- US Dollar proves strong as markets are pricing in a Trump victory in November.
- Fed easing expectations: 150 bps of total easing seen over the next 12 months.
- Retail Sales on Thursday will be closely watched.
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the value of the USD against a basket of six others, continues rising as financial markets are doubling down on a Donald Trump win in the US presidential election. This is mainly due to Trumps’s plans on several sectors of the economy of deregulating according to IG Bank’s analyst. The DXY has broken above key resistance and is on its way to 104.00.
With the US economy showing mixed signs, Federal Reserve (Fed) officials remain cautious, signaling that the pace of the easing will rely on incoming data. In the meantime, political jitters seem to be benefiting the USD ahead of November’s election.
Daily digest market movers: US Dollar adds more ground on quiet Wednesday
- The US economic calendar showed no highlights on Wednesday as markets wait for Thursday’s Retail Sales figures.
- In case those figures come in strong, it could give the USD another boost. As for now, markets are expecting a slight monthly expansion.
- Fed officials Daly and Bostic remain cautious, suggesting only one or two rate cuts this year.
- Market expectations for Fed easing have slightly decreased, with two cuts by year-end no longer fully priced in but still remaining high above 80%.
DXY technical outlook: DXY pierces through key levels, correction looms
Technical analysis for the DXY index indicates continued momentum among indicators with some flashing overbought signals. The index has broken above the crucial 100-day Simple Moving Average (SMA), with the next major resistance at the 200-day SMA at 103.80. While buyers are pushing for an optimistic outlook, a potential correction may occur before the next upswing.
Supports are found at 103.00, 102.50 and 103.00, while resistances lie at 103.30, 103.50 and 104.00.
Fed FAQs
Monetary policy in the US is shaped by the Federal Reserve (Fed). The Fed has two mandates: to achieve price stability and foster full employment. Its primary tool to achieve these goals is by adjusting interest rates. When prices are rising too quickly and inflation is above the Fed’s 2% target, it raises interest rates, increasing borrowing costs throughout the economy. This results in a stronger US Dollar (USD) as it makes the US a more attractive place for international investors to park their money. When inflation falls below 2% or the Unemployment Rate is too high, the Fed may lower interest rates to encourage borrowing, which weighs on the Greenback.
The Federal Reserve (Fed) holds eight policy meetings a year, where the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) assesses economic conditions and makes monetary policy decisions. The FOMC is attended by twelve Fed officials – the seven members of the Board of Governors, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and four of the remaining eleven regional Reserve Bank presidents, who serve one-year terms on a rotating basis.
In extreme situations, the Federal Reserve may resort to a policy named 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 during crises or when inflation is extremely low. It was the Fed’s weapon of choice during the Great Financial Crisis in 2008. It involves the Fed printing more Dollars and using them to buy high grade bonds from financial institutions. QE usually weakens the US Dollar.
Quantitative tightening (QT) is the reverse process of QE, whereby the Federal Reserve stops buying bonds from financial institutions and does not reinvest the principal from the bonds it holds maturing, to purchase new bonds. It is usually positive for the value of the US Dollar.
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