US Dollar Index drifts lower below 107.00 ahead of Fed rate decision

FXStreetDec 18, 2024 6:02 AM

The US Dollar trades in negative territory around 106.85 in Wednesday’s early European session.
US Retail sales jumped 0.7% MoM in November after an upwardly revised 0.5% gain prior, according to the US Census Bureau.
The Fed is anticipated to lower interest rates by 25 bps to a range of 4.25% to 4.50%.

The US Dollar Index (DXY) trades with a mild negative bias near 106.85 during the early European trading hours on Wednesday. The speculation that the Federal Reserve (Fed) will adopt a more cautious stance on cutting interest rates might provide some support to the US Treasury bond yields and the US Dollar (USD).

The US Census Bureau revealed on Tuesday that Retail Sales in the US climbed by 0.7% MoM in November versus a 0.5% increase (revised from 0.4%) in October. This figure came in stronger than the expectation of a 0.5% increase. Meanwhile, US Industrial Production came in below the market consensus, declining by 0.1% MoM in November, compared to a fall of 0.4% (revised from -0.3%) in October. However, the US Retail Sales data had no impact on expectations that the Fed would reduce interest rates at its December meeting on Wednesday.

The US central bank is scheduled to announce its interest rate decision at its December meeting on Wednesday. The markets expect that the Fed will cut rates for the third time in a row, bringing the Federal Funds Rate lower to a target range of 4.25% to 4.50%. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, there is now a 97.1% odds of a 25 basis points (bps) rate cut, while the probability of maintaining current rates stands at 4.6%.

Jacob Channel, senior economist at LendingTree, said that the Fed will likely proceed with a 25 bps reduction at its upcoming meeting, but there may not be further cuts in the immediate future. Traders will take more cues from the Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s Press Conference and Summary of Economic Projections (dot-plot) after the meeting. If the Fed officials deliver the less dovish comments, this could lift the Greenback against its rivals. However, any signs of further Fed rate reduction could weigh on the USD.

Fed FAQs

What does the Federal Reserve do, how does it impact the US Dollar?

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.

How often does the Fed hold monetary policy meetings?

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.

What is Quantitative Easing (QE) and how does it impact USD?

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.

What is Quantitative Tightening (QT) and how does it impact 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.

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