2026 GDP forecasts now point to 2.1% growth in the US and 1.2% in the Eurozone, up from earlier estimates, yet the dollar has stabilized rather than rallied. In Europe, modest growth upgrades have coincided with lower expectations for ECB rate cuts, reflecting a shift in policy rhetoric rather than fundamentals alone, Société Générale's FX analysts note.
"Current 2026 consensus forecasts look for GDP growth to come in at 2.1% in the US and 1.2% in the Eurozone. Back in April, as the dollar was sliding, the forecasts were 1.2% for the Eurozone and 1.4% in the US."
"The upward adjustment in US growth expectations has seen the dollar stabilize rather than rally, because the market hasn’t shifted rate differentials. Market pricing of end-2026 Fed Funds has remained at 3% as growth forecasts have risen in recent months."
"By contrast, a modest upgrade in European growth expectations (from 1.1% to 1.2%) has been accompanied by a gradual erosion in ECB rate cut expectations, fuelled in large part by ECB rhetoric."