Forex Today: US Dollar rallies amid resilient Retail Sales and rising yields
Here is what you need to know for Friday, May 15:
The US Dollar Index (DXY) rises toward the 98.80 region, reaching fresh two-week highs after US Retail Sales rose 0.5% in April, highlighting resilient consumer spending despite elevated borrowing costs. Additional support for the Greenback emerged after reports that Stephen Miran submitted his letter of resignation from the Federal Reserve (Fed) Board of Governors, paving the way for Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair.
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 British Pound.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 0.34% | 0.93% | 0.28% | 0.15% | 0.53% | 0.41% | 0.21% | |
| EUR | -0.34% | 0.57% | -0.09% | -0.20% | 0.14% | 0.00% | -0.12% | |
| GBP | -0.93% | -0.57% | -0.64% | -0.77% | -0.41% | -0.56% | -0.66% | |
| JPY | -0.28% | 0.09% | 0.64% | -0.15% | 0.23% | 0.08% | -0.09% | |
| CAD | -0.15% | 0.20% | 0.77% | 0.15% | 0.39% | 0.22% | 0.12% | |
| AUD | -0.53% | -0.14% | 0.41% | -0.23% | -0.39% | -0.14% | -0.24% | |
| NZD | -0.41% | -0.01% | 0.56% | -0.08% | -0.22% | 0.14% | -0.12% | |
| CHF | -0.21% | 0.12% | 0.66% | 0.09% | -0.12% | 0.24% | 0.12% |
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 falls toward the 1.1670 area as rising US Treasury yields and broad USD demand pressure the shared currency.
GBP/USD fell to a one-month low near 1.3400 as the stronger Greenback dominates market sentiment. Sterling remains under pressure amid ongoing UK fiscal and political concerns, while traders continue monitoring elevated gilt volatility and uncertainty surrounding Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s economic agenda.
USD/JPY climbs towards a two-week high near the 158.30 zone, supported by widening US-Japan yield differentials after the hotter US inflation data. The Japanese Yen (JPY) also loses some safe-haven demand as market sentiment improves following constructive headlines from the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
AUD/USD drops toward the 0.7220 region despite improving risk sentiment tied to positive US-China developments. According to a White House official, Trump and Xi discussed expanding economic cooperation, increasing Chinese investment and boosting Chinese purchases of US agricultural products.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Oil trades near the $97 per barrel area as traders monitor developments surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and the Middle East conflict. Trump and Xi reportedly agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open, helping ease fears of a major supply disruption, although geopolitical tensions continue supporting elevated energy prices.
Gold falls toward the $4,660 region as rising US Treasury yields and stronger Fed tightening expectations reduce demand for non-yielding assets. Improved market sentiment following the Trump-Xi meeting also limits safe-haven flows into the precious metal.
What’s next in the docket:
Friday, May 15:
- FR April CPI EU norm YoY; FR April CPI YoY
- US May NY Empire State Manufacturing Index
- US April Industrial Production MoM
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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