain closed on Friday amid the Easter Holiday, although Japanese markets will operate normally. Later in the day, the US will publish the core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index, the Fed’s favorite inflation figure, expected to remain stable at 2.8% YoY.

The Euro was among the worst performers, with EUR/USD settling below the 1.0800 threshold.

GBP/USD ended the day with modest losses after the Gross Domestic Product was confirmed at -0.2% YoY in the last quarter of 2023.

Commodity-linked currencies trade unevenly, with AUD/USD posting a modest decline and settling around 0.6514 amid tepid Australian data, but the USD/CAD falling towards 1.3520, helped by the good performance of stock markets.

Gold was the best performer, and flirts with record highs, with XAU/USD trading around $2,220. 

 

US Dollar price today

The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies today. US Dollar was the strongest against the New Zealand Dollar.

  USD EUR GBP CAD AUD JPY NZD CHF
USD   0.23% -0.06% -0.32% 0.08% 0.07% 0.30% -0.42%
EUR -0.23%   -0.27% -0.54% -0.14% -0.14% 0.07% -0.65%
GBP 0.04% 0.28%   -0.27% 0.13% 0.14% 0.35% -0.37%
CAD 0.31% 0.54% 0.26%   0.40% 0.38% 0.60% -0.11%
AUD -0.08% 0.14% -0.13% -0.40%   -0.02% 0.21% -0.51%
JPY -0.07% 0.17% -0.13% -0.37% 0.03%   0.26% -0.52%
NZD -0.30% -0.06% -0.34% -0.61% -0.21% -0.23%   -0.72%
CHF 0.42% 0.65% 0.37% 0.11% 0.51% 0.48% 0.71%  

The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the Euro from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent EUR (base)/JPY (quote).

 

18:56
Gold hits new all-time high despite hawkish Fed comments, meaty US data
  • Gold price soars to all-time high of $2,225, defying rising Treasury yields and a robust US Dollar.
  • Fed Governor Waller's hawkish comments and upbeat US data were no excuse for the advance in Gold and the US Dollar.
  • Market anticipation builds for the upcoming release of the Fed’s Core PCE index.

Gold price rallied during the North American session on Thursday and hit a new all-time high of $2,225 in the mid-North American session. Precious metal prices are trending higher even though US Treasury yields are advancing, underpinning the Greenback. Hawkish comments by a Federal Reserve (Fed) policymaker and solid economic data from the United States (US) keep the US Dollar and Gold prices bid. XAU/USD trades at $2,221 and gains more than 1.20%.

Christopher Waller, a Fed Governor, noted the US central bank is in no rush to cut rates, even though he expects the beginning of the easing cycle. However, he needs to see a couple of months’ evidence that inflation is curbing toward the Fed’s 2% goal.

Data-wise, the US economy grew faster than expected. Meanwhile, according to the Initial Jobless Claims (IJC) report, the jobs market remains tight. Further data showed that consumer sentiment improved, according to a poll from the University of Michigan, while Pending Home Sales in February ticked higher than in January.

Ahead in the week, Gold traders are eyeing the release of the Fed’s preferred gauge for inflation, the Core Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) price index for the month of February.

Daily digest market movers: Gold price advances in tandem with the US Dollar

  • Gold prices seem to be rallying based on speculation of a lower February inflation report in the US. The Core PCE is expected to slow from 0.4% to 0.3% MoM, while the headline PCE is expected to edge higher from 0.3% to 0.4% MoM.
  • The US GDP rose by 3.4%, exceeding the preliminary reading of 3.2%, an indication of a strong economy. The Core Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) for Q4 2023 hit the Fed’s target of 2% QoQ.
  • Initial Jobless Claims for the week ending March 23 increased by 210K, less than the consensus projection of 215K and lower than the previous week. The data could prevent the Fed from cutting rates sooner than market participants estimate.
  • The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index rose to its highest level since July 2021, climbing to 79.4, exceeding estimates of 76.5. Pending Home Sales recovered in February, increasing 1.6% MoM after plunging -4.7% in January and above the consensus of 1.5%.
  • Money market traders predict a 63% chance that the Fed will slash rates by a quarter of a percentage point in June, lower than Wednesday's 70% odds.

Technical analysis: Gold price pushes above $2,200 as buyers remain in charge

Gold’s uptrend remains intact, although the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is turning overbought as XAU/USD pierces the March 21 high of $2,223. When an asset experiences a significant uptrend, its RSI typically surpasses the 70 mark, signaling that bullish momentum is accumulating. An RSI reading above 80 is often considered indicative of an extreme overbought condition. Therefore, further upside is seen if buyers keep the yellow metal spot price above the latter, paving the way for challenging $2,300.

On the other hand, if XAU/USD dives below $2,200, look for a pullback toward the December 4 high, which turned support at $2,146, that could exacerbate a sell-off and send XAU/USD prices diving toward $2,100. The next support would be the December 28 high at $2,088.

 

Gold FAQs

Gold has played a key role in human’s history as it has been widely used as a store of value and medium of exchange. Currently, apart from its shine and usage for jewelry, the precious metal is widely seen as a safe-haven asset, meaning that it is considered a good investment during turbulent times. Gold is also widely seen as a hedge against inflation and against depreciating currencies as it doesn’t rely on any specific issuer or government.

Central banks are the biggest Gold holders. In their aim to support their currencies in turbulent times, central banks tend to diversify their reserves and buy Gold to improve the perceived strength of the economy and the currency. High Gold reserves can be a source of trust for a country’s solvency. Central banks added 1,136 tonnes of Gold worth around $70 billion to their reserves in 2022, according to data from the World Gold Council. This is the highest yearly purchase since records began. Central banks from emerging economies such as China, India and Turkey are quickly increasing their Gold reserves.

Gold has an inverse correlation with the US Dollar and US Treasuries, which are both major reserve and safe-haven assets. When the Dollar depreciates, Gold tends to rise, enabling investors and central banks to diversify their assets in turbulent times. Gold is also inversely correlated with risk assets. A rally in the stock market tends to weaken Gold price, while sell-offs in riskier markets tend to favor the precious metal.

The price can move due to a wide range of factors. Geopolitical instability or fears of a deep recession can quickly make Gold price escalate due to its safe-haven status. As a yield-less asset, Gold tends to rise with lower interest rates, while higher cost of money usually weighs down on the yellow metal. Still, most moves depend on how the US Dollar (USD) behaves as the asset is priced in dollars (XAU/USD). A strong Dollar tends to keep the price of Gold controlled, whereas a weaker Dollar is likely to push Gold prices up.

 

18:15
EUR/JPY Price Analysis: Bearish short-term trend surfaces, bullish outlook holds for broader timeframe EURJPY
  • Even though daily chart indicators reveal weakening momentum, the overall trend remains positive.
  • In the hourly chart, the RSI deep in the negative area implies sellers are in charge during the day's trading.
  • To maintain momentum, the bulls need to defend the 20-day SMA.

In Thursday's session, the EUR/JPY pair is trading at around 163.40, experiencing a minor loss. The broader perspective leans in favor of the bulls, indicating buying strength that keeps the pair above its 20, 100, and 200-day Simple Moving Averages (SMAs). Despite this, there is evidence of mounting selling pressure on the daily chart.

On the daily chart, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) descended from nearing overbought conditions last week towards 54. The MACD histogram also indicates that buyer momentum might be waning, as inferred from the flat green bars. These market indicators suggest potential near-term volatility in the pair's direction.

EUR/JPY daily chart

Transitioning to the hourly chart, RSI readings convey a more negative sentiment. The latest value stands at 44, signaling sellers as dominant in the short-term movements. The MACD histogram, however, prints green bars which adds neutrality to the intraday outlook.

EUR/JPY hourly chart

In conclusion, despite the negative sentiment on the hourly chart, the daily and broader metrics suggest that bulls maintain control of the bigger picture. The main task fo the buyers is to defend the 20-day SMA at around 163.00 and as long as the pair remains above this level, the outlook will be positive.

 

EUR/JPY

Overview
Today last price 163.39
Today Daily Change -0.37
Today Daily Change % -0.23
Today daily open 163.76
 
Trends
Daily SMA20 162.78
Daily SMA50 161.79
Daily SMA100 160.48
Daily SMA200 159.05
 
Levels
Previous Daily High 164.42
Previous Daily Low 163.44
Previous Weekly High 165.36
Previous Weekly Low 161.95
Previous Monthly High 163.72
Previous Monthly Low 158.08
Daily Fibonacci 38.2% 163.81
Daily Fibonacci 61.8% 164.05
Daily Pivot Point S1 163.32
Daily Pivot Point S2 162.89
Daily Pivot Point S3 162.34
Daily Pivot Point R1 164.3
Daily Pivot Point R2 164.85
Daily Pivot Point R3 165.28

 

 

17:45
Mexican Peso retreats as USD/MXN rises on Fed’s hawkish signals, strong US data
  • Mexican Peso slips from multi-year lows, reacting to optimistic US growth figures and labor market resilience.
  • Strong US GDP growth in Q4 2023 and a robust labor market boosted the US Dollar, a headwind for the Mexican currency.
  • Fed’s Waller remains hawkish, adhering to the “higher for longer” mantra.

The Mexican Peso was on the defensive against the US Dollar on Thursday, with buyers capitalizing on the exotic pair's dip toward an over eight-year low of 16.51. Hawkish comments by Federal Reserve (Fed) Governor Christopher Waller and an absent Mexican economic docket sponsored a leg up in the USD/MXN. At the time of writing, the pair trades at 16.62, up  0.50%.

In addition to Fed speeches, US economic data has been the main driver of price action. The US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) revealed that the US economy grew above estimates in the last quarter of 2023, as measured by the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). At the same time, a report by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) portrayed a tight labor market, with fewer Americans applying for unemployment benefits.

Further data showed an improvement in the housing market as Pending Home Sales recovered in February from January.

Daily digest market movers: Mexican Peso weighed by hawkish comments of Fed’s Waller

  • On Monday, Banxico Governor Victoria Rodriguez Ceja remained dovish via an interview with El Financiero. Governor Rodriguez commented that the battle against inflation hasn’t been concluded, though adding that it would discuss further rate cuts to the main reference rate in upcoming meetings. “When macroeconomic conditions and the inflationary outlook allow us to make additional adjustments to the reference rate to the one we already have, I consider that they would be gradual.”
  • Banxico revealed that international reserves grew to $216.9 billion, adding $411 million in US Dollars through March 22.
  • Mexico’s Balance of Trade in February printed a deficit of $-0.5 billion, lower than the $-4.31 billion in January but missing expectations of $-0.2 billion. Other data showed that the Unemployment Rate in February dropped from 2.9% to 2.5%, which is below the consensus of 2.8%.
  • Mexico’s Indicator of General Economic Activity flashed signs of contraction in January, justifying Banxico’s 25-basis-point rate cut on March 21.
  • Fed Governor Christopher Waller delivered hawkish remarks on Wednesday, said that rates need to be higher for longer than expected and that more inflation progress is needed before supporting a rate cut. He sees the beginning of the easing cycle in 2024, though he suggests that back-to-back months of inflation data heading to 2% are needed.
  • The GDP in the US rose by 3.4%, exceeding the preliminary reading of 3.2%, an indication of a strong economy. The Core Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) for Q4 2023 hit the Fed’s target of 2% QoQ.
  • Initial Jobless Claims for the week ending March 23 rose to 210K, below market expectations of 215K and lower than the previous week. The data shows that the labor market remains tight, which could deter the Fed from cutting rates.
  • The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment index rose to its highest level since July 2021, climbing to 79.4, exceeding estimates of 76.5. Pending Home Sales recovered in February, increasing 1.6% MoM after plunging -4.7% in January and above the consensus of 1.5%.

Technical analysis: Mexican Peso is on the backfoot as USD/MXN edges toward the 16.60 region

The USD/MXN posted a reversal after dropping to a multi-year low of 16.51, with buyers emerging at around those levels, lifting the exchange rate to the 16.60 region. Nevertheless, they’re facing strong resistance at the previous year's low of 16.62, which turned resistance. A breach of the latter will expose January’s monthly low of 16.78, followed by the March 19 high at 16.94. Up next would be the 50-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) at 16.97.

On the other hand, if the pair dives below 16.51, look for a test of October’s 2015 low of 16.32, ahead of the 16.00 psychological figure.

USD/MXN Price Action – Daily Chart

 

Mexican Peso FAQs

The Mexican Peso (MXN) is the most traded currency among its Latin American peers. Its value is broadly determined by the performance of the Mexican economy, the country’s central bank’s policy, the amount of foreign investment in the country and even the levels of remittances sent by Mexicans who live abroad, particularly in the United States. Geopolitical trends can also move MXN: for example, the process of nearshoring – or the decision by some firms to relocate manufacturing capacity and supply chains closer to their home countries – is also seen as a catalyst for the Mexican currency as the country is considered a key manufacturing hub in the American continent. Another catalyst for MXN is Oil prices as Mexico is a key exporter of the commodity.

The main objective of Mexico’s central bank, also known as Banxico, is to maintain inflation at low and stable levels (at or close to its target of 3%, the midpoint in a tolerance band of between 2% and 4%). To this end, the bank sets an appropriate level of interest rates. When inflation is too high, Banxico will attempt to tame it by raising interest rates, making it more expensive for households and businesses to borrow money, thus cooling demand and the overall economy. Higher interest rates are generally positive for the Mexican Peso (MXN) as they lead to higher yields, making the country a more attractive place for investors. On the contrary, lower interest rates tend to weaken MXN.

Macroeconomic data releases are key to assess the state of the economy and can have an impact on the Mexican Peso (MXN) valuation. A strong Mexican economy, based on high economic growth, low unemployment and high confidence is good for MXN. Not only does it attract more foreign investment but it may encourage the Bank of Mexico (Banxico) to increase interest rates, particularly if this strength comes together with elevated inflation. However, if economic data is weak, MXN is likely to depreciate.

As an emerging-market currency, the Mexican Peso (MXN) tends to strive during risk-on periods, or when investors perceive that broader market risks are low and thus are eager to engage with investments that carry a higher risk. Conversely, MXN tends to weaken at times of market turbulence or economic uncertainty as investors tend to sell higher-risk assets and flee to the more-stable safe havens.

 

17:42
GBP/USD treads water, with upside attempts limited below 1.2670 GBPUSD
  • The Pound finds support above 1.2580 but it remains unable to extend gains beyond 1.2670.
  • Soft UK data and hawkish comments from Fed speakers are weighing on the Sterling.
  • The USD has failed to capitalize on better-than-expected US GDP and Jobless Claims figures

The Sterling found support at the 1.2580 area earlier today, before bouncing up, favoured by a somewhat softer US Dollar during Thursday’s US Session. The pair, however, remains capped below 1.2665, which leaves the broader bearish trend unchanged.

The pair has been trading back and forth within a 100-pip horizontal channel, consolidating losses following a decline from Year-To-Date highs near 1.2900 in early March.

Soft UK data and hawkish Fedspeak weighing on the GBP

UK macroeconomic figures have weighed on the Sterling. The quarterly GDP revealed that the country entered recession in the last months of 2023 and inflation has cooled faster than expected, boosting hopes that the BoE could start cutting rates at the same time as the Fed, if not earlier.

In the US, Fed Governor Waller suggested that the Fed might keep interest rates higher for longer, which provided a fresh boost to the US Dollar. Investors are now looking at Friday’s PCE Prices Index to reassess the chances  of a June rate cut

Macroeconomic data released on Thursday revealed that the US economy grew at a faster-than-expected pace in the fourth quarter while Weekly Jobless Claims declined, adding to the evidence of the strong US labour market. The impact on the US Dollar, however, has been minor.

GBP/USD Technical levels to watch

GBP/USD

Overview
Today last price 1.2628
Today Daily Change -0.0013
Today Daily Change % -0.10
Today daily open 1.2641
 
Trends
Daily SMA20 1.2719
Daily SMA50 1.2679
Daily SMA100 1.2649
Daily SMA200 1.2591
 
Levels
Previous Daily High 1.2641
Previous Daily Low 1.2606
Previous Weekly High 1.2804
Previous Weekly Low 1.2575
Previous Monthly High 1.2773
Previous Monthly Low 1.2518
Daily Fibonacci 38.2% 1.2628
Daily Fibonacci 61.8% 1.2619
Daily Pivot Point S1 1.2617
Daily Pivot Point S2 1.2593
Daily Pivot Point S3 1.2581
Daily Pivot Point R1 1.2653
Daily Pivot Point R2 1.2665
Daily Pivot Point R3 1.2688

 

 

 

17:08
Dow Jones Industrial Average posts marginal gains on midday trade

 

  • Dow Jones is trading near opening levels with Wall Street looking for direction in the last trading day of the quarter. 
  • Real Estate and Energy shares are leading gains with the Tech sector lagging on portfolio adjustment moves.
  • Investors’ focus is on Friday’s PCE Prices Index data and Fed Powell’s speech.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is trading less than 0.1% higher on Thursday with the main Wall Street indices looking for direction in the last trading day of the quarter.

The Dow Jones Index is trading nearly 0.01% higher at 39,766 on track to close the quarter with more than a 6% gain. Equity markets have been boosted by hopes of lower borrowing costs coupled with a strong economic momentum and investors’ optimism about the potential of Artificial Intelligence. 

The benchmark S&P 500 is 0.1% higher, at 5,254, while the NASDAQ Composite trades practically at opening levels at 16,404.

Dow Jones news

The Energy and Real Estate sectors are leading gains in the Dow Jones on Thursday with advances of 0.65% and 0.56%, respectively, while the Communication Services, 0.42% down, and the Technology sector, 0.13% lower, are lagging behind.

Walt Disney (DIS) is the best performer, up 1.46% at $122.79, followed by Intel (INTC), which has risen 1.30% to $44.37. The big tech companies are leading losses, probably due to end-of-quarter portfolio adjustments,  which leaves Apple (AAPL) as the biggest loser, down 1.24% to $171.17, followed by Home Depot (HD) with a 0.6% decline to $383.58.

Earlier on Thursday, US Q4 Gross Domestic Product has been upwardly revised to a 0.6% growth from the 0.4% previously estimated. Beyond that, weekly Jobless Claims declined to 210,000 from 212,000 in the week of March 22, against market expectations of an incremental move to 215,000.

The focus now is on Friday’s PCE Prices Index, which is expected to provide further clues on the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy, and the Fed Chair speech due shortly afterward.
 

Dow Jones technical outlook

The Dow Jones Index remains bullish, standing comfortably above previous highs, and the 4-hour 50 Simple Moving Average (SMA), at 39,250. Below here, the next downside targets lie at the 39,000 level and the trendline support at 38,775. 

On the upside, resistances at the 39,900 previous high and the 40,000 psychological level are likely to offer significant pushback for bulls.

Dow Jones Industrial Average 4-Hour Chart

DJIA CHART

 

Dow Jones FAQs

The Dow Jones Industrial Average, one of the oldest stock market indices in the world, is compiled of the 30 most traded stocks in the US. The index is price-weighted rather than weighted by capitalization. It is calculated by summing the prices of the constituent stocks and dividing them by a factor, currently 0.152. The index was founded by Charles Dow, who also founded the Wall Street Journal. In later years it has been criticized for not being broadly representative enough because it only tracks 30 conglomerates, unlike broader indices such as the S&P 500.

Many different factors drive the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA). The aggregate performance of the component companies revealed in quarterly company earnings reports is the main one. US and global macroeconomic data also contributes as it impacts on investor sentiment. The level of interest rates, set by the Federal Reserve (Fed), also influences the DJIA as it affects the cost of credit, on which many corporations are heavily reliant. Therefore, inflation can be a major driver as well as other metrics which impact the Fed decisions.

Dow Theory is a method for identifying the primary trend of the stock market developed by Charles Dow. A key step is to compare the direction of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) and the Dow Jones Transportation Average (DJTA) and only follow trends where both are moving in the same direction. Volume is a confirmatory criteria. The theory uses elements of peak and trough analysis. Dow’s theory posits three trend phases: accumulation, when smart money starts buying or selling; public participation, when the wider public joins in; and distribution, when the smart money exits.

