Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Euro Higher After Eurozone Inflation Falls

Published 02/01/2023, 06:03 AM
Updated 03/05/2019, 07:15 AM

It has been a quiet week for EUR/USD, which continues to say close to the 1.09 line. With the Fed rate announcement, the lack of activity could change in a hurry in the North American session.

Eurozone Inflation Slides in January

Eurozone inflation is expected to be 8.5% in January, down from 9.2% in December and below the consensus of 9.0%. The key driver behind the decline was energy prices, which rose 17.2% in January compared to 25.5% in December. Core CPI remained at 5.2%, a notch above the consensus of 5.1%. On a month-by-month basis, Core CPI fell by 0.8%, compared to a 0.6% gain in November and below the forecast of -0.2%.

Today’s inflation report is the final key event ahead of the ECB rate decision on Thursday. It’s practically a given that the central bank will raise rates by 50 basis points, bringing the cash rate to 3.0%. After that, the pace of monetary tightening will depend largely on the strength of the eurozone economy and inflation levels.

The ECB will be pleased with the drop in headline inflation but concerned that the core rate has been stickier. Germany, the locomotive of the bloc, released dismal numbers this week. Retail sales crashed, with a decline of 5.3% while GDP came in at -0.2%. If German numbers remain weak, the ECB will have to consider easing up on rates with modest hikes of 25 basis points rather than 50-bp moves. The markets are forecasting a terminal rate in the range of 3.25%-3.75%.

All eyes are on the Federal Reserve, which is widely expected to raise rates by 25 basis points. This would bring the benchmark rate to 4.75%. Inflation in the US fell to 6.5% in December, marking six straight months of de-acceleration. It appears that inflation has peaked, although the Fed won’t use the “P” word for fear of an excessive reaction from the markets.

The Fed has been more hawkish about rate levels than what the markets have priced in, and if Jerome Powell reiterates this hawkish stance, the markets could be in for a cold shower which would be bullish for the US dollar.EUR/USD Daily Chart

EUR/USD Technical

  • EUR/USD is testing support at 1.0878. Below, there is support at 1.0826
  • 1.0921 and 1.1034 are the next resistance lines

Original Post

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.