Euro struggles to advance north of 1.0600 aheadof US PPI, FOMC Minutes

• The Euro trades in an inconclusive fashion against the US Dollar.
• Stocks in Europe open Wednesday’s session with modest losses.
• EUR/USD looks to extend the advance further up from the 1.0600 barrier.
• The USD Index (DXY) trades in monthly lows near 105.70.
• Final CPI in Germany rose 4.5% YoY, 0.3% MoM in September.
• US Producer Prices, FOMC Minutes take centre stage later in the session.

The Euro (EUR) alternates gains with losses against the US Dollar (USD) on Wednesday, motivating EUR/USD to trade without a clear direction around the 1.0600 neighbourhood.

The Greenback remains under pressure below the 106.00 hurdle when measured by the USD Index (DXY) on the back of a better tone in risk markets, while investors continue to digest the recent dovish messages from Federal Reserve (Fed) officials.

In terms of monetary policy, investors presently expect the Fed to keep interest rates at their current levels for the rest of the year. Market participants are also speculating on the prospect of the European Central Bank (ECB) pausing policy changes, despite inflation levels above the bank's objective and rising fears about the risk of a future recession or stagflation in the European area.

On the domestic calendar, final inflation figures in Germany saw the CPI rise at an annualized 4.5% in the year to September and 0.3% compared with the previous month.

Data-wise in the US, the usual weekly Mortgage Applications tracked by MBA are due in the first turn seconded by September’s Producer Prices and the publication of the FOMC Minutes of the September meeting, when the Fed kept its interest rates unchanged.

Daily digest market movers: Euro appears directionless around 1.0600

• The EUR alternates ups and downs against the USD.
• US and German yields kick off the day slightly on the defensive.
• Markets expect the Fed will keep interest rates on hold in the coming months.
• Investors suggest the ECB will extend the pause of its rate hike campaign.
• Geopolitical concerns remain on the rise around the Middle East.

Technical Analysis: Euro looks at 1.0700

EUR/USD appears poised to consolidate the recent breakthrough of the pivotal barrier at 1.0600.

Continued upward momentum could potentially propel EUR/USD to revisit the September 20 high of 1.0736, followed by the significant 200-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) at 1.0823. If the pair manages to break above this level, there is potential for testing the August 30 peak at 1.0945 and approaching the psychological threshold of 1.1000. Further breakthroughs beyond the August 10 peak of 1.1064 may lead the pair to the July 27 top at 1.1149 and potentially reach the 2023 peak of 1.1275 from July 18.

Conversely, if selling pressure resumes, there is a possibility of retesting the 2023 low at 1.0448 from October 3 and potentially challenging the significant psychological level of 1.0400. Should this level be breached, it could pave the way for a retest of the weekly lows at 1.0290 (November 30, 2022) and 1.0222 (November 21, 2022).

As long as the EUR/USD remains below the 200-day SMA, the potential for sustained downward pressure persists.