There are a number of ways to trade the DJIA. One is to use ETFs which allow investors to trade the DJIA as a single security, rather than having to buy shares in all 30 constituent companies. A leading example is the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA). DJIA futures contracts enable traders to speculate on the future value of the index and Options provide the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell the index at a predetermined price in the future. Mutual funds enable investors to buy a share of a diversified portfolio of DJIA stocks thus providing exposure to the overall index.

 

17:02
United States Baker Hughes US Oil Rig Count: 506 vs previous 509
16:56
Canadian Dollar picks up following strong GDP figures

 

  • Canadian Dollar is regaining lost ground after upbeat Canadian GDP data.
  • US Dollar looks weak despite good US Jobless claims, upward revision of Q4 GDP.
  • The focus is now on Friday’s PCE Prices Index and Fed Powell’s speech.

The Canadian Dollar (CAD) is trading higher for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday, yet with price action contained within previous ranges. Canada’s Gross Domestic Product bounced up strongly in January with preliminary estimations for February pointing to further economic expansion. These figures have restored confidence in Canada’s economic outlook, cooling off market expectations of imminent BoC rate cuts.

In The US, the larger-than-expected decline in US Weekly Jobless Claims and the upwardly revised Q4 Gross Domestic Product have been unable to provide a meaningful impact to the US Dollar. The Greenback is paring previous gains after having opened Thursday on a strong note, following hawkish remarks from Fed Governor Waller.

The US Dollar Index, which measures the value of the USD against a basket of the most traded currencies, is practically unchanged on the daily chart at the US session opening time. Investors are showing caution with all eyes on Friday’s US PCE Prices Index and a speech by Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell at a monetary policy conference in San Francisco. Traders are looking for further clues about the central bank’s monetary policy plans.

Daily digest market movers: USD/CAD pulls back on improving Canadian economic outlook

  • The Canadian Dollar is moderately bullish on its way to complete a four-day winning streak, favoured by upbeat Canadian data.
  • Canadian GDP expanded at a 0.6% pace in January, beating expectations of 0.4% growth and following a 0.1% contraction in December.
     
  • US Jobless Claims declined to 210K in the week of March 22 from 212K in the previous week against market expectations of an increase to 215K.
     
  • Continuous Jobless claims have increased to 1.189M from 1.795M in the previous week, offsetting the impact of the upbeat headline reading.
     
  • The final reading of the Q4 US GDP has been revised to a 3.4% growth from the 3.2% expansion previously estimated.
     
  • Futures markets are pricing a 55% chance that the Fed will start cutting rates in June, down from levels above 60% on Wednesday, CME Group FedWatch Tool shows.
     
  • Fed Governor Christopher Waller warned that there is no rush to start cutting rates, which has poured some cold water on the market consensus of three rate cuts in 2024.
     
  • The highlight of the week is that the core PCE Prices Index is expected to have risen at a 2.8% yearly pace and 0.4% on the monthly rate in February, from 2.8% and 0.3%, respectively, in January.

US Dollar price today

The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies today. US Dollar was the weakest against the Swiss Franc.

  USD EUR GBP CAD AUD JPY NZD CHF
USD   0.07% -0.22% -0.46% -0.07% -0.01% 0.10% -0.62%
EUR -0.08%   -0.29% -0.51% -0.14% -0.05% 0.02% -0.69%
GBP 0.22% 0.29%   -0.23% 0.14% 0.19% 0.30% -0.41%
CAD 0.44% 0.52% 0.23%   0.38% 0.42% 0.54% -0.16%
AUD 0.09% 0.14% -0.15% -0.37%   0.11% 0.17% -0.55%
JPY 0.02% 0.11% -0.19% -0.42% -0.03%   0.12% -0.63%
NZD -0.11% 0.00% -0.29% -0.53% -0.15% -0.07%   -0.72%
CHF 0.61% 0.68% 0.39% 0.17% 0.55% 0.61% 0.71%  

The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the Euro from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent EUR (base)/JPY (quote).

Technical analysis: The USD is under increasing bearish pressure, heading to 1.3520

The USD/CAD is under increasing bearish traction after having been rejected at 1.3610 on its way to 1.3520 support area. The RSI has dipped below the 50 level, which suggests that sellers are in control.

The broader picture is still mildly positive, with the pair trading within a slightly bullish channel. A break of 1.3460 would negate this view. On the upside, resistance levels are 1.3615 and 1.3630.
 

USD/CAD 4-Hour Chart

USDCAD Chart

 

 

Canadian Dollar FAQs

The key factors driving the Canadian Dollar (CAD) are the level of interest rates set by the Bank of Canada (BoC), the price of Oil, Canada’s largest export, the health of its economy, inflation and the Trade Balance, which is the difference between the value of Canada’s exports versus its imports. Other factors include market sentiment – whether investors are taking on more risky assets (risk-on) or seeking safe-havens (risk-off) – with risk-on being CAD-positive. As its largest trading partner, the health of the US economy is also a key factor influencing the Canadian Dollar.

The Bank of Canada (BoC) has a significant influence on the Canadian Dollar by setting the level of interest rates that banks can lend to one another. This influences the level of interest rates for everyone. The main goal of the BoC is to maintain inflation at 1-3% by adjusting interest rates up or down. Relatively higher interest rates tend to be positive for the CAD. The Bank of Canada can also use quantitative easing and tightening to influence credit conditions, with the former CAD-negative and the latter CAD-positive.

The price of Oil is a key factor impacting the value of the Canadian Dollar. Petroleum is Canada’s biggest export, so Oil price tends to have an immediate impact on the CAD value. Generally, if Oil price rises CAD also goes up, as aggregate demand for the currency increases. The opposite is the case if the price of Oil falls. Higher Oil prices also tend to result in a greater likelihood of a positive Trade Balance, which is also supportive of the CAD.

While inflation had always traditionally been thought of as a negative factor for a currency since it lowers the value of money, the opposite has actually been the case in modern times with the relaxation of cross-border capital controls. Higher inflation tends to lead central banks to put up interest rates which attracts more capital inflows from global investors seeking a lucrative place to keep their money. This increases demand for the local currency, which in Canada’s case is the Canadian Dollar.

Macroeconomic data releases gauge the health of the economy and can have an impact on the Canadian Dollar. Indicators such as GDP, Manufacturing and Services PMIs, employment, and consumer sentiment surveys can all influence the direction of the CAD. A strong economy is good for the Canadian Dollar. Not only does it attract more foreign investment but it may encourage the Bank of Canada to put up interest rates, leading to a stronger currency. If economic data is weak, however, the CAD is likely to fall.


 

16:35
US Dollar gives up gains of robust GDP and labor market figures
  • The Q4 US GDP was revised higher to 3.4%, while Initial Jobless Claims came strong.
  • The March Chicago PMI came in lower than expected.
  • US Treasury yields stand mixed and limit the upside for the USD.

The US Dollar Index (DXY) initially soared to 104.70 but then stabilized at 104.50. On the positive side, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) revision and strong weekly Initial Jobless Claims figures from the US benefited the Greenback. But the weaker-than-expected Chicago PMI seems to have brought down the USD’s momentum.

The US economy appears steady with the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) stance treading a cautious path. Despite upward revisions in inflation projections, the Fed, under Powell's guidance, refrains from overreacting to short-term spikes in inflation. The speculated start of an easing cycle in June remains dependent on incoming data. 

Daily digest market movers: DXY fails to hold its rally to highs since February, eyes on PCE

  • Unemployment data came in slightly below consensus at 210K against the anticipated 215K for the week ending on March 23.
  •  Q4 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was revised higher to a yearly growth of 3.4%.
  • On the negative side, the March Chicago Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) data released by the Institute for Supply Management was below expectations at 41.4, against the forecasted 46 and previous 44.
  • US Treasury bond yields show mixed results with the 2-year yield at 4.60%, 5-year yield at 4.20%, and 10-year yield at 4.19%.
  • The probability of a rate cut in June has dropped to 66% compared to 85% at the beginning of the week, which seems to be cushioning the Greenback.
  • The week’s highlight will be the headline Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) due on Friday, which is expected to have risen by 2.5% YoY, while the core measure is seen coming in at 2.8%. 
  • The outcome of the Fed’s preferred gauge of inflation will dictate the pace of the USD for the short term.

DXY technical analysis: DXY bulls are in command, but struggle to make a significant upward move

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is mildly up around 60, while the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) manifests green bars that suggest a presence of bullish momentum. Yet it remains to be seen if the current buying traction can spur the DXY to higher levels as the MACD is also hinting at limited upward potential.

Looking broadly, the DXY sits comfortably above the 20, 100 and 200-day Simple Moving Averages (SMAs), indicating that the buying momentum is stronger in a larger context. This suggests that despite short-term bearish undertones, the bulls have a firmer grip in the long run.

Despite their dominance, the bulls are currently steady but seem to be struggling to gain more ground, which can impact the short-term dynamic of the DXY. 

 

 

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.

15:57
US Core PCE Preview: Forecasts from seven major banks, inflationary pressure still too high

The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, the Core Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE), will be released by the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) on Friday, March 29 at 12:30 GMT and as we get closer to the release time, here are the forecasts of economists and researchers of seven major banks.

The US core PCE Price Index is expected to remain steady at 2.8% year-on-year. The monthly underlying inflation data is forecasted to have increased by 0.3%, slowing from January’s 0.4% advance. 

Commerzbank

We expect a rate of 0.4% for the MoM rate, or 0.3% excluding energy and food (core rate). In addition, previous months' data are likely to be revised slightly upwards. The core rates for December (0.1%) and January (0.4%) could therefore be rounded up to the nearest tenth. In any case, the figures are likely to show that inflation remains stubbornly high and has even gained momentum recently. Measured in terms of the core rate, prices are likely to have risen by 2.8% YoY.

ING

Given the CPI and PPI numbers that have already been released, the consensus is firmly backing a 0.3% outcome, which – while not ideal – is progress. Given that this is published on Good Friday when many offices will be closed, thin market conditions could mean outsized market moves on any data surprise. There is also potential for the report to signal the second consecutive negative MoM reading for real consumer spending.

TDS

Still robust increases in the February CPI/PPI data will likely result in a firm 0.28% MoM gain for the core PCE – though notably down from Jan's 0.42% increase. The PCE's supercore likely also slowed down to a more manageable 0.25% gain. 

NBF

The annual core PCE deflator may have progressed 0.3% MoM in February, a result which should leave the 12-month rate unchanged at a 35-month low of 2.8%.

SocGen

The main focus is on the PCE deflator, with expectations of a 0.3% hike for both the headline and the core. This aligns with the 0.4% increase recorded by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Distinctive from the CPI, the PCE deflator evaluates expenditures for goods and services consumed, rather than household spending. For financial transactions, the costs are implicit and need to be derived. Healthcare and financial costs, which are typically covered by either the government or employers, are the primary categories of difference. We anticipate modest healthcare cost growth in the February PCE data. However, we project a substantial increase in financial costs. In all other categories, we follow the CPI price changes, adjusting the weightings to predict a 0.3% increase.

CIBC

The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, core PCE, should come in hot for the second month in a row at 0.3% MoM. Headline PCE prices should rise by 0.4%.

Citi

Core PCE inflation should rise 0.26% MoM, rounding to 0.3% but with a chance of a somewhat softer print that rounds to 0.2%. Likely upward revisions to last month’s data should mean year-on-year core PCE is revised higher to 2.9% in January and moderates only to 2.8% YoY in February. Details of February core PCE, however, should be less concerning for Fed officials following substantial strength in services inflation in January. Core goods prices, which rose 0.1% MoM in February CPI, should rise 0.26% in February but core services prices excluding housing should rise a more modest 0.21%.

 

15:41
USD/JPY stalls amid mixed market mood, intervention concerns USDJPY
  • USD/JPY hovers at 151.28, with traders wary of potential Japanese market intervention to support the Yen.
  • US Q4 GDP growth surpasses expectations at 3.4%, while jobless claims and consumer sentiment indicate a robust economy.
  • Fed Governor Waller's hawkish stance underscores the need for sustained inflation progress, influencing rate cut expectations.

The USD/JPY remains subdued during the North American session, trading at 151.28, almost flat, amid renewed fears of Japan’s intervening in the markets to cap the Japanese Yen (JPY) weakness.

USD/JPY trades cautiously with US economic growth and job data in focus, alongside Japan's intervention warnings

Market sentiment is mixed amid thin liquidity trading as the year's first quarter ends. US economic data revealed the country grew 3.4% in the last quarter of 2023, exceeding the preliminary reading of 3.2%, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.  In the meantime, inflation measures on a quarterly basis hit the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) objective of 2%,

Other data showed that Initial Jobless Claims for the week ending March 23 were below market expectations of a 215K increase and came to 210K, lower than the previous week. The data shows that the labor market remains tight, which could deter the Fed from cutting rates.

At the same time, the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment index rose to its highest level since July 2021, climbing to 79.4, exceeding estimates of 76.5. Pending Home Sales recovered in February, increasing 1.6% MoM after plunging -4.7% in January and above the consensus of 1.5%.

On Wednesday, the Fed’s Governor Christopher Waller delivered hawkish remarks. He said that rates need to be higher for longer than expected and that more inflation progress is needed before supporting a rate cut. He sees the beginning of the easing cycle in 2024, though he suggests that back-to-back months of inflation data heading to 2% are needed.

On the Japanese front, the Bank of Japan Summary of Opinions revealed that members said that Yield Curve Control, negative interest rates, and other measures of stimulus accomplished their roles.  Meanwhile, Japanese authorities' verbal intervention deterred traders from opening fresh long bets in the USD/JPY pair as intervention threats loom.

USD/JPY Price Analysis: Technical outlook

The daily chart suggests the USD/JPY has peaked at around the 151.20/151.90 area, although the bullish bias remains. A clear break above 152.00, could pave the way for challenging 153.00. On the other hand, a pullback is seen if sellers push the exchange rate below 151.00, with the Tenkan/Sen seen as first support at 150.44, followed by 150.00 and the Senkou Span A at 149.84.

 

Japanese Yen FAQs

The Japanese Yen (JPY) is one of the world’s most traded currencies. Its value is broadly determined by the performance of the Japanese economy, but more specifically by the Bank of Japan’s policy, the differential between Japanese and US bond yields, or risk sentiment among traders, among other factors.

One of the Bank of Japan’s mandates is currency control, so its moves are key for the Yen. The BoJ has directly intervened in currency markets sometimes, generally to lower the value of the Yen, although it refrains from doing it often due to political concerns of its main trading partners. The current BoJ ultra-loose monetary policy, based on massive stimulus to the economy, has caused the Yen to depreciate against its main currency peers. This process has exacerbated more recently due to an increasing policy divergence between the Bank of Japan and other main central banks, which have opted to increase interest rates sharply to fight decades-high levels of inflation.

The BoJ’s stance of sticking to ultra-loose monetary policy has led to a widening policy divergence with other central banks, particularly with the US Federal Reserve. This supports a widening of the differential between the 10-year US and Japanese bonds, which favors the US Dollar against the Japanese Yen.

The Japanese Yen is often seen as a safe-haven investment. This means that in times of market stress, investors are more likely to put their money in the Japanese currency due to its supposed reliability and stability. Turbulent times are likely to strengthen the Yen’s value against other currencies seen as more risky to invest in.

 

15:31
United States 4-Week Bill Auction up to 5.285% from previous 5.27%
15:11
The market's love affair with the Mexican Peso continues – ING

The Mexican Peso (MXN) has now delivered year-to-date total returns of 5.36% against the mighty US Dollar (USD). Economists at ING analyze MXN outlook.

The total return hero

We had thought Banxico might push back against Peso strength when it cut rates last week. Yet Banxico's statement (unlike the SNB's) did not single out a strong currency as an influential factor, and the market has been happy to press ahead with Peso positions. 

We suspect the strong Peso will enable Banxico to deliver a consistent path of rate cuts and expect more receiving pressure to emerge in Mexican two-year TIIE swap rates, which are now trading around 9.75%.

 

15:02
United States Kansas Fed Manufacturing Activity: -9 (March) vs previous 3
14:30
United States EIA Natural Gas Storage Change below expectations (-28B) in March 22: Actual (-36B)
14:29
Gold Price Forecast: XAU/USD to trade towards $2,300 by the end of 2024 – ANZ

Gold prices have been scaling new highs in March. Economists at ANZ Bank analyze the yellow metal’s outlook.

A retracement looks likely in the short term

While we continue to hold our long-term positive view, a retracement looks likely in the short term. A price pull-back is an opportunity to build long positions. 

We expect Gold to trade towards $2,300 by the end of 2024.

See – Gold Price Forecast: Push back in rate cut expectations from March to June may cap XAU/USD rally – ANZ

14:14
AUD/USD Price Analysis: Likely test Ascending Triangle’s breakdown near 0.6520 AUDUSD
  • AUD/USD finds a temporary support near 0.6500 though downside remains favored.
  • RBA’s high interest rates have deepened Australia’s cost of living crisis.
  • The US Dollar retreats from a six-week high despite upwardly revised Q4 GDP estimates.

The AUD/USD pair finds support slightly below the psychological support of 0.6500 in the early American session on Thursday. The Aussie asset discovers some buying interest as the US Dollar retreats after refreshing six-week high. However, the broader appeal of the Aussie asset is still downbeat as investors remain uncertain ahead of the United States core Personal Consumption Expenditure Price Index (PCE) data for February, which will be published on Friday.

The core PCE will provide cues about when the Federal Reserve (Fed) will begin reducing interest rates. The annual underlying inflation data is estimated to have grown steadily by 2.8%, with monthly growth declining to 0.3% from 0.4% in January.

The US Dollar Index failed to sustain six-week highs near 104.72 despite the final estimate from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) for the final quarter of 2023 showing that the economy grew by 3.4%. As per the preliminary estimates, the economy expanded by 3.2%.

Meanwhile, the Australian Dollar broadly remains on the backfoot as the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) higher Official Cash Rate (OCR) has deepened the cost-of-living crisis. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that monthly Retail Sales grew at a slower pace of 0.3% in February, against expectations of 0.4% and the former reading of 1.1%.

AUD/USD is expected to test the breakdown of the Ascending Triangle chart pattern near 0.6520 formed on a four-hour timeframe. The upward-sloping border of the aforementioned pattern is plotted from February 13 low at 0.6442 while the horizontal resistance is placed from January 30 high at 0.6626.

Downward-sloping 20- and 50-period Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs) at 0.6525 and 0.6538, respectively, indicate that near-term demand is weak.

The 14-period Relative Strength Index (RSI) oscillates inside the 40.00-60.00 range, indicating indecisiveness among market participants.

Investors might build fresh shorts after a pullback move near 0.6530. Profits on shorts would be booked near the psychological support of 0.6500 and February 13 low near 0.6440.

On the contrary, a sharp recovery move above March 26 high at 0.6560 will drive the asset toward the round-level resistance of 0.6600, followed by March 12 high at 0.6640.

AUD/USD four-hour chart

AUD/USD

Overview
Today last price 0.6514
Today Daily Change -0.0020
Today Daily Change % -0.31
Today daily open 0.6534
 
Trends
Daily SMA20 0.656
Daily SMA50 0.6551
Daily SMA100 0.6596
Daily SMA200 0.655
 
Levels
Previous Daily High 0.6539
Previous Daily Low 0.6511
Previous Weekly High 0.6634
Previous Weekly Low 0.6504
Previous Monthly High 0.661
Previous Monthly Low 0.6443
Daily Fibonacci 38.2% 0.6528
Daily Fibonacci 61.8% 0.6522
Daily Pivot Point S1 0.6518
Daily Pivot Point S2 0.6501
Daily Pivot Point S3 0.649
Daily Pivot Point R1 0.6545
Daily Pivot Point R2 0.6556
Daily Pivot Point R3 0.6573

 

 

14:01
United States Pending Home Sales (YoY): -7% (February) vs -8.8%
14:00
United States Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index above forecasts (76.5) in March: Actual (79.4)
14:00
United States UoM 5-year Consumer Inflation Expectation down to 2.8% in March from previous 2.9%
14:00
United States Pending Home Sales (MoM) registered at 1.6% above expectations (1.5%) in February
13:45
United States Chicago Purchasing Managers' Index registered at 41.4, below expectations (46) in March
13:39
USD gains on Fed Waller’s ‘no rush’ comment but may struggle to extend further – Scotiabank

USD rally is gaining traction. Economists at Scotiabank analyze Greenback’s outlook.

