EUR/USD extends winning streak as US Dollar falls further ahead of Fed’s monetary policy
- EUR/USD refreshes weekly high near 1.1670 amid weakness in the US Dollar.
- Investors expect the Fed to cut interest rates on Wednesday.
- Risk sentiment improves amid optimism over the US-China trade deal.
The EUR/USD extends its winning streak for the fifth trading day on Tuesday. The major currency pair posts a fresh weekly high near 1.1670 as the US Dollar (USD) underperforms its peers ahead of the monetary policy announcement by the Federal Reserve (Fed) on Wednesday.
US Dollar Price Today
The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies today. US Dollar was the weakest against the Japanese Yen.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | -0.18% | -0.24% | -0.62% | -0.03% | -0.11% | -0.22% | -0.24% | |
| EUR | 0.18% | -0.05% | -0.44% | 0.16% | 0.09% | -0.06% | -0.05% | |
| GBP | 0.24% | 0.05% | -0.37% | 0.21% | 0.14% | 0.02% | -0.01% | |
| JPY | 0.62% | 0.44% | 0.37% | 0.59% | 0.51% | 0.39% | 0.37% | |
| CAD | 0.03% | -0.16% | -0.21% | -0.59% | -0.08% | -0.19% | -0.22% | |
| AUD | 0.11% | -0.09% | -0.14% | -0.51% | 0.08% | -0.12% | -0.14% | |
| NZD | 0.22% | 0.06% | -0.02% | -0.39% | 0.19% | 0.12% | -0.02% | |
| CHF | 0.24% | 0.05% | 0.00% | -0.37% | 0.22% | 0.14% | 0.02% |
The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the US Dollar from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent USD (base)/JPY (quote).
During the press time, the US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback’s value against six major currencies, revisits the weekly low around 98.50.
In the Fed’s policy, traders expect the United States (US) central bank to deliver another interest rate cut as the tariff impact on prices is proving to be temporary, slower job growth continues to be a cause of concern and the federal government remains shut down.
The US Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for September showed on Friday that the headline and core inflation rose moderately by 0.3% and 0.2%, respectively, on a monthly basis.
Meanwhile, accelerating hopes of a trade deal between the US and China could provide support to the US Dollar. On Monday, US President Donald Trump expressed confidence that a trade deal with Beijing could be announced soon after the meeting with Chinese XI Jinping later this week.
On the other side of the Atlantic, investors await preliminary German inflation data for October and the Eurozone Q3 Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which will be published on Thursday. The German Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) report is expected to show that price pressures grew at a moderate pace. Meanwhile, the Eurozone economy is expected to have expanded again at a moderate pace of 0.1% on a quarterly basis.
Euro FAQs
The Euro is the currency for the 19 European Union countries that belong to the Eurozone. It is the second most heavily traded currency in the world behind the US Dollar. In 2022, it accounted for 31% of all foreign exchange transactions, with an average daily turnover of over $2.2 trillion a day. EUR/USD is the most heavily traded currency pair in the world, accounting for an estimated 30% off all transactions, followed by EUR/JPY (4%), EUR/GBP (3%) and EUR/AUD (2%).
The European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt, Germany, is the reserve bank for the Eurozone. The ECB sets interest rates and manages monetary policy. The ECB’s primary mandate is to maintain price stability, which means either controlling inflation or stimulating growth. Its primary tool is the raising or lowering of interest rates. Relatively high interest rates – or the expectation of higher rates – will usually benefit the Euro and vice versa. The ECB Governing Council makes monetary policy decisions at meetings held eight times a year. Decisions are made by heads of the Eurozone national banks and six permanent members, including the President of the ECB, Christine Lagarde.
Eurozone inflation data, measured by the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), is an important econometric for the Euro. If inflation rises more than expected, especially if above the ECB’s 2% target, it obliges the ECB to raise interest rates to bring it back under control. Relatively high interest rates compared to its counterparts will usually benefit the Euro, as it makes the region more attractive as a place for global investors to park their money.
Data releases gauge the health of the economy and can impact on the Euro. Indicators such as GDP, Manufacturing and Services PMIs, employment, and consumer sentiment surveys can all influence the direction of the single currency. A strong economy is good for the Euro. Not only does it attract more foreign investment but it may encourage the ECB to put up interest rates, which will directly strengthen the Euro. Otherwise, if economic data is weak, the Euro is likely to fall. Economic data for the four largest economies in the euro area (Germany, France, Italy and Spain) are especially significant, as they account for 75% of the Eurozone’s economy.
Another significant data release for the Euro is the Trade Balance. This indicator measures the difference between what a country earns from its exports and what it spends on imports over a given period. If a country produces highly sought after exports then its currency will gain in value purely from the extra demand created from foreign buyers seeking to purchase these goods. Therefore, a positive net Trade Balance strengthens a currency and vice versa for a negative balance.
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