US Dollar remains weak as market awaits Thursday's inflation data

Jul 8, 2024 4:22 PM

US Dollar, down 0.80% last week, now at lowest level since mid-June.
Anticipation builds with the upcoming release of the June inflation figures and Fed talks.
Market is pricing in less than 10% odds of a cut in July and around 80% in September.

The US Dollar continues to struggle amid signs of disinflation in the US economy, fostering confidence in a potential September rate cut from the Federal Reserve (Fed) among market participants. This week, Fed Chair Jerome Powell and other governors’ words might bail out the USD and limit the losses if they remain cautious.

Despite the trailing softness in the US indicators, Fed officials are still reluctant to embrace cuts, opting to remain data-dependent and might continue asking for patience.

Daily digest market movers: US Dollar continues soft ahead of CPI and Powell’s testimony

Among the most noteworthy events of the week are Chairman Powell's Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to Congress, multiple Fed members speaking, and the release of inflation data for June.
On Thursday, the headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) is expected to have dropped two ticks to 3.1% YoY, while the core figure is expected to remain steady at 3.4% YoY.
As for now, the market predicts less than a 10% chance of a rate cut at the July 31 meeting, with the odds shooting to around 80% for September.

DXY technical outlook: DXY's struggle persists as it resides below 20-day SMA

Following the DXY's slip below the 20-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) and shrinking by 0.80% last week, the technical outlook has shifted for the worst. Both the Relative Strength Index (RSI) and the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) have slumped into negative territory.

Meanwhile, the 104.70 zone, marked by the 200-day SMA, continues to provide strong support. If the selling pressure continues, the 104.50 and 104.30 areas could potentially put a stop to further losses.

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.

Economic Indicator

Consumer Price Index (YoY)

Inflationary or deflationary tendencies are measured by periodically summing the prices of a basket of representative goods and services and presenting the data as The Consumer Price Index (CPI). CPI data is compiled on a monthly basis and released by the US Department of Labor Statistics. The YoY reading compares the prices of goods in the reference month to the same month a year earlier.The CPI is a key indicator to measure inflation and changes in purchasing trends. Generally speaking, a high reading is seen as bullish for the US Dollar (USD), while a low reading is seen as bearish.

Why it matters to traders?

The US Federal Reserve has a dual mandate of maintaining price stability and maximum employment. According to such mandate, inflation should be at around 2% YoY and has become the weakest pillar of the central bank’s directive ever since the world suffered a pandemic, which extends to these days. Price pressures keep rising amid supply-chain issues and bottlenecks, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) hanging at multi-decade highs. The Fed has already taken measures to tame inflation and is expected to maintain an aggressive stance in the foreseeable future.

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.