USD firms after Waller says “no rush” on rates

Comments from Fed Governor Waller (voter and a relative hawk) have injected more volatility in the markets ahead of the long weekend. In his remarks, the governor stressed patience on the policy outlook, noting several times that there was ‘no rush’ to lower rates. He said recent data was disappointing and that he would want to see ‘at least a couple of months’ of improvement before easing.

Waller did echo Chair Powell’s post FOMC comments that lower rates would be appropriate later this year. But he added that it is appropriate ‘to reduce the overall number of rate cuts or push them further into the future’ after the recent inflation data. 

The USD has advanced, stretching gains beyond recent range highs in some cases, yields have firmed up a little and spreads have moved marginally in the USD’s favour in response to the comments – but not obviously enough to support further, significant USD gains.

 

13:00
Russia Central Bank Reserves $ down to $590.1B from previous $594.3B
12:50
USD/CAD: Near-term risks geared towards some drift back to the 1.3550/1.3575 area – Scotiabank USDCAD

USD/CAD has edged slightly higher to retest the 1.3600+ area. Economists at Scotiabank analyze the pair’s outlook.

USD’s latest push above the 1.3600 area appears to have stalled out again

Spot gains appear to have topped out around 1.3610 again. 

USD losses are not yet of the magnitude that would indicate a clear technical top has developed but the persistence of USD resistance at 1.3600/1.3610 through March so far suggests near-term risks are geared towards some drift in the USD back to the 1.3550/1.3575 area.

 

12:48
Silver Price Analysis: Continues lower after Bearish Engulfing
  • Silver price continues falling after touching the top of its range and forming a Bearish Engulfing candlestick pattern. 
  • The MACD has crossed its signal line giving a sell signal. 
  • Silver price will probably fall towards a cluster of MAs in the $23.000s
     

Silver price (XAG/USD) is trading in the $24.580s on Friday. It has just reversed after touching the top of a multi-month range. 

Silver rallied up during the first half of March until it reached the ceiling of a long-term range at around $25.750. At that point it reversed and formed a Bearish Engulfing Japanese candlestick pattern on the following day, Mar 21 (circled). 

A Bearish Engulfing is an indicator of a short-term reversal in price. It forms when a red candlestick’s whole daily range completely encloses, or “engulfs”, the previous day’s range. The appearance of the pattern adds a further bearish hue to the picture. 

Silver versus US Dollar: Daily chart 

The Moving Average Convergence/ Divergence (MACD) momentum indicator has crossed below its signal line, giving a sell signal. The MACD is an especially reliable indicator within range-bound markets and adds credence to the bearish view. 

The pair will probably continue south to a potential target at the cluster of major moving averages, in the lower $23.000s. The topmost is the 100-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) at $23.550. 

A break below the $24.320 levels of March 27 would provide more bearish confidence of a move lower.  

Alternatively if bulls take back control, a break back above the $25.770 highs of Thursday would probably indicate an extension of the uptrend. 

A decisive break above the range highs would indicate more upside. Such a move would be expected to then reach a conservative target at the 0.618 Fibonacci extrapolation of the height of the range from the breakout point higher, and a target at $28.524.

A decisive break is one in which a level is breached by a long green candlestick which closes near its high, or three green candlesticks that break above the level.

 

12:39
US Q4 GDP growth revised higher to 3.4% from 3.2%
  • US GDP growth for Q4 is revised higher to 3.4% from 3.2%.
  • US Dollar Index stays in positive territory above 104.50.

The United States' Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew at an annual rate of 3.4% in the fourth quarter, the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) said in its final estimate on Thursday. The BEA reported in its previous estimate that the real GDP growth was 3.2%.

"The update primarily reflected upward revisions to consumer spending and nonresidential fixed investment that were partly offset by a downward revision to private inventory investment," the BEA explained in the press release. 

Market reaction

The US Dollar Index (DXY) showed no immediate reaction and was last seen rising 0.25% on the day at 104.55.

12:34
US weekly Initial Jobless Claims decline to 210K vs. 215K expected
  • Initial Jobless Claims in the US decreased by 2,000 in the week ending March 23.
  • US Dollar Index clings to modest daily gains above 104.50.

There were 210,000 initial jobless claims in the week ending March 23, the weekly data published by the US Department of Labor (DOL) showed on Thursday. This print followed the previous week's print of 212,000 (revised from 210,000) and came in better than the market expectation of 215,000.

Further details of the publication revealed that the advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.2% and the 4-week moving average stood at 211,000, a decrease of 750 from the previous week's revised average.

"The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 16 was 1,819,000, an increase of 24,000 from the previous week's revised level," the publication read.

Market reaction

The US Dollar Index clings to modest daily gains above 104.50 in the early American session.

12:30
United States Gross Domestic Product Price Index meets forecasts (1.7%) in 4Q
12:30
United States Initial Jobless Claims below expectations (215K) in March 22: Actual (210K)
12:30
United States Continuing Jobless Claims above forecasts (1.807M) in March 15: Actual (1.819M)
12:30
United States Gross Domestic Product Annualized came in at 3.4%, above expectations (3.2%) in 4Q
12:30
United States Core Personal Consumption Expenditures (QoQ) came in at 2% below forecasts (2.1%) in 4Q
12:30
United States Personal Consumption Expenditures Prices (QoQ) meets forecasts (1.8%) in 4Q
12:30
Canada Gross Domestic Product (MoM) came in at 0.6%, above forecasts (0.4%) in January
12:30
United States Initial Jobless Claims 4-week average fell from previous 211.25K to 211K in March 22
12:17
GBP/USD: Gains through 1.2640/1.2650 resistance needed to give Cable an additional lift from here – Scotiabank GBPUSD

GBP/USD holds support below 1.2600. Economists at Scotiabank analyze the pair’s outlook.

Cable based around 1.2590/1.2600

Markets continue to reflect the expectation that the BoE will hold off until August before easing. Rate expectations are perhaps providing the GBP with a bit of a cushion against the USD’s advance.

Sterling has rebounded modestly from the earlier session low. The GBP/USD pair based around 1.2590/1.2600, effectively a retest of the 200-Day Moving Average where Cable has found support in the recent past. 

Gains through 1.2640/1.2650 resistance are needed to give the GBP an additional lift from here, however.

 

12:04
New Zealand Dollar falls across the board on weaker consumer confidence
  • The New Zealand Dollar weakens in its most traded pairs after weak consumer confidence data. 
  • The New Zealand economy suffers from the twin evils of high inflation and weak growth, further weighing on NZD. 
  • The NZD/USD chart is showing a bearish pattern underway with new lows probably on the radar. 

The New Zealand Dollar (NZD) is weakening across the board on Thursday, after a leading indicator of consumer confidence in New Zealand deteriorated sharply in February. 

The currency is further hampered by an economy that is suffering from the twin evils of high inflation and low growth, leaving the central bank with little room for maneuver. 

New Zealand Dollar undermined by a weak Roy Morgan 

The New Zealand Dollar has depreciated after a sharp fall in the Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence indicator, a leading index that measures the “level of consumer confidence in economic activity.” 

The data released overnight showed the index falling to 86.4 in February from 94.5 in January, the lowest level since July 2023, according to ANZ bank. 

Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence: Monthly

New Zealand fell into a technical recession in Q4 of 2023, following two quarters of negative economic growth.

Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, remains relatively high at 4.7% in Q4 after falling from 5.6% in Q3. The largest contributor was Housing and Housing Utilities, which showed a 4.8% rise and accounts for the largest share of the basket. 

The poor economic data suggests the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) is trapped: it must keep interest rates high at 5.5% in order to bring down inflation but would probably prefer to reduce interest rates to stimulate growth. This is probably a further factor weighing on the NZD. 

The structural problem of a tight labor market due to insufficient workers limits growth and keeps wages relatively high. 

Technical Analysis: New Zealand Dollar in bearish pattern against USD

NZD/USD price, which measures the buying power of one New Zealand Dollar in US Dollar (USD) terms, is falling in a bearish three-wave pattern, known as a Measured Move. 

The pattern consists of three waves, usually labeled ABC, in which wave A and C are usually of the same length. 

 New Zealand Dollar versus US Dollar: 4-hour chart

Assuming the pattern unfolds as expected, the pair is likely to continue its decline until it reaches the target for the end of wave C, located at 0.5847. 

NZD/USD has already broken below the conservative target for the pattern at 0.5988, measured as wave C ending at the 0.618 Fibonacci ratio of the length of wave A. 

The pair is in a short-term downtrend which, according to the adage that “the trend is your friend,” is likely to continue. 

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) momentum indicator is converging slightly with price, which is a mildly bullish significator. Convergence occurs when price falls to lower lows but RSI fails to reflect this. In the case of NZD/USD, the RSI is not as low as it was on March 19 even though the price is. 

This could indicate the possibility of an upside correction occurring, although the dominant downtrend would still be expected to resume once the correction was complete.

 

New Zealand Dollar FAQs

The New Zealand Dollar (NZD), also known as the Kiwi, is a well-known traded currency among investors. Its value is broadly determined by the health of the New Zealand economy and the country’s central bank policy. Still, there are some unique particularities that also can make NZD move. The performance of the Chinese economy tends to move the Kiwi because China is New Zealand’s biggest trading partner. Bad news for the Chinese economy likely means less New Zealand exports to the country, hitting the economy and thus its currency. Another factor moving NZD is dairy prices as the dairy industry is New Zealand’s main export. High dairy prices boost export income, contributing positively to the economy and thus to the NZD.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) aims to achieve and maintain an inflation rate between 1% and 3% over the medium term, with a focus to keep it near the 2% mid-point. To this end, the bank sets an appropriate level of interest rates. When inflation is too high, the RBNZ will increase interest rates to cool the economy, but the move will also make bond yields higher, increasing investors’ appeal to invest in the country and thus boosting NZD. On the contrary, lower interest rates tend to weaken NZD. The so-called rate differential, or how rates in New Zealand are or are expected to be compared to the ones set by the US Federal Reserve, can also play a key role in moving the NZD/USD pair.

Macroeconomic data releases in New Zealand are key to assess the state of the economy and can impact the New Zealand Dollar’s (NZD) valuation. A strong economy, based on high economic growth, low unemployment and high confidence is good for NZD. High economic growth attracts foreign investment and may encourage the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to increase interest rates, if this economic strength comes together with elevated inflation. Conversely, if economic data is weak, NZD is likely to depreciate.

The New Zealand Dollar (NZD) tends to strengthen during risk-on periods, or when investors perceive that broader market risks are low and are optimistic about growth. This tends to lead to a more favorable outlook for commodities and so-called ‘commodity currencies’ such as the Kiwi. Conversely, NZD tends to weaken at times of market turbulence or economic uncertainty as investors tend to sell higher-risk assets and flee to the more-stable safe havens.

 

12:00
US Dollar strengthens to monthly highs as Waller pushes back on early rate cut bets
  • The US Dollar extends its rally to a three-day winning streak. 
  • Traders are diving into the Greenback on Fed’s Waller hawkish tilt. 
  • The US Dollar Index jumps to a new high for March. 

The US Dollar (USD) rallies and rejoices with the return of King Dollar after Fed Board Member Christopher Waller has pulled the plug on a June interest-rate cut. The Greenback is rolling through the markets and is up against every major G20 peer. Markets are heading into the direction of fewer and later rate cuts while the economy and inflation flair up.

A very chubby calendar is ahead on Thursday, although many data are finalreadings from preliminary estimates and thus have less potential to move markets. Examples of these are the US Gross Domestic Product reading for Q4 and the University of Michigan numbers for March. Rather look for the Jobless Claims and the Chicago Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) to trigger a bit of follow-through in the US Dollar strength this Thursday. 

Daily digest market movers: Cherry picking in the data

  • The first batch of data is due at 12:30 GMT, and can be cut into two pieces:
    • The US Gross Domestic Product final reading for Q4 will be released:
      • Headline GDP is expected to remain unchanged from the prior estimate at 3.2%.
      • The GDP Price Index  is set to remain at 1.7%.
      • Core Personal Consumption Expenditures is expected at 2.1%.
    • This week’s Jobless Claims:
      • Initial Claims are expected to come out at 215,000, a touch higher from last week’s 210,000.
      • Continuing Claims should remain stable at 1.807 million.
  • The Chicago Purchasing Manager Index for March is expected to head from 44 to 46 at 13:45 GMT.
  • At 14:00 GMT, the final reading for the University of Michigan for March will come out:
  • Consumer Sentiment is expected to remain unchanged at 76.5.
  • Consumer Inflation expectations will remain stable as well at 2.9%.
  • The Kansas Fed Manufacturing Index for March will be released at 15:00 GMT, and was previously at 3. No forecast is available.
  • Equities are mildly in the green in the European trading session. US Equity futures look rather flat ahead of the opening bell. 
  • According to the CME Group’s FedWatch Tool, expectations for the Fed’s May 1 meeting are at 94.8% for keeping the fed funds rate unchanged, while chances of a rate cut are at 5.2%.
  • The benchmark 10-year US Treasury Note trades around 4.21%, up from 4.18% earlier this week. 

US Dollar Index Technical Analysis: Choke holding doves

The US Dollar Index (DXY) got fired up by Fed’s Waller overnight after the official pushed back against June rate cut expectations and obliterated any hopes for cuts from the US Federal Reserve before the summer. US Dollar bulls chased the DXY higher on the back of it, which results in a fresh high for March and the February highs are coming into reach now. Should the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index bear a red hot inflation label again, expect for the DXY to quickly reach 105.00 and higher. 

That first pivotal level for the DXY at 104.60 has been broken, where last week’s rally peaked.  Further up, 104.96 remains the level to beat in order to tackle 105.00. Once above there, 105.12 is the last resistance point for now before the Relative Strength Index (RSI) will trade in overbought levels. 

Support from the 200-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) at 103.75, the 100-day SMA at 103.48, and the 55-day SMA at 103.72 are unable to show their importance as support because traders didn’t wait for a drop to those levels for a turnaround. The 103.00 big figure looks to remain unchallenged for longer, after the decline in the wake of the Fed meeting last week got turned around way before reaching it. 

 

US Dollar FAQs

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.

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.

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.

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.

 

11:59
South Africa Trade Balance (in Rands) registered at 14.04B above expectations (8.6B) in February
11:53
Natural Gas drops on stronger US Dollar, gloomy demand outlook
  • Natural Gas prices extend losses on Thursday after falling more than 3% on Wednesday. 
  • Traders are selling Gas contracts with a stronger US Dollar killing off global economic recovery. 
  • The US Dollar Index snaps March’s peak and rallies to test February’s highs. 

Natural Gas (XNG/USD) sank below $1.80 on Thursday after prices already slid by more than 3% on Wednesday. The move came in tandem with a stronger US Dollar after US Federal Reserve official Christopher Waller pushed back against the possibility of interest-rate cuts for June. This came as a cold shower to markets, which were counting on that June rate cut for a boost in the economy and thus a boost in demand. 

The DXY US Dollar Index jumped on the back of these comments to a fresh high for March. The 104.60 level, which was a line in the sand, was broken on Thursday ahead of US Gross Domestic Product’s final reading for Q4 and the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (PCE) on Friday. 

Natural Gas is trading at $1.77 per MMBtu at the time of writing.  

Natural Gas news and market movers: Global demand drops

  • A decline in China’s LNG inventories is becoming rather bad news for Gas prices, with Chinese buyers commenting to Bloomberg that they are awaiting a further decline in prices before considering refilling current drawdown levels.
  • Japanese electricity generator Jera Co. is conducting planned outages at its gas-fueled plants in an effort to conserve liquefied natural gas after bad weather causes delays in LNG deliveries in the Tokyo Bay area. 
  • ANZ Bank revised its outlook for European gas prices to a further uprising with ongoing attacks between Russia and Ukraine on gas storage facilities creating the ideal situation for an energy crunch. 
  • The Energy Information Administration (EIA) will release around 14:30 GMT the weekly gas storage numbers. Previous was a build of 7 billion cubic feet, and a draw of 28 billion cubic feet is expected for this week. 
  •  

Natural Gas Technical Analysis: Steps reversed

Natural Gas prices are taking a turn for the worse, sinking below $1.80 after a mixture of elements quickly made sentiment turn 180 degrees after the uprising on Tuesday. It was Fed’s Waller though who confirmed what markets were already thinking: those anticipated rate cuts are not going to come that quickly. This dampens hopes for a quick economic recovery and more growth potential, with thus demand being capped and even being revised to the downside. Further downside pressure is possible with the heating season ending and the summer lull in Gas markets ahead. 

On the upside, the key $1.97 level needs to be regained first, with the 55-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) coming in as well. The next key mark is the historic pivotal point at $2.13. Should Gas prices pop up in that region, a broad area opens up with the first cap at the red descending trend line near $2.21.

On the downside, multi-year lows are still nearby with $1.65 as the first line in the sand. This year’s low at $1.60 needs to be kept an eye on as well. Once a new low for the year is printed, traders should look at $1.53 as the next supportive area. 

Natural Gas: Daily Chart

Natural Gas: Daily Chart

 

Natural Gas FAQs

Supply and demand dynamics are a key factor influencing Natural Gas prices, and are themselves influenced by global economic growth, industrial activity, population growth, production levels, and inventories. The weather impacts Natural Gas prices because more Gas is used during cold winters and hot summers for heating and cooling. Competition from other energy sources impacts prices as consumers may switch to cheaper sources. Geopolitical events are factors as exemplified by the war in Ukraine. Government policies relating to extraction, transportation, and environmental issues also impact prices.

The main economic release influencing Natural Gas prices is the weekly inventory bulletin from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), a US government agency that produces US gas market data. The EIA Gas bulletin usually comes out on Thursday at 14:30 GMT, a day after the EIA publishes its weekly Oil bulletin. Economic data from large consumers of Natural Gas can impact supply and demand, the largest of which include China, Germany and Japan. Natural Gas is primarily priced and traded in US Dollars, thus economic releases impacting the US Dollar are also factors.

The US Dollar is the world’s reserve currency and most commodities, including Natural Gas are priced and traded on international markets in US Dollars. As such, the value of the US Dollar is a factor in the price of Natural Gas, because if the Dollar strengthens it means less Dollars are required to buy the same volume of Gas (the price falls), and vice versa if USD strengthens.

 

11:41
EUR/USD: Additional gains back above 1.0800 in the session would be supportive of a mild rebound – Scotiabank EURUSD

EUR/USD is edging off its intraday low open but remains below 1.0800. Economists at Scotiabank analyze the pair’s outlook.

Resistance is seen at 1.0845/1.0855

EUR/USD losses have edged off the intraday low at 1.0775 and short-term price signals are leaning bullish as a result. 

The six-hour chart reflects a potential ‘doji’ candle developing now. 

Additional EUR gains back above the 1.0800 zone in the session ahead would be supportive of a mild rebound in the pair at least. 

Resistance is seen at 1.0845/1.0855.

 

11:22
Italy Producer Price Index (MoM): -1% (February) vs -1.7%
11:22
Italy Producer Price Index (YoY) down to -10.8% in February from previous -10.7%
11:19
USD/JPY consolidates above 151.00 ahead of US core PCE Inflation for fresh cues USDJPY
  • USD/JPY trades back and forth above 151.00 ahead of the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge.
  • Risk-perceived currencies are facing the heat of uncertainty ahead of the US core PCE for February.
  • Investors need more clarity about BoJ’s intervention to support the Japanese Yen.

The USD/JPY pair trades sideways in a narrow range around 151.30 in the London session on Thursday. The asset is expected to remain stuck in a tight range as investors are expected to build fresh positions after getting more clarity on the Bank of Japan’s stealth intervention plans in the FX domain to support weakening Japanese Yen. Also, the United States core Personal Consumption Expenditure Price Index (CPE) data, which will be published on Friday, is expected to keep investors on the sidelines.

The annual inflation gauge is expected to have grown at a steady pace of 2.8%. The monthly underlying inflation data is forecasted to have increased slowly by 0.3% from January’s reading of 0.4%. Investors will keenly focus on the inflation data to gauge when the Federal Reserve (Fed) may begin trimming interest rates.

