Forex Today: US Dollar strength persists as traders turn focus to NFP
Here is what you need to know for Thursday, June 4:
The US Dollar Index (DXY) trades with a firmer tone near the 99.50 price region as a stronger-than-expected United States (US) ISM Services Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) rose to 54.5 in May from 53.6 in April, highlighting the resilience of the US economy and supporting Treasury yields.
On Wednesday, the DXY reached its highest level since April 7, at 99.55.
US Dollar Price Today
The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies today. US Dollar was the strongest against the New Zealand Dollar.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 0.30% | 0.35% | 0.06% | 0.41% | 0.71% | 1.05% | 0.63% | |
| EUR | -0.30% | 0.04% | -0.22% | 0.12% | 0.41% | 0.74% | 0.34% | |
| GBP | -0.35% | -0.04% | -0.26% | 0.06% | 0.37% | 0.68% | 0.29% | |
| JPY | -0.06% | 0.22% | 0.26% | 0.31% | 0.62% | 0.94% | 0.54% | |
| CAD | -0.41% | -0.12% | -0.06% | -0.31% | 0.31% | 0.64% | 0.23% | |
| AUD | -0.71% | -0.41% | -0.37% | -0.62% | -0.31% | 0.31% | -0.10% | |
| NZD | -1.05% | -0.74% | -0.68% | -0.94% | -0.64% | -0.31% | -0.38% | |
| CHF | -0.63% | -0.34% | -0.29% | -0.54% | -0.23% | 0.10% | 0.38% |
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).
EUR/USD remains under pressure near the 1.1600 area as broad US Dollar (USD) strength weighs on the shared currency.
GBP/USD declines near the 1.3420 region, pressured by the stronger Greenback. Sterling struggles to gain traction as investors remain cautious ahead of upcoming United Kingdom (UK) economic releases and ongoing fiscal concerns.
USD/JPY trades at the 160.00 level as stronger US economic data supports the USD. Bank of Japan (BoJ) Governor Kazuo Ueda stated that policymakers must carefully weigh the "pros and cons" of a rate hike if inflation risks become more significant than risks to economic growth.
AUD/USD falls toward a one-week low near the 0.7130 region as stronger US data boosts the Greenback and limits demand for risk-sensitive currencies.
Gold descends 1% to the $4,440 area as higher US Treasury yields and a firmer US Dollar reduced demand for the non-yielding metal.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Oil gains almost 3% to retake the $96.00 area as traders balance expectations for resilient global demand against concerns about future supply conditions and broader economic growth prospects.
What’s next in the docket:
Thursday, June 4:
- CH CPI
- Eurozone Retail Sales
- US Challenger Job Cuts
- US Initial Jobless Claims
- US Nonfarm Productivity
- US Unit Labor Costs
- JP Labor Cash Earnings
Friday, June 5:
- Eurozone GDP
- Eurozone Employment Change
- CA Employment Report
- CA Average Hourly Wages
- CA Unemployment Rate
- US Nonfarm Payrolls
- US Unemployment Rate
- US Average Hourly Earnings
- US Labor Force Participation Rate
- CA Ivey PMI
WTI Oil FAQs
WTI Oil is a type of Crude Oil sold on international markets. The WTI stands for West Texas Intermediate, one of three major types including Brent and Dubai Crude. WTI is also referred to as “light” and “sweet” because of its relatively low gravity and sulfur content respectively. It is considered a high quality Oil that is easily refined. It is sourced in the United States and distributed via the Cushing hub, which is considered “The Pipeline Crossroads of the World”. It is a benchmark for the Oil market and WTI price is frequently quoted in the media.
Like all assets, supply and demand are the key drivers of WTI Oil price. As such, global growth can be a driver of increased demand and vice versa for weak global growth. Political instability, wars, and sanctions can disrupt supply and impact prices. The decisions of OPEC, a group of major Oil-producing countries, is another key driver of price. The value of the US Dollar influences the price of WTI Crude Oil, since Oil is predominantly traded in US Dollars, thus a weaker US Dollar can make Oil more affordable and vice versa.
The weekly Oil inventory reports published by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Energy Information Agency (EIA) impact the price of WTI Oil. Changes in inventories reflect fluctuating supply and demand. If the data shows a drop in inventories it can indicate increased demand, pushing up Oil price. Higher inventories can reflect increased supply, pushing down prices. API’s report is published every Tuesday and EIA’s the day after. Their results are usually similar, falling within 1% of each other 75% of the time. The EIA data is considered more reliable, since it is a government agency.
OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) is a group of 12 Oil-producing nations who collectively decide production quotas for member countries at twice-yearly meetings. Their decisions often impact WTI Oil prices. When OPEC decides to lower quotas, it can tighten supply, pushing up Oil prices. When OPEC increases production, it has the opposite effect. OPEC+ refers to an expanded group that includes ten extra non-OPEC members, the most notable of which is Russia.
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