An asset-specific action is observed in global markets as risk-sensitive currencies have been hit hard amid uncertainty ahead of US core PCE for February. While S&P 500 futures are unchanged. The US Dollar Index (DXY) refreshes six-week high at 104.72. 10-year US Treasury yields have rebounded to 4.23%.

The US Dollar strengthens as Fed Governor Christopher Waller’s commentary on the interest guidance negatively impacts Fed expectations for rate cuts in the June meeting. Fed Waller said there is no need to rush for policy rate cuts due to sticky price pressures and a strong economic outlook. Waller added, “Further progress expected on lowering inflation "will make it appropriate" for the Fed to begin reducing the target range for the federal funds rate this year," reported Reuters.

The expectations for BoJ’s intervention in the FX domain have increased as investors lack confidence that Japan’s central bank will not be able to move forward with positive interest rates due to an uncertain wage growth outlook. However, the summary of opinions at the BoJ's March meeting, released on Thursday, showed that many policymakers saw the need to go slow in phasing out ultra-loose monetary policy, Reuters reported.

USD/JPY

Overview
Today last price 151.4
Today Daily Change 0.08
Today Daily Change % 0.05
Today daily open 151.32
 
Trends
Daily SMA20 149.67
Daily SMA50 149.28
Daily SMA100 147.6
Daily SMA200 146.8
 
Levels
Previous Daily High 151.97
Previous Daily Low 151.03
Previous Weekly High 151.86
Previous Weekly Low 148.91
Previous Monthly High 150.89
Previous Monthly Low 145.9
Daily Fibonacci 38.2% 151.39
Daily Fibonacci 61.8% 151.61
Daily Pivot Point S1 150.91
Daily Pivot Point S2 150.49
Daily Pivot Point S3 149.96
Daily Pivot Point R1 151.86
Daily Pivot Point R2 152.39
Daily Pivot Point R3 152.8

 

 

11:01
Ireland Retail Sales (MoM) declined to -2% in February from previous 0.5%
11:00
Ireland Retail Sales (YoY): 1.1% (February) vs previous 2.7%
10:58
USD/JPY: Japanese authorities may intervene somewhere in the 153.00-155.00 range – ING USDJPY

Speculation over Japanese FX intervention remains high. Economists at ING analyze the USD/JPY outlook after the pair touched a multi-decade high near 152.00 on Wednesday.

Higher US rates and low volatility weigh

We suspect Japanese authorities would pull the trigger were USD/JPY to burst through the 152.00 area, intervening perhaps somewhere in the 153.00-155.00 range. 

With US interest rate volatility collapsing and much demand for the carry trade, it is, however, hard to see much of a market-led move lower in the USD/JPY pair.

 

10:30
Belgium Consumer Price Index (MoM) declined to 0.55% in March from previous 0.71%
10:30
Belgium Consumer Price Index (YoY): 3.18% (March) vs previous 3.2%
10:24
Gold price holds strength ahead of US core PCE inflation
  • Gold price hovers around $2,200, exhibiting strength ahead of US core PCE Price Index data.
  • The US Dollar refreshes to a six-week high amid cautious market sentiment.
  • 10-year US bond yields rise as Fed rate cut bets for June have dropped.

Gold price (XAU/USD) holds onto gains near $2,200 in Thursday’s European session. The precious metal exhibits firm footing ahead of the United States core Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) Price Index data for February, which will be published on Friday. 

The Federal Reserve (Fed) could dial back rate cut expectations if the underlying inflation data suggests price pressures persist. Such a scenario would lead to an increase in yields on interest-bearing assets, such as Treasury bonds, whose appeal strengthens in a high-inflation environment. On the contrary, softer-than-expected inflation could boost expectations for a Fed rate cut in the June meeting, and support the broad narrative of three rate cuts for overall 2024. 

The Fed is expected to maintain a cautious approach to rate cuts as initiating them too soon or lowering them too much could reinforce price pressures again.  Meanwhile, a delay in cutting interest rates could result in unnecessary pressure on the labor market and the economy.

The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the US Dollar’s value against six major currencies, refreshes to a six-week high at 104.72 amid dismal market sentiment ahead of the release of the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge.

Daily digest market movers: Gold price rises slightly while US Dollar refreshes six-week high

  • Gold price holds gains slightly below $2,200 ahead of the US core PCE Price Index data for February. The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge is expected to have grown at a steady pace of 2.8% on year. The monthly underlying inflation data is forecasted to have increased by 0.3%, slowing from January’s 0.4% advance. Investors will keenly focus on the inflation data to gauge when the Fed may begin trimming interest rates.
  • Stubborn inflation data could allow the Fed to maintain a hawkish rhetoric. Fed policymakers have been reiterating that rate cuts are only appropriate when they are convinced that inflation will return sustainably to the 2% target. Sticky price pressures, in turn, would weaken the Gold’s appeal as it would increase the opportunity cost of investing in it. 
  • According to the CME FedWatch tool, traders are pricing in a 60% chance that a rate cut will be announced in June. The chances for Fed pivoting to rate cuts in June have dropped from 70% on Thursday after a slightly hawkish guidance from Fed Governor Christopher Waller.
  • Christopher Waller said in a speech at an Economic Club of New York on Wednesday that the Fed needs not to rush for rate cuts. However, he keeps hopes of rate cuts alive saying, “Further progress expected on lowering inflation will make it appropriate for the Fed to begin reducing the target range for the federal funds rate this year," reported Reuters.

Technical Analysis: Gold hovers close to $2,200 resistance

Gold price trades close to the crucial resistance of $2,200. The precious metal aims to recapture the all-time highs slightly above $2,220. All short-to-long term Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs) are sloping higher, suggesting strong near-term demand.

The Gold price could face a hurdle near $2,250, which coincides with the 161.8% Fibonacci extension, after breaking above the resistance of $2,220. The Fibonacci tool is plotted from December 4 high at $2,144.48 to December 13 low at $1,973.13. On the downside, December 4 high at $2,144.48 will support the Gold price bulls.

The 14-period Relative Strength Index (RSI) rebounds after cooling down to 64.00 from the extremely overbought zone.

 

Gold FAQs

Gold has played a key role in human’s history as it has been widely used as a store of value and medium of exchange. Currently, apart from its shine and usage for jewelry, the precious metal is widely seen as a safe-haven asset, meaning that it is considered a good investment during turbulent times. Gold is also widely seen as a hedge against inflation and against depreciating currencies as it doesn’t rely on any specific issuer or government.

Central banks are the biggest Gold holders. In their aim to support their currencies in turbulent times, central banks tend to diversify their reserves and buy Gold to improve the perceived strength of the economy and the currency. High Gold reserves can be a source of trust for a country’s solvency. Central banks added 1,136 tonnes of Gold worth around $70 billion to their reserves in 2022, according to data from the World Gold Council. This is the highest yearly purchase since records began. Central banks from emerging economies such as China, India and Turkey are quickly increasing their Gold reserves.

Gold has an inverse correlation with the US Dollar and US Treasuries, which are both major reserve and safe-haven assets. When the Dollar depreciates, Gold tends to rise, enabling investors and central banks to diversify their assets in turbulent times. Gold is also inversely correlated with risk assets. A rally in the stock market tends to weaken Gold price, while sell-offs in riskier markets tend to favor the precious metal.

The price can move due to a wide range of factors. Geopolitical instability or fears of a deep recession can quickly make Gold price escalate due to its safe-haven status. As a yield-less asset, Gold tends to rise with lower interest rates, while higher cost of money usually weighs down on the yellow metal. Still, most moves depend on how the US Dollar (USD) behaves as the asset is priced in dollars (XAU/USD). A strong Dollar tends to keep the price of Gold controlled, whereas a weaker Dollar is likely to push Gold prices up.

 

10:18
Oil Price Analysis: Consolidating within a short-term uptrend
  • WTI Oil is in a short-term uptrend within a rising price channel. 
  • The commodity has pulled back and is consolidating – its next move could be critical. 
  • A move below the range lows could flip the trend bearish; a rise above the March high bullish.  

WTI Oil price (OIL) is trading within an ascending channel whose rising peaks and troughs indicate the commodity is in a short-term uptrend. 

Given the old adage that “the trend is your friend till the bend at the end,” the price is favored to continue rising in the short-term until the weight of evidence suggests it has reversed. 

WTI Oil: 4-hour chart

The trend on longer time frames is less clear, suggesting some caution needs to be taken in adopting an overly bullish view. 

On March 19, Oil price peaked at $83.05 before rolling over. A combination of resistance from the 100-week Simple Moving Average (SMA) (not shown) and the top of the price channel were probably the catalysts for the rejection. 

Oil price has since yo-yoed in a range between roughly $80.20 and $82.00. 

Although the pair retains its short-term uptrend intact it is at risk of reversing lower unless it can print a higher high. 

A break below the $80.20 range lows would indicate peaks and troughs were now in a  falling pattern rather than rising, and that the short-term trend was bearish. This would start to push the odds in favor of bearish bets. 

Such a move would probably lead to a decline back down within the channel to an initial target at $78.60-80 where a combination of major Moving Averages converge, supplying dynamic support for the commodity. 

Alternatively a break above the $83.05 highs would indicate a continuation of the short-term uptrend, with the next possible target in the upper $83.00s, perhaps $83.90 to put a number on it.  

 

10:14
Gold Price Forecast: Even Fed hawkish comments do not seem to be affecting XAU/USD – Commerzbank

Gold is holding up well near the $2,200 mark. Economists at Commerzbank analyze the yellow metal’s outlook.

The market seems to be underestimating the risk that rate cuts will come later and be less substantial

Even hawkish comments from the Federal Reserve do not seem to be affecting the precious metal. Only Wednesday, Fed Governor Christopher Waller stressed that recent economic data would warrant a delay or a reduced amount of interest rate cuts. The market therefore seems to be underestimating the risk that US rate cuts will come later and be less substantial. 

Although the median of the top Fed officials' rate projections was unchanged at the last meeting, the distribution showed that only a few of them would have had to upgrade their rate expectations to push the median higher as well.

 

10:02
Italy Trade Balance non-EU increased to €6.739B in February from previous €2.889B
09:46
ECB’s Panetta: The conditions to start easing monetary policy are materializing

European Central Bank (ECB) executive board member Fabio Panetta said on Thursday, “the conditions to start easing monetary policy are materializing.”

Additional quotes

Restrictive policy is dampening demand and contributing to a rapid fall in inflation.

The risks to price stability have diminished.

Market reaction

Downbeat German data combined with the dovish remarks are weighing on the Euro, as EUR/USD currently loses 0.42% on the day to trade at 1.0780.

09:46
DXY to pop through 104.50 towards 105.00 – ING

The US Dollar (USD) is no rush to sell off, economists at ING say.

Short-dated interest rate differentials are moving in favour of the Dollar

As we head into the end of the quarter, one of the defining narratives remains the normalisation of monetary policy in the G10 space and the current signals that the Fed may be a late arrival. This follows last week's rate cut in Switzerland, Wednesday's Riksbank meeting near-promising a rate cut in May or June, and comments from the RBNZ Governor that New Zealand was preparing to normalise policy. As a result, short-dated interest rate differentials are moving in favour of the Dollar.

It is hard to speculate against the Dollar in the G10 space, and barring any significant quarter-end rebalancing, it feels like the greater risks are DXY popping through 104.50 towards 105.00.

 

09:39
USD/CAD edges higher as Fed cautions against hasty rate cuts, Oil holds the line USDCAD
  • USD/CAD pushes higher on USD strength after Fed officials advocate caution in cutting interest rates. 
  • Oil remains bid despite higher inventories as official government figures moderate previous data. 
  • BoC could turn dovish at the next meeting on lower inflation and negative growth outlook. 

USD/CAD continues channeling higher, up by almost a tenth of a percent and trading above 1.3600 on Thursday. The pair is benefiting from a general appreciation in the US Dollar (USD) on the back of expectations the Federal Reserve (Fed) will delay cutting interest rates, a key driver of FX markets. 

US Dollar versus Canadian Dollar: 4-hour chart

The outlook for Canada’s largest export Crude Oil, has hampered the Canadian Dollar (CAD) meanwhile, after a surprise rise in US stockpile data denoted flagging demand. Although WTI Oil is rising on Thursday – due to a more official source of stockpile data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) moderating the initial data – Crude’s outlook remains uncertain. 

Fed officials caution against hasty rate cuts 

Overall stronger growth data and stickier-than-expected inflation in the US have led a series of Fed speakers to question whether the conditions are right for a rate cut in June. With interest rates now expected to remain higher for longer, the US Dollar (USD) has gained a boost, since higher interest rates tend to attract greater inflows of foreign capital. 

Policymakers in Canada have been less vocal about cutting interest rates and at the last Bank of Canada (BoC) meeting BoC Governor Tiff Macklem said it was still too early to consider cutting interest rates as more time was needed to ensure inflation had come down to the BoC’s 2.0% target. 

BoC may change tone

The divergence in policy stances between the two central banks would normally be expected to favor the Canadian Dollar over the US Dollar (bearish for USD/CAD), however, since Maclem spoke, Canadian inflation data for February has shown a fairly steep drop. 

The core Consumer Price Index, which is the metric most central banks favor for targeting price stability, fell to 2.1% YoY in February, from 2.4% in January, placing it just a tenth of a percent above the BoC’s target, according to data from Statistics Canada. 

Headline inflation also slowed to 2.8% from 2.9% and undershot expectations of 3.1%. The cooling inflation data suggests the BoC could shift their stance from its current “mute” setting at the next policy meeting on April 10. 

Apart from disinflation there may be other reasons why the BoC may feel a need to start cutting interest rates. Canada’s economy is in comparatively worse shape than the US’s and it could do with the panacea of lower interest rates to help stimulate activity. 

Canada’s  GDP growth rate is slower, it has higher unemployment and – in the words of BoC Assistant Deputy Governor Carolyn Rogers – suffers from “low productivity” and “poor levels of investment”. 

In addition, the BoC’s policy rate is lower at 5.0% than the fed funds rate of 5.25%-5.50%, a differential which mildly favors the US Dollar over the CAD.

 

09:30
South Africa Producer Price Index (MoM) below expectations (0.9%) in February: Actual (0.5%)
09:30
South Africa Producer Price Index (YoY) came in at 4.5% below forecasts (4.9%) in February
09:11
USD/JPY: Uptrend likely to extend on a break past 152.00 – SocGen USDJPY

USD/JPY is trading sideways near 151.35. Economists at Société Générale analyze the pair’s outlook.

150.20 is first support

USD/JPY is in vicinity to the upper limit of its range since October 2022 near 152.00 which has remained a crucial graphical level.

Daily MACD is anchored within positive territory denoting prevalence of upward momentum.

The pair has evolved within a brief pause since last week; the lower end of this consolidation at 150.20 is first support.

In case the pair overcomes 152.00, the uptrend is likely to extend. Next potential objectives could be located at projections of 153.10 and 155.50.

09:01
Eurozone M3 Money Supply (3m) rose from previous -0.2% to 0.2% in February
09:01
Eurozone M3 Money Supply (YoY) registered at 0.4% above expectations (0.3%) in February
09:00
Eurozone Private Loans (YoY) came in at 0.3%, below expectations (0.4%) in February
09:00
Italy Consumer Confidence came in at 96.5 below forecasts (97.5) in March
09:00
Italy Business Confidence registered at 88.6 above expectations (87.6) in March
08:55
Germany Unemployment Change came in at 4K, below expectations (10K) in March
08:55
Germany Unemployment Rate s.a. meets expectations (5.9%) in March
08:54
NZD/USD plummets to its lowest level since November, seems vulnerable while below 0.6000 NZDUSD
  • A combination of factors drags the NZD/USD pair to a fresh YTD trough on Thursday.
  • Rising bets for a rate cut by RBNZ in July weigh on the Kiwi amid a softer risk tone.
  • Sustained USD buying exerts additional pressure and contributes to the ongoing slide.

The NZD/USD pair comes under heavy selling pressure on Thursday and continues losing ground through the first half of the European session. The downward trajectory drags spot prices to the 0.5970-0.5965 region, or the lowest level since November 17, and is sponsored by a combination of factors.

The New Zealand Dollar (NZD) weakens after the business outlook survey by ANZ Bank showed weakening activity indicators and a slight fall in inflation pressures. Moreover, markets are pricing in an almost 50% chance the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) could cut rates as early as July. This, along with a fresh bout of the US Dollar (USD) buying, turn out to be key factors exerting downward pressure on the NZD/USD pair.

The USD Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback against a basket of currencies, climbs to over a one-month peak in the wake of Federal Reserve (Fed) Governor Christopher Waller's hawkish comments on Wednesday, which tempered rate cut bets. This remains supportive of elevated US Treasury bond yields, which, along with a softer risk tone, is seen benefitting the safe-haven buck and driving flows away from the risk-sensitive Kiwi.

With the latest leg down, the NZD/USD pair now seems to have confirmed a breakdown through the weekly trading range and the 0.6000 psychological mark. This, in turn, favours bearish traders and supports prospects for a further near-term depreciating move. market participants now look to the US economic docket – featuring the final Q4 GDP print, Weekly Initial Jobless Claims, Pending Home Sales and revised Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index.

NZD/USD

Overview
Today last price 0.5968
Today Daily Change -0.0036
Today Daily Change % -0.60
Today daily open 0.6004
 
Trends
Daily SMA20 0.6091
Daily SMA50 0.6109
Daily SMA100 0.6136
Daily SMA200 0.6074
 
Levels
Previous Daily High 0.6011
Previous Daily Low 0.5987
Previous Weekly High 0.6107
Previous Weekly Low 0.5989
Previous Monthly High 0.6219
Previous Monthly Low 0.6037
Daily Fibonacci 38.2% 0.6002
Daily Fibonacci 61.8% 0.5996
Daily Pivot Point S1 0.5991
Daily Pivot Point S2 0.5977
Daily Pivot Point S3 0.5967
Daily Pivot Point R1 0.6015
Daily Pivot Point R2 0.6025
Daily Pivot Point R3 0.6039

 

 

08:41
NZD/USD: It is hard to see where a good news story is going to come from – ANZ NZDUSD

NZD/USD is a shade below 0.6000. Economists at ANZ Bank analyze Kiwi’s outlook. 

Broader FX markets are likely to be illiquid and quiet into Easter

As we wind down for Easter, there’s no sign of global FX shifting away from their USD-centric beat ahead of a host of key US data including the core PCE deflator, ISM Mfg survey and JOLTS data between now and the middle of next week. 

Locally, as fiscal challenges mount and commentators become more wary on the outlook for NZ, it’s hard to see where a good news story is going to come from.

Support 0.5750/0.5970 – Resistance 0.6255/0.6500

08:39
USD/MXN snaps its three-day losing streak, advances to near 16.60
  • USD/MXN gains ground on risk aversion ahead of US GDP Annualized.
  • Mexico’s Jobless Rate stood at 2.5% in February, against the expected 2.8%.
  • The higher US Treasury yields contribute support for the US Dollar.

USD/MXN halts its three-day losing streak, advancing to near 16.60 during the European hours on Thursday. However, the Mexican Peso received upward support, which could be attributed to the softer Jobless Rate, consequently, undermining the USD/MXN pair.

The unemployment rate in Mexico decreased to 2.5% from 2.7% in the same period a year earlier, surpassing market forecasts of 2.8%. The number of unemployed individuals decreased by 137,000 to 1.5 million, while the number of employed individuals rose by 1.1 million to 59.4 million.

This situation allows the Bank of Mexico (Banxico) to continue implementing tight borrowing conditions as a means to address persistent inflationary pressures. Inflation has consistently exceeded expectations, as observed in both headline and core measures during the mid-March assessment.

Traders adopt a cautious stance ahead of the release of Gross Domestic Product Annualized and Initial Jobless Claims data scheduled for Thursday, with Personal Consumption Expenditures set to be revealed on Friday.

The US Dollar Index (DXY) has risen to nearly 104.60, supported by higher yields on US coupon bonds, with the 2-year and 10-year yields standing at 4.62% and 4.21%, respectively, at the time of writing. However, conflicting views among members of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) regarding monetary policy easing are contributing to market uncertainty.

Federal Reserve Board Governor Christopher Waller continues to advocate for a cautious approach toward rate cuts, citing persistent inflation data. Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic shares this sentiment, anticipating only one rate cut this year and warning against premature reductions that could exacerbate economic disruptions.

USD/MXN

Overview
Today last price 16.572
Today Daily Change 0.0304
Today Daily Change % 0.18
Today daily open 16.5416
 
Trends
Daily SMA20 16.7952
Daily SMA50 16.9924
Daily SMA100 17.0823
Daily SMA200 17.2054
 
Levels
Previous Daily High 16.6832
Previous Daily Low 16.5116
Previous Weekly High 16.9472
Previous Weekly Low 16.6683
Previous Monthly High 17.2852
Previous Monthly Low 16.9953
Daily Fibonacci 38.2% 16.5771
Daily Fibonacci 61.8% 16.6176
Daily Pivot Point S1 16.4744
Daily Pivot Point S2 16.4072
Daily Pivot Point S3 16.3028
Daily Pivot Point R1 16.646
Daily Pivot Point R2 16.7504
Daily Pivot Point R3 16.8176

 

 

08:33
EUR/USD pushes lower after disappointing German Retail Sale EURUSD
  • EUR/USD takes another step lower on poor German Retail Sales data. 
  • Subdued consumer spending levels in Germany increase the probability the ECB will cut interest rates soon. 
  • This contrasts with the US, where Fed officials are advocating a delay in rate cuts. 

EUR/USD edges down on Thursday, retesting key support at 1.0800, after the release of subpar German Retail Sales data raised further concerns over the health of Europe’s largest economy, weighing on the Euro (EUR). 

EUR/USD downtrend continues on fears Fed could delay cuts

EUR/USD’s move down extends the short-term downtrend that started after the rollover from the March 8 highs in the 1.0980s. The main catalyst appears to be the diverging commentary from rate-setters at the US Federal Reserve (Fed) and European Central Bank (ECB). 

Whilst at the beginning of March the ECB was signaling it would cut interest rates by June and the Fed potentially by as early as May, recent higher-than-expected US data and sticky inflation has led many Fed officials to question whether it may be too early to start cutting interest rates. 

The view the Fed may keep interest rates higher for longer has supported the US Dollar (USD) because higher interest rates tend to attract more foreign capital inflows. This is bearish for EUR/USD, which measures the buying power of a single Euro in USD terms. 

On Wednesday, Federal Reserve board member Christopher Waller added his voice to those advocating a delay, saying that “there is no rush to cut the policy rate,” in a speech to the Economic Club of New York, according to Reuters. 

ECB officials, on the other hand, have cleaved increasingly to June. Eurozone economic data has been on the whole disappointing compared to US data, although persistently high wage inflation still concerns some policymakers. 

EUR/USD took another step lower on Thursday after German Retail Sales in February showed shoppers on the whole tightening their purse strings. Weakening consumer spending is another sign inflation will come down further, prompting the ECB to cut interest rates. 

Retail Sales fell 2.7% YoY in Germany, which was far below estimates of a 0.8% decline, according to data from Statistisches Bundesamt Deutschland. Month-on-month the 1.9% decrease must have come as a shock after economists predicted a 0.3% rise.

Friday’s US core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index data for February – the Fed’s preferred gauge of inflation – is likely to be an even more important release for EUR/USD. 

A higher-than-expected result could push even further back the time when the Fed is expected to cut interest rates, with negative consequences for the pair. 

Technical Analysis: EUR/USD continues pushing lower

EUR/USD extends the dominant short-term downtrend that started at the March 8 high. It is currently retesting key support at around 1.0800. 

Euro versus US Dollar: 4-hour chart

The pair formed a three wave price pattern called a Measured Move back in February and early March and the low of wave B is underpinning key support at just above 1.0800. 

If the downtrend continues and breaks decisively below the B-wave lows at roughly 1.0795 it would signal a continuation of the downtrend even lower, to the next target at 1.0750, followed by the February lows at roughly 1.0700. 

A decisive break is one characterized by a long red bearish candle that breaks cleanly through the level and closes near its low, or three down candles in a row that breach the level. 

Alternatively, a move above the 1.0950 level would bring into question the validity of the short-term downtrend. 

 

Euro FAQs

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.

 

08:23
EUR/GBP retreats from 0.8570 on weak German Retail Sales EURGBP
  • EUR/GBP faces sell-off near 0.8570 on poor German Retail Sales for February.
  • Monthly German Retail Sales surprisingly dropped by 1.9% against expectations of 0.3% growth.
  • BoE Haskel sees rate cuts are far away.

The EUR/GBP pair falls back from 0.8570 as German Retail Sales data for February remains weaker than expected. Monthly Retail Sales surprisingly contracted by 1.9% against the consensus of 0.3% growth. In January, Retail Sales dropped by 0.4%. Annually, sales at retail stores were declined at a higher pace of 2.7% against expectations of -0.8% and the former decline of 1.4%.

The Retail Sales data is an indicator of the current status of consumer spending, which accounts for a major part of the economy. Weak Retail Sales data indicates deepening cost of living crisis due to high interest rates by the European Central Bank (ECB).

Poor Retail Sales could force ECB policymakers to discuss more about reducing interest rates early. Weak German Retail Sales tend to influence ECB policymakers heavily as it is the largest economy of Eurozone in term of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). ECB policymaker Madis Muller said on Tuesday that “we're closer to a point where ECB can start cutting rates.” Easing wage growth has fuelled ECB’s rate-cut expectations for the June meeting.

Meanwhile, the Pound Sterling remains unchanged even though Bank of England (BoE) policymaker Jonathan Haskel delivers a hawkish guidance on interest rates. BoE Haskel said on late Wednesday to the Financial Times that rate cuts should be "a long way off." Haskel warned that, “fall in headline inflation is good news. However, he doesn’t think the headline figures give a good guide to the persistence.”

EUR/GBP

Overview
Today last price 0.8559
Today Daily Change -0.0007
Today Daily Change % -0.08
Today daily open 0.8566
 
Trends
Daily SMA20 0.8552
Daily SMA50 0.8549
Daily SMA100 0.8597
Daily SMA200 0.8608
 
Levels
Previous Daily High 0.8585
Previous Daily Low 0.8565
Previous Weekly High 0.8602
Previous Weekly Low 0.853
Previous Monthly High 0.8578
Previous Monthly Low 0.8498
Daily Fibonacci 38.2% 0.8573
Daily Fibonacci 61.8% 0.8578
Daily Pivot Point S1 0.8559
Daily Pivot Point S2 0.8552
Daily Pivot Point S3 0.8539
Daily Pivot Point R1 0.8579
Daily Pivot Point R2 0.8592
Daily Pivot Point R3 0.8599

 

 

08:19
Pound Sterling faces pressure on firm BoE rate cut bets
  • The Pound Sterling falls to 1.2600 against the US Dollar as investors wait for US core PCE inflation data for February.
  • The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge could give clues over when the Fed may begin the rate-cut cycle.
  • UK’s soft inflation data for February has lifted expectations for BoE rate cuts in June.

The Pound Sterling (GBP) drops to 1.2600 against the US Dollar in Thursday’s European session. More broadly, the GBP/USD pair struggles for direction as investors wait for fresh cues about when the Bank of England (BoE) will begin reducing interest rates. The United Kingdom’s inflation has come down significantly, but BoE policymakers are expected to adopt a cautious approach as early rate cuts could revamp price pressures again.

Investors expect that the BoE will start cutting rates from the June meeting. The expectations have been prompted by sharply easing inflation in February. Also, no BoE policymakers see the need for more rate hikes, indicating that the current level of interest rates is sufficiently restrictive. Generally, the Pound Sterling weakens when investors expect the BoE will start reducing borrowing rates early.

Meanwhile, the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) released on Thursday its revised Q4 2023 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) estimates, confirming that the economy contracted by 0.3% in the October-December period.

The US Dollar rises ahead of the United States core Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) Price Index data for February, which will be published on Friday. The measure, which gauges underlying inflation, is expected to have increased steadily by 2.8% on year.

Daily digest market movers: Pound Sterling dips, but is broadly sideways

  • The Pound Sterling consolidates in a tight range slightly above 1.2600 as investors seek fresh guidance on the UK interest-rate outlook. Bank of England policymakers are mixed about rate cuts as Jonathan Haskel said on Wednesday to the Financial Times that rate cuts should be "a long way off."  Haskel further added: “Although the fall in headline inflation is very good news, it is not informative about what we really care about. What we really care about is the persistent and the underlying inflation.”
  • The comments from Jonathan Haskel suggest that he has low confidence on progress in inflation declining to 2% and rate cuts are still off the table. On the contrary, BoE Governor Andrew Bailey said in a recent interview with the Financial Times that market expectations for two or three rate cuts this year are not “unreasonable”. Regarding the inflation outlook, Bailey said "We are not seeing a lot of sticky persistence."
  • Currently, market expectations for BoE rate cuts have been brought forward to the June policy meeting from prior anticipation for August after UK inflation softened more than expected in February. Apart from that, the BoE’s slightly dovish outlook on interest rates in last week’s monetary policy statement has boosted expectations for June’s rate cuts.
  • Meanwhile, the market sentiment is slightly risk-off as S&P 500 futures trade lower in Thursday’s European session. The US Dollar Index (DXY) rises to 104.40, an inch away from its monthly high of 104.50, amid uncertainty ahead of the United States core PCE Price Index data for February.

Technical Analysis: Pound Sterling consolidates around 1.2600

The Pound Sterling trades back and forth in a narrow range around 1.2600. The GBP/USD pair seems vulnerable around 1.2600 as the 20-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at 1.2690 has turned down. The asset is slowly declining to the 200-day EMA, which trades around 1.2564. On the downside, the horizontal support from December 8 low at 1.2500 would provide cushion to the Pound Sterling bulls.

The 14-period Relative Strength Index (RSI) slips to near 40.00. A bearish momentum would trigger if the RSI dips below this level.

 

Pound Sterling FAQs

The Pound Sterling (GBP) is the oldest currency in the world (886 AD) and the official currency of the United Kingdom. It is the fourth most traded unit for foreign exchange (FX) in the world, accounting for 12% of all transactions, averaging $630 billion a day, according to 2022 data. Its key trading pairs are GBP/USD, aka ‘Cable’, which accounts for 11% of FX, GBP/JPY, or the ‘Dragon’ as it is known by traders (3%), and EUR/GBP (2%). The Pound Sterling is issued by the Bank of England (BoE).

The single most important factor influencing the value of the Pound Sterling is monetary policy decided by the Bank of England. The BoE bases its decisions on whether it has achieved its primary goal of “price stability” – a steady inflation rate of around 2%. Its primary tool for achieving this is the adjustment of interest rates. When inflation is too high, the BoE will try to rein it in by raising interest rates, making it more expensive for people and businesses to access credit. This is generally positive for GBP, as higher interest rates make the UK a more attractive place for global investors to park their money. When inflation falls too low it is a sign economic growth is slowing. In this scenario, the BoE will consider lowering interest rates to cheapen credit so businesses will borrow more to invest in growth-generating projects.

Data releases gauge the health of the economy and can impact the value of the Pound Sterling. Indicators such as GDP, Manufacturing and Services PMIs, and employment can all influence the direction of the GBP. A strong economy is good for Sterling. Not only does it attract more foreign investment but it may encourage the BoE to put up interest rates, which will directly strengthen GBP. Otherwise, if economic data is weak, the Pound Sterling is likely to fall.

Another significant data release for the Pound Sterling 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, its currency will benefit 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.

 

08:14
EUR/USD could crack the 1.0800 mark on the Easter weekend – Commerzbank EURUSD

EUR/USD struggles to gain traction in the second half of the week. Will the easter bunny bring quotes below 1.0800? Economists at Commerzbank analyze the pair’s outlook.

Maybe a little tailwind for the Dollar

The real data heavyweight is not on the agenda until Good Friday: the deflator for consumer spending or the PCE index, the Fed's preferred measure of inflation. However, as the consumer and producer price data for February have already been published, the PCE index is normally quite easy to forecast. 

Our experts expect +0.4% month-on-month and +0.3% for the core rate, which should mean annual rates of 2.5% and 2.8% respectively. The data for December and January are likely to be revised slightly upwards.

Although June is now back in focus as the timing for the first Fed rate cut, the still stubbornly high inflation data or statements such as that made by FOMC Governor Christopher Waller at the Economic Club of New York that there is no rush to cut the key interest rate, could still lead to the Dollar gaining a tailwind in thin markets and EUR/USD cracking the 1.0800 mark on the Easter weekend.

 

08:03
EUR/USD could head to 1.0780 and perhaps 1.0750 under 1.0800 support – ING EURUSD

EUR/USD holds slightly above the 1.0800 level. Economists at ING analyze the pair’s outlook.

Trading conditions will continue to be sticky

We suspect that if it were not for month-end portfolio re-balancing flows, EUR/USD would be trading below 1.0800 now. And that looks the risk heading into Friday's release of February core PCE inflation data for the US, which is expected at a sticky 0.3% month-on-month. 

Under 1.0800 support, we could see EUR/USD heading to 1.0780 and perhaps 1.0750. However, one month EUR/USD traded volatility below 5% suggests trading conditions will continue to be sticky.

 

08:02
Austria Producer Price Index (YoY) rose from previous -7.2% to -6.4% in February
08:02
Austria Producer Price Index (MoM) increased to -0.3% in February from previous -1%
07:58
USD/CHF advances to near 0.9060 due to risk aversion, Swiss Leading Indicator eyed USDCHF
  • USD/CHF gains ground on risk-off sentiment ahead of US data.
  • US GDP Annualized is expected to remain consistent at 3.2% in the fourth quarter of 2023.
  • KOF Leading Indicator is expected to show a slight uptick to 102.0 in March, compared to the previous reading of 101.6.

USD/CHF moves higher to near 0.9060 during the early European session on Thursday. The US Dollar (USD) receives upward support against the Swiss Franc (CHF), which could be attributed to the risk aversion ahead of the key economic figures from the United States (US).

Traders adopt a cautious stance ahead of the releases of Gross Domestic Product Annualized and Initial Jobless Claims data scheduled to be released on Thursday. Furthermore, Personal Consumption Expenditures is set to be revealed on Friday.

US Dollar Index (DXY) rises to near 104.50, with higher 2-year and 10-year yields on US coupon bonds standing at 4.61% and 4.20%, respectively, by the press time. However, conflicting views among members of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) regarding monetary policy easing are adding to market uncertainty.

Federal Reserve Board Governor Christopher Waller continues to advocate for a cautious approach toward rate cuts, citing persistent inflation data. Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic shares this sentiment, foreseeing only one rate cut this year and warning against premature reductions that could worsen economic disruptions.

In other news, the ZEW Survey – Expectations rose by 1.3 points in March to reach 11.5, the highest level since October 2021. This increase was supported by the Swiss National Bank's decision to lower its interest rate by 25 basis points to 1.5%. Following the announcement, the Swiss Franc (CHF) weakened further year-to-date, as the SNB's move is likely to undermine the currency, being the first G10 central bank to implement such a cut.

Looking ahead, the Swiss Leading Indicator, to be released on Thursday by the KOF Swiss Economic Institute, is expected to show a slight uptick to 102.0 in March, compared to the previous reading of 101.6.

USD/CHF

Overview
Today last price 0.9062
Today Daily Change 0.0024
Today Daily Change % 0.27
Today daily open 0.9038
 
Trends
Daily SMA20 0.887
Daily SMA50 0.8787
Daily SMA100 0.8735
Daily SMA200 0.8818
 
Levels
Previous Daily High 0.9072
Previous Daily Low 0.9033
Previous Weekly High 0.902
Previous Weekly Low 0.8822
Previous Monthly High 0.8886
Previous Monthly Low 0.8553
Daily Fibonacci 38.2% 0.9048
Daily Fibonacci 61.8% 0.9057
Daily Pivot Point S1 0.9023
Daily Pivot Point S2 0.9008
Daily Pivot Point S3 0.8984
Daily Pivot Point R1 0.9062
Daily Pivot Point R2 0.9086
Daily Pivot Point R3 0.9101

 

 

07:53
Gold Price Forecast: Rising XAU/USD suggests market expects further inflation falls to support rate cuts – ANZ

Gold extended recent gains amid expectations of lower inflation. Economists at ANZ Bank analyze the yellow metal’s outlook.

Safe haven demand remains strong

The US Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index – the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge – will be released on Friday when markets are closed. 

A rising Gold price suggests the market expects further falls in inflation should support the central banks move to cut rates later this year.

Safe haven demand also remains strong.

See: Gold Price Forecast: Push back in rate cut expectations from March to June may cap XAU/USD rally – ANZ

07:28
USD/INR: A modestly stronger Rupee by the end of 2024 – ANZ

Economists at ANZ Bank expect the Indian Rupee (INR) to enjoy a mild appreciation over the course of the year.

INR to remain less volatile compared to other Asian currencies

A balance of payments surplus points to a stronger Rupee, but the RBI’s two-way FX intervention to keep the INR stable has capped volatility compared to USD/Asia. 

The RBI has been building up its foreign currency reserves, whenever possible, which are now at record highs. It believes them, not the exchange rate, to be its first line of defence against external shocks. We expect this trend to continue and the INR to gain modestly over 2024. However, once there is clarity around Fed rate cuts, the impetus for allowing the Rupee to appreciate could be stronger.

 

07:21
GBP/JPY loses ground near 191.00 following UK GDP data
  • GBP/JPY edges lower to 191.00 following the UK GDP Q4 data on Thursday. 
  • The UK GDP numbers contracted 0.3% QoQ and 0.2% YoY in Q4, as expected. 
  • The speculation that the Bank of Japan (BoJ) will intervene in the FX market might lift the Japanese Yen against the Euro. 
  • Investors will closely watch the Tokyo Consumer Price Index (CPI) for March, due on Friday. 

The GBP/JPY cross trades in negative territory for two straight days, hovering around the 191.00 mark on Thursday. The dovish remarks from the Bank of England (BoE) exert some selling pressure on the Pound Sterling (GBP). 

The latest data from the Office for National Statistics showed on Thursday that the UK Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the fourth quarter (GDP) contracted 0.3% QoQ and 0.2% YoY in Q4. Both figures were in line with market expectations. The GBP remains weak following the UK GDP numbers as the markets raise their bet that the Bank of England (BoE) will begin three quarter-point reductions in rates this year. The BoE Governor Andrew Bailey said that interest rate cuts will be ‘in play’ at future BoE policy meetings.

On the other hand, the weakening of the Japanese Yen might be limited amid speculation that the Bank of Japan (BoJ) will intervene in the FX market to stop disorderly and speculative moves in the currency. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yishimasa Hayashi stated on Thursday that he will closely watch the FX volatility and won’t rule out any steps against excessive moves. 

Moving on, market participants will keep an eye on the Tokyo Consumer Price Index (CPI) for March, Unemployment Rate, Industrial Production, and Retail Trade, due on Friday. If the Japanese CPI data shows softer-than-estimated, this could complicate the BoJ's interest rate hike path and weigh on the JPY. The UK market will be closed on the occasion of Good Friday. 

GBP/JPY

Overview
Today last price 191.02
Today Daily Change -0.13
Today Daily Change % -0.07
Today daily open 191.15
 
Trends
Daily SMA20 190.34
Daily SMA50 189.26
Daily SMA100 186.67
Daily SMA200 184.78
 
Levels
Previous Daily High 191.54
Previous Daily Low 190.51
Previous Weekly High 193.54
Previous Weekly Low 189.54
Previous Monthly High 191.33
Previous Monthly Low 185.23
Daily Fibonacci 38.2% 190.9
Daily Fibonacci 61.8% 191.15
Daily Pivot Point S1 190.6
Daily Pivot Point S2 190.04
Daily Pivot Point S3 189.57
Daily Pivot Point R1 191.62
Daily Pivot Point R2 192.1
Daily Pivot Point R3 192.65

 

 

07:02
German Retail Sales decline 2.7% YoY in February vs. -0.8% expected

Germany's Retail Sales dropped 1.9% MoM in February, slowing from a 0.4% decline in January, according to the official data released by Destatis on Thursday. The data missed the market expectations for a 0.3% increase.

Retail Sales in the Eurozone's biggest economy fell 2.7% YoY in February versus a 1.4% annual drop reported in January, much below the forecast of -0.8%.

EUR/USD reaction to the German data

Weaker-than-forecast German data are weighing on the Euro, pushing EUR/USD closer toward 1.0800. The pair is trading 0.10% down on the day at 1.0814, as of writing.

Euro price today

The table below shows the percentage change of Euro (EUR) against listed major currencies today. Euro was the weakest against the Pound Sterling.

  USD EUR GBP CAD AUD JPY NZD CHF
USD   -0.03% -0.06% -0.03% -0.02% 0.03% 0.07% 0.01%
EUR 0.03%   -0.03% 0.01% 0.02% 0.07% 0.09% 0.04%
GBP 0.06% 0.03%   0.04% 0.05% 0.10% 0.13% 0.07%
CAD 0.02% -0.01% -0.04%   0.01% 0.05% 0.04% 0.03%
AUD 0.02% -0.02% -0.05% 0.01%   0.08% 0.08% 0.02%
JPY -0.04% -0.06% -0.10% -0.05% -0.04%   0.03% -0.05%
NZD -0.07% -0.10% -0.08% -0.10% -0.08% 0.00%   -0.05%
CHF -0.03% -0.06% -0.07% -0.06% -0.04% 0.03% 0.06%  

The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the Euro from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent EUR (base)/JPY (quote).

 

07:01
United Kingdom Total Business Investment (QoQ) declined to 1.4% in 4Q from previous 1.5%
07:01
United Kingdom Gross Domestic Product (YoY) meets expectations (-0.2%) in 4Q
07:01
United Kingdom Gross Domestic Product (QoQ) in line with expectations (-0.3%) in 4Q
07:00
Turkey Economic Confidence Index climbed from previous 99 to 100 in March
07:00
United Kingdom Current Account came in at £-21.177B, above forecasts (£-21.4B) in 4Q
07:00
United Kingdom Total Business Investment (YoY): 2.8% (4Q) vs previous 3.7%
07:00
Germany Retail Sales (YoY) below expectations (-0.8%) in February: Actual (-2.7%)
07:00
Germany Retail Sales (MoM) below forecasts (0.3%) in February: Actual (-1.9%)
06:37
Forex Today: Subdued action continues heading into Easter holiday

Here is what you need to know on Thursday, March 28:

Major currency pairs continue to fluctuate in familiar ranges in the second half of the week. Before markets go into the Easter holiday on Friday, the US economic docket will feature weekly Jobless Claims, February Pending Home Sales and the University of Michigan's Consumer Sentiment Index for March. Additionally, the US Bureau of Economic Analysis will release the final revision to the fourth quarter Gross Domestic Product growth before it publishes the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index data for February on Friday.

The US Dollar (USD) Index closed the day virtually unchanged on Wednesday as the improving risk mood made it difficult for the currency to gather strength against its rivals. Early Thursday, the USD Index moves up and down in a narrow channel below 104.50. Meanwhile, the benchmark 10-year US Treasury bond yield extends its sideways grind above 4.2% and US stock index futures trade marginally lower. 

US Dollar price this week

The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies this week. US Dollar was the strongest against the Swiss Franc.

  USD EUR GBP CAD AUD JPY NZD CHF
USD   -0.10% -0.22% -0.20% -0.05% 0.03% 0.06% 0.88%
EUR 0.12%   -0.13% -0.10% 0.08% 0.15% 0.21% 0.99%
GBP 0.22% 0.12%   0.04% 0.18% 0.26% 0.33% 1.12%
CAD 0.19% 0.09% -0.02%   0.16% 0.24% 0.30% 1.08%
AUD 0.07% -0.05% -0.17% -0.14%   0.04% 0.11% 0.93%
JPY -0.03% -0.12% -0.15% -0.22% -0.06%   0.07% 0.86%
NZD -0.10% -0.16% -0.27% -0.25% -0.11% -0.03%   0.84%
CHF -0.90% -1.00% -1.13% -1.10% -0.93% -0.90% -0.80%  

The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the Euro from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent EUR (base)/JPY (quote).

 

USD/JPY retreated after touching a multi-decade high near 152.00 on Wednesday. The pair, however, stabilized above 151.00. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yishimasa Hayashi said on Thursday that he “won't rule out any options against excessive currency moves.” In the meantime, the Bank of Japan's (BoJ) Summary of Opinions from its March monetary policy showed earlier in the day that one of the policymakers argued that the yield curve control, the negative interest rate and other massive stimulus tools have accomplished their roles. In the Asian session on Friday, Industrial Production and Tokyo Consumer Price Index data from Japan will be watched closely by market participants.

Japanese Yen hangs near multi-decade low against USD, not out of the woods yet.

USD/CAD closed the third consecutive day in negative territory on Wednesday and went into a consolidation phase below 1.3600 early Friday. Statistics Canada will publish the monthly GDP growth for January later in the day.

Consumer Inflation Expectations in Australia declined to 4.3% in March from 4.5% in February, while Retail Sales grew by 0.3% on a monthly basis in February. After closing the day flat on Wednesday, AUD/USD came under modest bearish pressure and retreated toward 0.6500 early Thursday.

Australian Dollar moves sideways amid a stable US Dollar, US economic data awaited.

EUR/USD struggles to gain traction in the second half of the week but manages to hold comfortably above 1.0800. 

GBP/USD registered small gains on Wednesday but failed to extend its recovery early Thursday. The pair was last seen trading marginally lower on the day below 1.2650.

After facing rejection near $2,200 and making a deep downward correction in the first half of the day on Wednesday, Gold gathered bullish momentum and closed in the green above $2,190. XAU/USD stays relatively quiet early Friday but remains within a touching distance of $2,200.

Gold price flat lines below $2,200 mark as traders await US PCE Price Index on Friday.

 

Gold FAQs

Gold has played a key role in human’s history as it has been widely used as a store of value and medium of exchange. Currently, apart from its shine and usage for jewelry, the precious metal is widely seen as a safe-haven asset, meaning that it is considered a good investment during turbulent times. Gold is also widely seen as a hedge against inflation and against depreciating currencies as it doesn’t rely on any specific issuer or government.

Central banks are the biggest Gold holders. In their aim to support their currencies in turbulent times, central banks tend to diversify their reserves and buy Gold to improve the perceived strength of the economy and the currency. High Gold reserves can be a source of trust for a country’s solvency. Central banks added 1,136 tonnes of Gold worth around $70 billion to their reserves in 2022, according to data from the World Gold Council. This is the highest yearly purchase since records began. Central banks from emerging economies such as China, India and Turkey are quickly increasing their Gold reserves.

Gold has an inverse correlation with the US Dollar and US Treasuries, which are both major reserve and safe-haven assets. When the Dollar depreciates, Gold tends to rise, enabling investors and central banks to diversify their assets in turbulent times. Gold is also inversely correlated with risk assets. A rally in the stock market tends to weaken Gold price, while sell-offs in riskier markets tend to favor the precious metal.

The price can move due to a wide range of factors. Geopolitical instability or fears of a deep recession can quickly make Gold price escalate due to its safe-haven status. As a yield-less asset, Gold tends to rise with lower interest rates, while higher cost of money usually weighs down on the yellow metal. Still, most moves depend on how the US Dollar (USD) behaves as the asset is priced in dollars (XAU/USD). A strong Dollar tends to keep the price of Gold controlled, whereas a weaker Dollar is likely to push Gold prices up.

 

06:13
Silver Price Forecast: XAG/USD rises to $24.70 ahead of US core PCE Inflation
  • Silver price moves higher to $24.70, while the broader trend is sideways.
  • The core PCE inflation will provide cues about Fed’s rate cut timing.
  • Fed policymakers see three rate cuts by the year-end.

Silver price (XAG/USD) advances to $24.70 in the late Asian session on Thursday. The white metal posts gains ahead of the United States core Personal Consumption Expenditure Price Index (PCE) data for February, which will be published on Friday.

Core PCE will provide cues about when the Federal Reserve (Fed) will begin reducing interest rates. The annual underlying inflation data is estimated to have grown steadily by 2.8%, with monthly growth declining to 0.3% from 0.4% in January.

Currently, market expectations indicate that the Fed will cut interest rates from the June policy meeting. The expectations also show that there will be three rate cuts by the year-end, as projected by Fed policymakers in the monetary policy meeting last week.

According to the CME FedWatch tool, traders are pricing in 64% chance that the Fed will trim interest rates in June.

Meanwhile, the US Dollar Index (DXY) edges down slightly from monthly highs of 104.50. The USD Index is broadly sideways in a 104.00-104.50 range from last four trading sessions. The US core PCE inflation is expected to support the USD index to blown out the consolidation. 10-year US Treasury yields rebound to 4.21% after falling sharply to 4.18% on Wednesday.

Silver technical analysis

Silver price consolidates in a range of $24.32-$25.00 from a week. This exhibits an indecisiveness among market participants. The 20-period Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at $24.60 remain stick to the spot price, demonstrating a sideways trend.

The 14-period Relative Strength Index (RSI) oscillates in the 40.00-60.00 zone, indicating a sharp volatility contraction.

Silver hourly chart

XAG/USD

Overview
Today last price 24.64
Today Daily Change -0.05
Today Daily Change % -0.20
Today daily open 24.69
 
Trends
Daily SMA20 24.43
Daily SMA50 23.39
Daily SMA100 23.53
Daily SMA200 23.36
 
Levels
Previous Daily High 24.69
Previous Daily Low 24.33
Previous Weekly High 25.77
Previous Weekly Low 24.4
Previous Monthly High 23.5
Previous Monthly Low 21.93
Daily Fibonacci 38.2% 24.55
Daily Fibonacci 61.8% 24.47
Daily Pivot Point S1 24.45
Daily Pivot Point S2 24.21
Daily Pivot Point S3 24.09
Daily Pivot Point R1 24.81
Daily Pivot Point R2 24.93
Daily Pivot Point R3 25.17

 

 

06:10
GBP/USD Price Analysis: The next downside target is located at the 1.2600–1.2605 region GBPUSD
  • GBP/USD trades on a softer note below the mid-1.2600s on Thursday ahead of UK GDP growth numbers data. 
  • The pair keeps the bearish vibe below the key EMA; RSI indicator holds below the 50 midlines. 
  • The immediate resistance level will emerge at 1.2655; the initial support level is located at the 1.2600–1.2605 zone.

The GBP/USD pair remains on the defensive around 1.2630 on Thursday during the early European trading hours. The hawkish tone from Federal Reserve (Fed) Governor Christopher Waller early Thursday has lifted the US Dollar (USD) broadly, which creates a headwind for the GBP/USD pair. 

The Fed’s Waller said the US central bank is in no rush to cut the benchmark rate and may need to “maintain the current rate target for longer than expected. Traders await the final UK Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth number for Q4 on Thursday, which is projected to contract 0.3% QoQ in Q4. 

From a technical perspective, GBP/USD maintains the bearish outlook unchanged as the major pair holds below the key 100-period Exponential Moving Average (EMA) on the four-hour chart. The downward momentum is confirmed by the Relative Strength Index (RSI), which lies below the 50 midlines, supporting the sellers for the time being.

The first upside barrier for GBP/USD will emerge near the upper boundary of the Bollinger Band at 1.2655. A break above the latter will expose the 100-period EMA at 1.2685. Further north, the next hurdle is seen near a high of March 18 at 1.2746, followed by the psychological level of 1.2800. 

On the flip side, the initial support level of the major pair is located near the lower limit of the Bollinger Band at the 1.2600-1.2605 region. A breach of this level will pave the way to a low of March 22 at 1.2575. The next contention level to watch is a low of February 14 at 1.2535, en route to the 1.2500 round figure. 

GBP/USD four-hour chart

GBP/USD

Overview
Today last price 1.2632
Today Daily Change -0.0009
Today Daily Change % -0.07
Today daily open 1.2641
 
Trends
Daily SMA20 1.2719
Daily SMA50 1.2679
Daily SMA100 1.2649
Daily SMA200 1.2591
 
Levels
Previous Daily High 1.2641
Previous Daily Low 1.2606
Previous Weekly High 1.2804
Previous Weekly Low 1.2575
Previous Monthly High 1.2773
Previous Monthly Low 1.2518
Daily Fibonacci 38.2% 1.2628
Daily Fibonacci 61.8% 1.2619
Daily Pivot Point S1 1.2617
Daily Pivot Point S2 1.2593
Daily Pivot Point S3 1.2581
Daily Pivot Point R1 1.2653
Daily Pivot Point R2 1.2665
Daily Pivot Point R3 1.2688

 

 

 

06:07
FX option expiries for Mar 28 NY cut

FX option expiries for Mar 28 NY cut at 10:00 Eastern Time, via DTCC, can be found below

- EUR/USD: EUR amounts

  • 1.0752 803m
  • 1.0825 1.9b
  • 1.0850 1.7b
  • 1.0925 544m

- GBP/USD: GBP amounts     

  • 1.2600 1.1b

- USD/JPY: USD amounts                     

  • 150.00 1.3b
  • 150.50 2.9b
  • 151.00 732m
  • 152.00 2.3b

- USD/CAD: USD amounts       

  • 1.3600 1.6b
06:01
South Africa Private Sector Credit above expectations (3.12%) in February: Actual (3.32%)
05:36
BoE’s Haskel warns against rushing to cut interest rates

In an interview with the Financial Times (FT) on Thursday, Bank of England (BoE) policymaker Jonathan Haskel warned against rushing to cut interest rates.

Haskel said that “I think cuts are a long way off.”

Additional quotes

Fall in headline inflation is very good news.

But what we really care about is persistence and underlying inflation.

Does not think headline inflation gives a good guide on persistence.

Vote change is because there were improvements in critical indicators of inflation.

Market reaction

GBP/USD fails to find any inspiration from the hawkish BoE commentary, currently trading at 1.2635, almost unchanged on the day.

 

BoE FAQs

The Bank of England (BoE) decides monetary policy for the United Kingdom. Its primary goal is to achieve ‘price stability’, or a steady inflation rate of 2%. Its tool for achieving this is via the adjustment of base lending rates. The BoE sets the rate at which it lends to commercial banks and banks lend to each other, determining the level of interest rates in the economy overall. This also impacts the value of the Pound Sterling (GBP).

When inflation is above the Bank of England’s target it responds by raising interest rates, making it more expensive for people and businesses to access credit. This is positive for the Pound Sterling because higher interest rates make the UK a more attractive place for global investors to park their money. When inflation falls below target, it is a sign economic growth is slowing, and the BoE will consider lowering interest rates to cheapen credit in the hope businesses will borrow to invest in growth-generating projects – a negative for the Pound Sterling.

In extreme situations, the Bank of England can enact a policy called Quantitative Easing (QE). QE is the process by which the BoE substantially increases the flow of credit in a stuck financial system. QE is a last resort policy when lowering interest rates will not achieve the necessary result. The process of QE involves the BoE printing money to buy assets – usually government or AAA-rated corporate bonds – from banks and other financial institutions. QE usually results in a weaker Pound Sterling.

Quantitative tightening (QT) is the reverse of QE, enacted when the economy is strengthening and inflation starts rising. Whilst in QE the Bank of England (BoE) purchases government and corporate bonds from financial institutions to encourage them to lend; in QT, the BoE stops buying more bonds, and stops reinvesting the principal maturing on the bonds it already holds. It is usually positive for the Pound Sterling.

 

05:13
NZD/USD depreciates to near 0.5990 following softer Kiwi Consumer Confidence NZDUSD
  • NZD/USD loses ground on softer Kiwi data released on Thursday.
  • ANZ – Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence fell to 86.4 in February from 94.5 prior.
  • US GDP Annualized is expected to remain consistent at a 3.2% increase in Q4.

NZD/USD snaps its three-day winning streak, depreciating to near 0.5990 during the Asian hours on Thursday. The New Zealand Dollar (NZD) faces challenges due to the softer-than-expected domestic key economic figures, which in turn, undermine the NZD/USD pair.

ANZ – Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence decreased to 86.4 in February from 94.5 in the prior month. The index stepped down from January 2022 level highs. Business Confidence fell to 22.9 in March, from the previous reading of 34.7. Kiwi markets will observe Good Friday and Easter Monday.

At the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), China's top legislator, Zhao Leji, underscored China's commitment to inclusive economic globalization. He articulated China's opposition to unilateralism and protectionism in all manifestations and expressed a dedication to closely aligning its development with that of other nations.

The US Dollar (USD) shows subdued momentum as investors await the release of Gross Domestic Product Annualized data for the fourth quarter of 2023 from the United States (US) on Thursday. Furthermore, Personal Consumption Expenditures for February on Friday. The US Dollar Index (DXY) hovers around 104.30. US Treasury yields rebounded after losses in the previous two sessions, supporting the US Dollar.

Market participants are eagerly awaiting guidance from the Federal Reserve (Fed) on its interest rate trajectory. However, conflicting views among members of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) regarding monetary policy easing are adding to market uncertainty.

NZD/USD

Overview
Today last price 0.5992
Today Daily Change -0.0012
Today Daily Change % -0.20
Today daily open 0.6004
 
Trends
Daily SMA20 0.6091
Daily SMA50 0.6109
Daily SMA100 0.6136
Daily SMA200 0.6074
 
Levels
Previous Daily High 0.6011
Previous Daily Low 0.5987
Previous Weekly High 0.6107
Previous Weekly Low 0.5989
Previous Monthly High 0.6219
Previous Monthly Low 0.6037
Daily Fibonacci 38.2% 0.6002
Daily Fibonacci 61.8% 0.5996
Daily Pivot Point S1 0.5991
Daily Pivot Point S2 0.5977
Daily Pivot Point S3 0.5967
Daily Pivot Point R1 0.6015
Daily Pivot Point R2 0.6025
Daily Pivot Point R3 0.6039

 

 

05:06
EUR/JPY holds below 164.00 amid BoJ intervention fears EURJPY
  • EUR/JPY trades on a softer note around 163.75 in Thursday’s early European session. 
  • The verbal intervention from Japanese authorities provides some support to the JPY. 
  • ECB’s Stoumaras said there is a growing consensus for a rate cut in June. 
  • The German February Retail Sales data will be due later on Thursday. 

The EUR/JPY cross trades with a mild negative bias around 163.75 during the early European session on Thursday. The cross edges lower amid the fear of foreign exchange intervention from the Japanese authorities.  

On Thursday, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yishimasa Hayashi said that he will not rule out any options against excessive foreign exchange moves and will closely watch it. This verbal intervention complied with top currency diplomat Masato Kanda statement that he will react to the disorderly FX moves. The fear of FX intervention from Japanese authorities might support the Japanese Yen (JPY) and limit the upside of the EUR/JPY cross in the near term. 

On the Euro front, the growing speculation that the European Central Bank (ECB) will cut the interest rate in June acts as a headwind for the Euro (EUR) against the JPY. On Tuesday, ECB official Yannis Stoumaras said that there is a higher chance for a June rate cut, while Bank of Italy Governor Fabio Panetta said on Monday that the ECB is moving towards an interest rate cut as inflation is easing rapidly and approaching the 2% target. 

Looking ahead, traders will monitor German Retail Sales data, which is estimated to drop 0.8% YoY in February. Also, the German Unemployment Change and Italian Producer Price Index (PPI) will be released. On Friday, market players will turn their focus to the Tokyo Consumer Price Index (CPI) for March. In the case of the stronger-than-expected data, this could lift the JPY against the EUR. 

§

EUR/JPY

Overview
Today last price 163.77
Today Daily Change 0.01
Today Daily Change % 0.01
Today daily open 163.76
 
Trends
Daily SMA20 162.78
Daily SMA50 161.79
Daily SMA100 160.48
Daily SMA200 159.05
 
Levels
Previous Daily High 164.42
Previous Daily Low 163.44
Previous Weekly High 165.36
Previous Weekly Low 161.95
Previous Monthly High 163.72
Previous Monthly Low 158.08
Daily Fibonacci 38.2% 163.81
Daily Fibonacci 61.8% 164.05
Daily Pivot Point S1 163.32
Daily Pivot Point S2 162.89
Daily Pivot Point S3 162.34
Daily Pivot Point R1 164.3
Daily Pivot Point R2 164.85
Daily Pivot Point R3 165.28

 





 

 

04:12
USD/CAD struggles to capitalize on its modest intraday gains, remains below 1.3600 mark USDCAD
  • USD/CAD gains some positive traction on Thursday, though the upside remains capped.
  • The Fed’s projected three rate cuts in 2024 caps the upside for the USD and the major.
  • An uptick in Oil prices underpins the Loonie and contributes to keeping a lid on the pair.

The USD/CAD pair attracts some buyers during the Asian session on Thursday and for now, seems to have snapped a three-day losing streak, albeit lacks follow-through. Spot prices remain below the 1.3600 mark as traders look to important macro data from the US and Canada for some meaningful impetus.

Thursday's economic docket highlights the release of the monthly Canadian GDP report, along with the final US Q4 GDP print. Apart from this, the usual Initial Weekly Jobless Claims, Pending Home Sales and the revised Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index might influence the US Dollar (USD), which might produce short-term trading opportunities around the USD/CAD pair. The focus, however, remains glued to the US Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index on Friday.

In the meantime, the overnight hawkish remarks by Federal Reserve (Fed) Governor Christopher Waller cooled rate cut hopes and pushed the USD back closer to the monthly peak, lending some support to the USD/CAD pair. The Fed, however, projected a less restrictive policy going forward and indicated that it remains on track to cut interest rates by 75 basis points in 2024. This is holding back the USD bulls from placing aggressive bets and acting as a headwind for the currency pair.

Meanwhile, Crude Oil prices gain some follow-through traction in the wake of worries about tighter global supply amid lower Russian production. Furthermore, the Israel-Hamas conflict has shown little signs of de-escalation, which continues to fuel concerns about supply disruptions from the Middle East and lends additional support to the black liquid. This, in turn, is seen underpinning the commodity-linked Loonie and contributing to capping the upside for the USD/CAD pair.

USD/CAD

Overview
Today last price 1.3578
Today Daily Change 0.0010
Today Daily Change % 0.07
Today daily open 1.3568
 
Trends
Daily SMA20 1.3538
Daily SMA50 1.3504
Daily SMA100 1.35
Daily SMA200 1.3493
 
Levels
Previous Daily High 1.3608
Previous Daily Low 1.3565
Previous Weekly High 1.3614
Previous Weekly Low 1.3456
Previous Monthly High 1.3606
Previous Monthly Low 1.3366
Daily Fibonacci 38.2% 1.3582
Daily Fibonacci 61.8% 1.3592
Daily Pivot Point S1 1.3553
Daily Pivot Point S2 1.3537
Daily Pivot Point S3 1.3509
Daily Pivot Point R1 1.3596
Daily Pivot Point R2 1.3624
Daily Pivot Point R3 1.3639

 

 

04:04
EUR/USD inches lower to near 1.0820, focus on German Retail Sales, US GDP Annualized EURUSD
  • EUR/USD extends its losing streak on dovish remarks from ECB officials.
  • US GDP Annualized is expected to be consistent at a 3.2% increase in Q4.
  • German Retail Sales (MoM) is anticipated to show a 0.3% rise, against the previous decline of 0.4%.

EUR/USD continues to lose ground for the third successive session on Thursday, inching lower to near 1.0820 during the Asian session. However, the US Dollar (USD) exhibits tepid momentum ahead of the Gross Domestic Product Annualized data from the United States (US) for the fourth quarter of 2023. Furthermore, traders will likely observe the Personal Consumption Expenditures for February.

The US Dollar Index (DXY) hovers around 104.30, correcting from March’s highs. US Treasury yields retrace losses registered in the previous two sessions, which could provide support for the US Dollar.

Market participants await fresh guidance from the Federal Reserve (Fed) regarding its interest rate trajectory. However, conflicting opinions among members of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) regarding monetary policy easing are contributing to market confusion.

Federal Reserve Board Governor Christopher Waller maintains his stance of 'no rush' to cut rates, citing persistent inflation data. Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic echoes a similar sentiment, anticipating only one rate cut this year, warning against premature rate reductions that could exacerbate economic disruptions.

The Euro faces downward pressure as European Central Bank (ECB) officials are increasingly suggesting a probable interest rate cut in June. Yannis Stoumaras remarked on Tuesday that there is a mounting consensus within the ECB for a rate reduction in June, a sentiment echoed by Madis Muller, who hinted at the ECB nearing a point where rate cuts are feasible.

Thursday will bring German Retail Sales data for February. The data is expected to show a decrease of 0.8% year-over-year. While the monthly report could reveal an increase of 0.3%, swinging from a previous decline of 0.4%.

EUR/USD

Overview
Today last price 1.0823
Today Daily Change -0.0005
Today Daily Change % -0.05
Today daily open 1.0828
 
Trends
Daily SMA20 1.0877
Daily SMA50 1.0839
Daily SMA100 1.0874
Daily SMA200 1.0837
 
Levels
Previous Daily High 1.0839
Previous Daily Low 1.0811
Previous Weekly High 1.0942
Previous Weekly Low 1.0802
Previous Monthly High 1.0898
Previous Monthly Low 1.0695
Daily Fibonacci 38.2% 1.0822
Daily Fibonacci 61.8% 1.0828
Daily Pivot Point S1 1.0813
Daily Pivot Point S2 1.0798
Daily Pivot Point S3 1.0785
Daily Pivot Point R1 1.0841
Daily Pivot Point R2 1.0854
Daily Pivot Point R3 1.0869

 

 

03:33
Gold price oscillates just below range upper limit at $2,200, bullish potential seems intact
  • Gold price fails to capitalize on its weekly gains registered over the past three days.
  • The overnight hawkish remarks by Fed’s Waller act as a headwind for the XAU/USD.
  • The downside seems limited as traders await more cues about the Fed’s rate-cut path.

Gold price (XAU/USD) continues with its struggle to make it through the $2,200 mark and oscillates in a range during the Asian session on Thursday. The overnight hawkish remarks from Federal Reserve (Fed) Governor Christopher Waller cooled rate cut hopes and pushed the US Dollar (USD) back closer to the monthly top. This, in turn, is seen as a key factor acting as a headwind for the non-yielding yellow metal, though any meaningful slide seems elusive as traders await more cues about the Fed's policy path before placing fresh directional bets.

Last week, the Fed projected a less restrictive monetary policy going forward and indicated that it remains on track to cut interest rates by 75 basis points in 2024. That said, the incoming US macro data suggested that the economy is in good shape and pointed to still-sticky inflation, which should allow the Fed to keep rates higher for longer. Hence, Friday's release of the US Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index will influence expectations about the Fed's rate-cut path, which will drive the USD and provide fresh impetus to the Gold price.

Daily Digest Market Movers: Gold price struggles to lure buyers amid mixed fundamental cues

  • Federal Reserve (Fed) Governor Christopher Waller said on Wednesday that he was in no hurry to cut rates in the wake of hotter inflation readings in recent months, boosting the US Dollar and capping gains for the Gold price.
  • Waller, however, noted that further expected progress on lowering inflation will make it appropriate for the Fed to start cutting interest rates later this year, which is seen acting as a tailwind for the non-yielding yellow metal.
  • Moreover, the Fed last week projected three interest rate cuts of 25 basis points each by the end of this year, and the markets are currently pricing in a greater chance of the first move at the June FOMC monetary policy meeting.
  • Apart from this, geopolitical risks stemming from the protracted Russia-Ukraine war and the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East should help limit any meaningful corrective decline for the safe-haven precious metal.
  • Traders now look to Thursday's US economic docket – featuring the release of the final Q4 GDP print, the usual Weekly Initial Jobless Claims, Pending Home Sales and the revised Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index.

Technical Analysis: Gold price needs to find acceptance above $2,200 for bulls to regain control

From a technical perspective, the range-bound price action witnessed over the past two weeks or so might be categorized as a bullish consolidation phase against the backdrop of a blowout rally since the beginning of this month. Moreover, oscillators on the daily chart are holding comfortably in the positive territory and support prospects for an eventual breakout to the upside. Some follow-through buying back above the $2,200 mark will reaffirm the constructive setup and allow the Gold price to retest the record high, around the $2,223 region touched last week.

On the flip side, any corrective decline now seems to find some support near the overnight swing low, around the $2,173 area ahead of the $2,164-2,163 zone. This is followed by the lower end of the short-term trading range, around the $2,146-2,145 region, which, if broken, might prompt aggressive technical selling. The Gold price might then accelerate the fall to the next relevant support near the $2,128-2,127 region en route to the $2,100 round-figure mark. The latter should act as a strong base, which, if broken, will suggest that the XAU/USD has topped out in the near term.

 

Gold FAQs

Gold has played a key role in human’s history as it has been widely used as a store of value and medium of exchange. Currently, apart from its shine and usage for jewelry, the precious metal is widely seen as a safe-haven asset, meaning that it is considered a good investment during turbulent times. Gold is also widely seen as a hedge against inflation and against depreciating currencies as it doesn’t rely on any specific issuer or government.

Central banks are the biggest Gold holders. In their aim to support their currencies in turbulent times, central banks tend to diversify their reserves and buy Gold to improve the perceived strength of the economy and the currency. High Gold reserves can be a source of trust for a country’s solvency. Central banks added 1,136 tonnes of Gold worth around $70 billion to their reserves in 2022, according to data from the World Gold Council. This is the highest yearly purchase since records began. Central banks from emerging economies such as China, India and Turkey are quickly increasing their Gold reserves.

Gold has an inverse correlation with the US Dollar and US Treasuries, which are both major reserve and safe-haven assets. When the Dollar depreciates, Gold tends to rise, enabling investors and central banks to diversify their assets in turbulent times. Gold is also inversely correlated with risk assets. A rally in the stock market tends to weaken Gold price, while sell-offs in riskier markets tend to favor the precious metal.

The price can move due to a wide range of factors. Geopolitical instability or fears of a deep recession can quickly make Gold price escalate due to its safe-haven status. As a yield-less asset, Gold tends to rise with lower interest rates, while higher cost of money usually weighs down on the yellow metal. Still, most moves depend on how the US Dollar (USD) behaves as the asset is priced in dollars (XAU/USD). A strong Dollar tends to keep the price of Gold controlled, whereas a weaker Dollar is likely to push Gold prices up.

 

02:56
Australian Dollar extends gains after paring losses amid softer Aussie Retail Sales
  • Australian Dollar recovers its intraday losses on risk-on sentiment.
  • Australia’s Retail Sales (MoM) increased by 0.3%, against the expected 0.4% and 1.1% prior.
  • US Dollar corrects ahead of US GDP Annualized data due on Thursday.

The Australian Dollar (AUD) manages to recover its intraday losses and extends its gains on Thursday. Challenges persisted for the AUD/USD pair due to softer Consumer Inflation Expectations and Retail Sales figures from Australia. These factors heightened expectations of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) considering interest rate cuts in the second half of 2024. Additionally, Wednesday's release of the softer Australian Monthly Consumer Price Index supported this perspective.

Australia's consumer expectations for future inflation rose by 4.3% in March, a slight decrease from the previous increase of 4.5%. February's seasonally adjusted Retail Sales showed a month-over-month increase of 0.3%, falling short of the expected 0.4% and the prior 1.1%. Additionally, on Wednesday, Australia's Monthly Consumer Price Index (YoY) for February saw a 3.4% rise, maintaining consistency with previous levels but slightly below the anticipated 3.5%.

The US Dollar Index (DXY) appears to pause its two-day winning streak, edging lower in anticipation of the upcoming release of US Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) data scheduled for Friday. Nevertheless, the recent uptick in US Treasury yields may have lent support to the US Dollar (USD) amid divergent opinions among members of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) regarding monetary policy easing.

Daily Digest Market Movers: Australian Dollar gains ground on improved risk appetite

  • Australia’s Westpac Consumer Confidence dipped 1.8% to 84.4 in March 2024 from February's 86.0, easing from 20-month highs.
  • Australia’s Westpac Leading Index (MoM) increased by 0.1% in February, against the previous decline of 0.09%.
  • Australia's government has pledged to support a minimum wage increase aligned with inflation this year, recognizing the ongoing challenges low-income families face amid rising living costs.
  • At the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), China's top legislator, Zhao Leji, emphasized China's stance on inclusive economic globalization. He stated that China opposes unilateralism and protectionism in all their forms and is committed to closely linking its development with other countries.
  • Federal Reserve Board Governor Christopher Waller still sees 'no rush' to cut rates amid sticky inflation data.
  • Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic expressed his expectation for just one rate cut this year, cautioning that reducing rates prematurely could lead to greater disruption.
  • Fed Governor Lisa Cook cautioned against easing policy too soon, warning that it could exacerbate the risk of inflation becoming entrenched.
  • Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee, leaning towards a dovish stance, expects three cuts but indicates a need for more evidence of inflation subsiding before taking action.
  • US Durable Goods Orders increased by 1.4% in February, against the 1.3% expected and previous decline of 6.9%.
  • US Durable Goods Orders ex Defense rose by 2.2% in February, compared to the expected 1.1% and 7.9% previous decline.
  • US Housing Price Index (MoM) decreased by 0.1% in January, against the December’s increase of 0.1%.

Technical Analysis: Australian Dollar could test the major barrier of 0.6550

The Australian Dollar trades near 0.6540 on Thursday. Immediate resistance is observed around the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement level at 0.6541, coinciding with the major barrier of 0.6550 and the 21-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at 0.6553. On the downside, a notable support level is at the psychological mark of 0.6500, followed by March’s low at 0.6477. A breach below this level may lead the AUD/USD pair to test the major support level at 0.6450.

AUD/USD: Daily Chart

Australian Dollar price today

The table below shows the percentage change of Australian Dollar (AUD) against listed major currencies today. Australian Dollar was the strongest against the Japanese Yen.

  USD EUR GBP CAD AUD JPY NZD CHF
USD   -0.09% -0.12% -0.10% -0.24% 0.03% -0.10% -0.12%
EUR 0.08%   -0.03% 0.01% -0.15% 0.15% -0.01% -0.03%
GBP 0.11% 0.03%   0.03% -0.12% 0.14% 0.02% 0.00%
CAD 0.08% 0.00% -0.03%   -0.15% 0.12% -0.01% -0.03%
AUD 0.24% 0.15% 0.12% 0.15%   0.30% 0.14% 0.12%
JPY -0.03% -0.11% -0.14% -0.11% -0.25%   -0.13% -0.17%
NZD 0.08% 0.01% -0.02% 0.01% -0.14% 0.13%   -0.02%
CHF 0.11% 0.03% 0.00% 0.03% -0.12% 0.18% 0.02%  

The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the Euro from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent EUR (base)/JPY (quote).

 

Australian Dollar FAQs

One of the most significant factors for the Australian Dollar (AUD) is the level of interest rates set by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). Because Australia is a resource-rich country another key driver is the price of its biggest export, Iron Ore. The health of the Chinese economy, its largest trading partner, is a factor, as well as inflation in Australia, its growth rate, and Trade Balance. Market sentiment – whether investors are taking on more risky assets (risk-on) or seeking safe havens (risk-off) – is also a factor, with risk-on positive for AUD.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) influences the Australian Dollar (AUD) by setting the level of interest rates that Australian banks can lend to each other. This influences the level of interest rates in the economy as a whole. The main goal of the RBA is to maintain a stable inflation rate of 2-3% by adjusting interest rates up or down. Relatively high interest rates compared to other major central banks support the AUD, and the opposite for relatively low. The RBA can also use quantitative easing and tightening to influence credit conditions, with the former AUD-negative and the latter AUD-positive.

China is Australia’s largest trading partner so the health of the Chinese economy is a major influence on the value of the Australian Dollar (AUD). When the Chinese economy is doing well it purchases more raw materials, goods, and services from Australia, lifting demand for the AUD, and pushing up its value. The opposite is the case when the Chinese economy is not growing as fast as expected. Positive or negative surprises in Chinese growth data, therefore, often have a direct impact on the Australian Dollar and its pairs.

Iron Ore is Australia’s largest export, accounting for $118 billion a year according to data from 2021, with China as its primary destination. The price of Iron Ore, therefore, can be a driver of the Australian Dollar. Generally, if the price of Iron Ore rises, AUD also goes up, as aggregate demand for the currency increases. The opposite is the case if the price of Iron Ore falls. Higher Iron Ore prices also tend to result in a greater likelihood of a positive Trade Balance for Australia, which is also positive of the AUD.

The Trade Balance, which is the difference between what a country earns from its exports versus what it pays for its imports, is another factor that can influence the value of the Australian Dollar. If Australia produces highly sought after exports, then its currency will gain in value purely from the surplus demand created from foreign buyers seeking to purchase its exports versus what it spends to purchase imports. Therefore, a positive net Trade Balance strengthens the AUD, with the opposite effect if the Trade Balance is negative.

 

02:52
USD/INR rebounds as Fed’s hawkish comments spur US Dollar demand
  • Indian Rupee loses ground on Thursday on the firmer USD and the Fed governor’s hawkish comments. 
  • The INR’s downside might be limited by the potential intervention from the Indian central bank. 
  • The RBI is expected to hold rates steady in its April meeting amid strong economic growth and elevated inflation.
  • The Annualized US GDP (Q4) growth number will be released on Thursday. 

Indian Rupee (INR) edges lower on Thursday amid the higher demand for the US Dollar (USD) from oil importers and the hawkish remarks from the Federal Reserve (Fed) officials. Furthermore, the ongoing weakening of Asian peers will continue to exert pressure on the INR. However, the downside of INR might be capped on the back of the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) intervention in the foreign exchange market to help limit the depreciation in INR.

The Indian Central Bank released its monetary policy committee (MPC) schedule for the upcoming financial year 2024–25, starting from April 1, 2024. The first policy meeting will be held from April 3–5, and the RBI is anticipated to keep interest rates unchanged until at least July amid strong economic growth and elevated inflation. Moving on, investors await the release of the US Gross Domestic Product Annualized (Q4) on Thursday, which is estimated to grow at a steady pace at 3.2%. The US February Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (PCE) data will take center stage on Friday even though the markets are closed for Good Friday.

Daily Digest Market Movers: Indian Rupee remains vulnerable despite the robust economic outlook

  • India’s Current Account Deficit narrowed to $10.5 billion or 1.2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the fourth quarter (Q4) that ended December 2023 from $11.4 billion in the previous reading. 
  • Morgan Stanley has raised India’s GDP growth projection for FY 24-25 to 6.8% from 6.5% estimated earlier, citing the ongoing growth in industrial and capex activities.
  • S&P Global raised India's GDP growth forecast for FY25 to 6.8%, lower than the RBI’s estimation of 7%. Furthermore, S&P expects RBI to cut rates by 75 bps by the end of this fiscal year.
  • The Fed Governor Christopher Waller said early Thursday that the central bank is in no rush to cut the benchmark rate and may need to “maintain the current rate target for longer than expected.” 
  • Fed’s Waller further stated that he needs to see more inflation progress before supporting rate cuts.

Technical Analysis: Indian Rupee weakens, further upside is likely to remain limited

Indian Rupee trades on a softer note on the day. USD/INR extends its uptrend in the longer term since the pair rose above a multi-month-old descending trend channel last week. 

In the near term, USD/INR remains above the key 100-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) on the daily chart, with the 14-day Relative Strength Index holding above the 50 midline. This upward momentum of the pair indicates the support levels are more likely to hold than to break, and there’s more room for further upside. 

The potential upside barrier for USD/INR will emerge at an all-time high of 83.49. A decisive break above this level will see a rally to 84.00 (round figure). On the downside, the initial support level is seen at 83.20 (high March 21), followed by 83.00 (psychological level, the 100-day EMA). A breach of the mentioned level could confirm that sellers are returning and ready to let the downtrend resume.

US Dollar price today

The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies today. US Dollar was the strongest against the Japanese Yen.

  USD EUR GBP CAD AUD JPY NZD CHF
USD   -0.08% -0.11% -0.09% -0.20% 0.05% -0.08% -0.11%
EUR 0.07%   -0.03% 0.01% -0.12% 0.16% 0.00% -0.02%
GBP 0.10% 0.03%   0.03% -0.09% 0.15% 0.02% 0.01%
CAD 0.08% 0.00% -0.01%   -0.12% 0.12% 0.00% -0.02%
AUD 0.20% 0.12% 0.10% 0.12%   0.28% 0.12% 0.10%
JPY -0.05% -0.11% -0.15% -0.12% -0.23%   -0.13% -0.17%
NZD 0.07% 0.00% -0.03% 0.00% -0.12% 0.13%   -0.03%
CHF 0.09% 0.02% -0.01% 0.02% -0.10% 0.17% 0.02%  

The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the Euro from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent EUR (base)/JPY (quote).

 

Indian Rupee FAQs

The Indian Rupee (INR) is one of the most sensitive currencies to external factors. The price of Crude Oil (the country is highly dependent on imported Oil), the value of the US Dollar – most trade is conducted in USD – and the level of foreign investment, are all influential. Direct intervention by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in FX markets to keep the exchange rate stable, as well as the level of interest rates set by the RBI, are further major influencing factors on the Rupee.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) actively intervenes in forex markets to maintain a stable exchange rate, to help facilitate trade. In addition, the RBI tries to maintain the inflation rate at its 4% target by adjusting interest rates. Higher interest rates usually strengthen the Rupee. This is due to the role of the ‘carry trade’ in which investors borrow in countries with lower interest rates so as to place their money in countries’ offering relatively higher interest rates and profit from the difference.

Macroeconomic factors that influence the value of the Rupee include inflation, interest rates, the economic growth rate (GDP), the balance of trade, and inflows from foreign investment. A higher growth rate can lead to more overseas investment, pushing up demand for the Rupee. A less negative balance of trade will eventually lead to a stronger Rupee. Higher interest rates, especially real rates (interest rates less inflation) are also positive for the Rupee. A risk-on environment can lead to greater inflows of Foreign Direct and Indirect Investment (FDI and FII), which also benefit the Rupee.

Higher inflation, particularly, if it is comparatively higher than India’s peers, is generally negative for the currency as it reflects devaluation through oversupply. Inflation also increases the cost of exports, leading to more Rupees being sold to purchase foreign imports, which is Rupee-negative. At the same time, higher inflation usually leads to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) raising interest rates and this can be positive for the Rupee, due to increased demand from international investors. The opposite effect is true of lower inflation.

 

02:23
Japan’s Hayashi: Won't rule out any options against excessive currency moves

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yishimasa Hayashi said on Thursday, he “won't rule out any options against excessive currency moves.”

On Wednesday, Hayashi said that he is “closely watching FX moves.”

Related reads

01:56
Japanese Yen edges lower against USD, languishes near Wednesday’s 34-year low
  • The Japanese Yen meets with a fresh supply in the wake of the BoJ’s dovish outlook.
  • Fed Governor Waller’s hawkish comments underpin the USD, supporting USD/JPY.
  • Thursday’s US macro data eyed for some impetus ahead of the PCE data on Friday.

The Japanese Yen (JPY) struggles to capitalize on the previous day's modest recovery against its American counterpart from the lowest level since 1990 and edges lower during the Asian session on Thursday. Speculations that Japanese authorities may soon intervene in the markets to support the domestic currency prompted traders to lighten their bearish bets around the JPY on Wednesday. That said, the Bank of Japan's (BoJ) cautious approach and uncertain outlook for future rate hikes caps any further JPY appreciating move. 

The US Dollar (USD), on the other hand, stands tall near the monthly peak in the wake of Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller's hawkish remarks on Wednesday. This turns out to be another factor that assists the USD/JPY pair to attract some dip-buying, though the upside seems limited as traders might wait for more cues about the Fed's policy path. Hence, the focus will remain glued to the US Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index – the Fed's preferred inflation gauge – due for release on Friday. 

Daily Digest Market Movers: Japanese Yen continues to be undermined by BoJ’s cautious outlook

  • Japan's top currency diplomat Masato Kanda said on Wednesday that he won't rule out any steps to respond to disorderly FX moves and provided a modest lift to the Japanese Yen. 
  • Japan's top monetary officials met to discuss the rapidly weakening currency and suggested that they were ready to intervene to stop disorderly and speculative moves in the currency.
  • The JPY recovery lacks follow-through in the wake of the Bank of Japan's dovish tone, indicating that accommodative financial conditions will be maintained for an extended period.
  • The view was echoed by BoJ Board Member Tamura Naoki, adding that the bank will guide monetary policy appropriately in accordance with the economic, price, and financial developments.
  • The overnight hawkish comments by Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller cooled rate cut hopes, lifting the US Dollar closer to the monthly top and lending support to the USD/JPY pair. 
  • Waller said that hotter-than-expected inflation readings in recent months and the current resilience in the US economy give the Fed substantial headroom to keep rates higher for longer.
  • Traders, however, seem reluctant to place aggressive directional bets and prefer to wait for the release of the US Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index on Friday.
  • The crucial inflation data will play a key role in influencing expectations about the Fed's rate cut path, which, in turn, will drive the USD and provide a fresh impetus to the currency pair.
  • In the meantime, Thursday's US economic docket – featuring the final Q4 GDP print, Weekly Initial Jobless Claims and Pending Home Sales – might produce short-term opportunities.

Technical Analysis: USD/JPY bulls need to wait for move beyond 152.00 before placing fresh bets

From a technical perspective, any subsequent move up might continue to confront stiff resistance and remain capped near the 152.00 mark. The said handle should act as a key pivotal point, which if cleared decisively will be seen as a fresh trigger for bullish traders. Given that oscillators on the daily chart are holding in the positive territory, the USD/JPY pair might then prolong its well-established uptrend witnessed since January 2023 and climb further towards the 153.00 round figure.

On the flip side, the overnight swing low, around the 151.00 mark, now seems to protect the immediate downside. Any further decline is more likely to attract fresh buyers and remain limited near the 150.25 support zone. This is closely followed by the 150.00 psychological mark, which, if broken decisively, could make the USD/JPY pair vulnerable to accelerate the corrective decline further towards the 149.35-149.30 region en route to the 149.00 round figure.

 

Japanese Yen FAQs

The Japanese Yen (JPY) is one of the world’s most traded currencies. Its value is broadly determined by the performance of the Japanese economy, but more specifically by the Bank of Japan’s policy, the differential between Japanese and US bond yields, or risk sentiment among traders, among other factors.

One of the Bank of Japan’s mandates is currency control, so its moves are key for the Yen. The BoJ has directly intervened in currency markets sometimes, generally to lower the value of the Yen, although it refrains from doing it often due to political concerns of its main trading partners. The current BoJ ultra-loose monetary policy, based on massive stimulus to the economy, has caused the Yen to depreciate against its main currency peers. This process has exacerbated more recently due to an increasing policy divergence between the Bank of Japan and other main central banks, which have opted to increase interest rates sharply to fight decades-high levels of inflation.

The BoJ’s stance of sticking to ultra-loose monetary policy has led to a widening policy divergence with other central banks, particularly with the US Federal Reserve. This supports a widening of the differential between the 10-year US and Japanese bonds, which favors the US Dollar against the Japanese Yen.

The Japanese Yen is often seen as a safe-haven investment. This means that in times of market stress, investors are more likely to put their money in the Japanese currency due to its supposed reliability and stability. Turbulent times are likely to strengthen the Yen’s value against other currencies seen as more risky to invest in.

 

01:45
ASX 200 surges to record highs near 7,900 following softer economic data from Australia
  • ASX 200 Index extends its gains on expectations of RBA deducting interest rates in the second half of 2024.
  • Australia’s Consumer Inflation Expectations increased by 4.3% in March, against the previous rise of 4.5%.
  • Allup Silica has extended its application potential by achieving high-purity results from its Sparkler project.

The ASX 200 Index rises to nearly 7,900, up by 0.26% on Thursday, extending gains to new record highs. Positive market sentiment is bolstered by subdued Consumer Inflation Expectations and Retail Sales figures from Australia, which raise expectations of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) adopting a more accommodative approach to interest rates. Furthermore, Wednesday's release of the Australian Monthly Consumer Price Index, which was lower than anticipated, lent further support to the Australian stock market.

Australia’s consumer expectations of future inflation during the next 12 months increased by 4.3% in March, lower than the previous increase of 4.5%. The seasonally adjusted Retail Sales increased by 0.3% month-over-month in February, against the expected 0.4% and 1.1% prior.

The ASX 200 Index surged, driven by strong performances in mining stocks, buoyed by rising prices of gold, iron ore, and lithium. Among the top gainers were Arcadium Lithium, which soared by 10.20% to 4.43; Alumina, which saw a rise of 5.60% to 1.42; and Whitehaven Coal, which increased by 5.27% to 7.10. On the other side, Xero experienced a decline of 1.09% to 132.43; Audinate Group fell by 0.75% to 21.24; and Tabcorp Holdings dipped by 1.05% to 0.76.

Allup Silica has expanded its potential applications with promising results from its Sparkler project in southern Western Australia, where bulk sample tests of high-purity silica have surpassed industry standards. This positions the product well for various high-purity applications, including photovoltaics and high-tech manufacturing.

Terra Uranium is enhancing its Canadian exploration and development endeavors by finalizing a binding letter of intent for the acquisition of the Amer Lake uranium deposit in Nunavut. This move follows Terra's recent acquisition of two new 100%-owned projects in Canada's Athabasca Basin.

AIC Mines, a copper producer, has reported a significant 86% increase in ore reserves at its Jericho copper deposit, located south of its Eloise high-grade underground copper mine in Queensland. The revised reserve estimate now stands at 3.2 million tonnes grading 1.9% copper and 0.4 grams per tonne of Gold, amounting to 61,100 tonnes of copper and 37,000 ounces of Gold.

 

Australian Stock Market FAQs

Stock markets in Australia are managed by the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), headquartered in Sydney. The main indices are the S&P/ASX 200 and the S&P/ASX 300, which track the performance of the 200 and 300 largest stocks by market capitalization listed on the exchange, respectively. The S&P/ASX 200 was launched in April 2000, and it is rebalanced every quarter.

Almost half of the index belongs to the financial sector, with major banks like the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Westpac or National Australia Bank. The so-called materials sector is also relevant – comprising almost 20% of the weighting in the index – with mining giants such as BHP Group or Rio Tinto. Other important sectors are biotechnology, real estate, consumer staples, and industrials.

Many different factors drive the ASX 200, but mainly it is the aggregate performance of the component companies revealed in their quarterly and annual earnings reports the main factor behind its performance. Commodity prices can also affect the index given its significant share of mining companies. Macroeconomic data such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, inflation, or unemployment data from Australia is also important as they are indicators of the health of the country’s economy and thus the profitability of its largest companies. Global economic conditions may also play a role, particularly from China, as the Asian country is Australia’s largest trading partner.

The level of interest rates in Australia, set by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), also influences the ASX 200 and ASX 300 indexes as it affects the cost of credit, on which many firms are heavily reliant. Generally, when the RBA cuts interest rates (or signals it is going to do it), it is positive for the Australian stock market as it means a lower cost of credit for companies and higher economic growth ahead, likely boosting sales. On the contrary, if the RBA signals that it will increase interest rates, this tends to weigh on the index. As always, there is a caveat: banks. Financial institutions tend to benefit from higher interest rates because they earn more from lending to other businesses, thus boosting their overall income.

 

01:17
PBoC sets USD/CNY reference rate at 7.0948 vs. 7.0946 previous

On Thursday, the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) set the USD/CNY central rate for the trading session ahead at 7.0948 as compared to the previous day's fix of 7.0946 and 7.2259 Reuters estimates.

00:59
WTI turns red near $81.50 on Fed’s hawkish comments, a surprise jump in US crude stockpiles
  • TI trades on a softer note near $81.50 on Thursday. 
  • The high-for-longer rate narrative from the Fed boosts the US Dollar. 
  • US crude oil inventories rose by 3.165 million barrels for the week ending March 22 from a decline of 1.952 million barrels. 

Western Texas Intermediate (WTI), the US crude oil benchmark, is trading around $81.50 on Wednesday. WTI prices edge lower amid the recovery of the US Dollar (USD) and a surprise jump in U.S. crude and gasoline stocks.

The hawkish comments from US Federal Reserve (Fed) policymaker early Thursday lift the Greenback across the board. The Fed Governor Christopher Waller, one of the most hawkish Fed officials, said that the US central bank is not in a hurry to lower the benchmark interest rate and may need to retain the current rate target for longer than previously expected. A firmer USD weighs on WTI prices as it makes dollar-denominated oil more expensive for holders of other currencies, dampening oil demand.

Additionally, US crude oil inventories rose by 3.165 million barrels for the week ending March 22 from a decline of 1.952 million barrels, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). A surprise US crude inventories build also contributed to the pressure on WTI prices.

On the other hand, the escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and between Russia and Ukraine could raise the fear of tighter global supply and cap the downside of WTI prices. Ukraine has been striking Russia's oil infrastructure since the start of the conflict but intensified its attacks in late 2023. There have been seven drone attacks this month alone, and experts estimate that the disruptions have impacted almost 12% of Russia's total oil processing capacity.

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) decided to extend output cuts of around 2.2 million bpd until the end of June. OPEC+ is expected to affirm its production cuts policy until a full ministerial meeting in June. 

Oil traders will watch the US Gross Domestic Product Annualized (GDP) for the fourth quarter (Q4) on Thursday, which is estimated to remain steady at 3.2%. On Friday, the US Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (PCE) data for February and Fed’s Powell will be in the spotlight. 

 

WTI US OIL

Overview
Today last price 81.5
Today Daily Change 0.01
Today Daily Change % 0.01
Today daily open 81.49
 
Trends
Daily SMA20 79.78
Daily SMA50 77.63
Daily SMA100 75.65
Daily SMA200 78.56
 
Levels
Previous Daily High 81.51
Previous Daily Low 80.35
Previous Weekly High 83.05
Previous Weekly Low 80.24
Previous Monthly High 79.27
Previous Monthly Low 71.46
Daily Fibonacci 38.2% 81.07
Daily Fibonacci 61.8% 80.79
Daily Pivot Point S1 80.72
Daily Pivot Point S2 79.96
Daily Pivot Point S3 79.56
Daily Pivot Point R1 81.89
Daily Pivot Point R2 82.28
Daily Pivot Point R3 83.05

 

 

00:33
Australia’s Retail Sales rises 0.3% MoM in February vs. 0.4% expected

Australia’s Retail Sales, a measure of the country’s consumer spending, rose 0.3% MoM in February from the previous reading of a 1.1% rise, according to the official data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Thursday. The figure came in weaker than market expectations with an increase of 0.4%.

Market reaction

Following the downbeat Australia’s Retail Sales data, the AUD/USD pair is down 0.11% on the day at 0.6527.

 

Australian Dollar FAQs

One of the most significant factors for the Australian Dollar (AUD) is the level of interest rates set by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). Because Australia is a resource-rich country another key driver is the price of its biggest export, Iron Ore. The health of the Chinese economy, its largest trading partner, is a factor, as well as inflation in Australia, its growth rate and Trade Balance. Market sentiment – whether investors are taking on more risky assets (risk-on) or seeking safe-havens (risk-off) – is also a factor, with risk-on positive for AUD.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) influences the Australian Dollar (AUD) by setting the level of interest rates that Australian banks can lend to each other. This influences the level of interest rates in the economy as a whole. The main goal of the RBA is to maintain a stable inflation rate of 2-3% by adjusting interest rates up or down. Relatively high interest rates compared to other major central banks support the AUD, and the opposite for relatively low. The RBA can also use quantitative easing and tightening to influence credit conditions, with the former AUD-negative and the latter AUD-positive.

China is Australia’s largest trading partner so the health of the Chinese economy is a major influence on the value of the Australian Dollar (AUD). When the Chinese economy is doing well it purchases more raw materials, goods and services from Australia, lifting demand for the AUD, and pushing up its value. The opposite is the case when the Chinese economy is not growing as fast as expected. Positive or negative surprises in Chinese growth data, therefore, often have a direct impact on the Australian Dollar and its pairs.

Iron Ore is Australia’s largest export, accounting for $118 billion a year according to data from 2021, with China as its primary destination. The price of Iron Ore, therefore, can be a driver of the Australian Dollar. Generally, if the price of Iron Ore rises, AUD also goes up, as aggregate demand for the currency increases. The opposite is the case if the price of Iron Ore falls. Higher Iron Ore prices also tend to result in a greater likelihood of a positive Trade Balance for Australia, which is also positive of the AUD.

The Trade Balance, which is the difference between what a country earns from its exports versus what it pays for its imports, is another factor that can influence the value of the Australian Dollar. If Australia produces highly sought after exports, then its currency will gain in value purely from the surplus demand created from foreign buyers seeking to purchase its exports versus what it spends to purchase imports. Therefore, a positive net Trade Balance strengthens the AUD, with the opposite effect if the Trade Balance is negative.

 

00:31
Australia Private Sector Credit (YoY) rose from previous 4.9% to 5% in February
00:30
Australia Private Sector Credit (MoM) rose from previous 0.4% to 0.5% in February
00:30
Australia Retail Sales s.a. (MoM) below forecasts (0.4%) in February: Actual (0.3%)
00:15
Currencies. Daily history for Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Pare Closed Change, %
AUDUSD 0.65321 0.01
EURJPY 163.684 -0.21
EURUSD 1.08266 -0.05
GBPJPY 191.067 -0.08
GBPUSD 1.26367 0.07
NZDUSD 0.60023 0
USDCAD 1.35666 -0.14
USDCHF 0.90357 -0.02
USDJPY 151.251 -0.19
00:10
BoJ’s Summary of Opinions: YCC, negative rate, and other massive stimulus tools have accomplished their roles

Bank of Japan (BoJ) published the Summary of Opinions from its March monetary policy meeting on March 18 and 19, with the key findings noted below.

Key quotes

“One member said YCC, negative rate, and other massive stimulus tools have accomplished their roles.”

“One member said BoJ must guide monetary policy using short-term rate as main policy means, in accordance to economic, price, and financial developments.”

“One member said shifting to 'normal' monetary easing is possible without causing short-term shocks, may have a positive impact on the economy in medium-, long-term perspective.”

“One member said chance of policy shift causing big market volatility is small.”

“One member said future policy guidance very important so that BoJ can slowly but steadily proceed with policy normalization.”

“One member said appropriate to give some room for allowance in BoJ's bond buying operation.”

“One member said appropriate to revise policy after confirming that smaller firms are able to sufficiently hike wages.”

“One member said ending YCC and negative rate simultaneously could cause disruption in long-term rate, financial environment.”

“One member said changing policy now could delay achievement of BoJ's price target.”

“One member said important to make use of expected outcome from BoJ's policy review in future policy guidance.”

“One member said Japan's low natural rate of interest, lagged effect of monetary policy may be behind slow recovery pace of economy.”

“One member said virtuous cycle between wages and prices has become more solid.”

“One member said highly likely that mechanism behind price developments will be consistent with price target.”

Market reaction

Following the BoJ’s Summary of Opinions, the USD/JPY pair is losing 0.02% on the day to trade at 151.30, as of writing.

 

Bank of Japan FAQs

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) is the Japanese central bank, which sets monetary policy in the country. Its mandate is to issue banknotes and carry out currency and monetary control to ensure price stability, which means an inflation target of around 2%.

The Bank of Japan has embarked in an ultra-loose monetary policy since 2013 in order to stimulate the economy and fuel inflation amid a low-inflationary environment. The bank’s policy is based on Quantitative and Qualitative Easing (QQE), or printing notes to buy assets such as government or corporate bonds to provide liquidity. In 2016, the bank doubled down on its strategy and further loosened policy by first introducing negative interest rates and then directly controlling the yield of its 10-year government bonds.

The Bank’s massive stimulus has caused the Yen to depreciate against its main currency peers. This process has exacerbated more recently due to an increasing policy divergence between the Bank of Japan and other main central banks, which have opted to increase interest rates sharply to fight decades-high levels of inflation. The BoJ’s policy of holding down rates has led to a widening differential with other currencies, dragging down the value of the Yen.

A weaker Yen and the spike in global energy prices have led to an increase in Japanese inflation, which has exceeded the BoJ’s 2% target. Still, the Bank judges that the sustainable and stable achievement of the 2% target has not yet come in sight, so any sudden change in the current policy looks unlikely.

 

00:02
Australia Consumer Inflation Expectations declined to 4.3% in March from previous 4.5%
00:00
New Zealand ANZ Business Confidence declined to 22.9 in March from previous 34.7

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