Euro posts modest gains above 1.1350 as traders await US CPI inflation release
- EUR/USD trades with mild gains around 1.1385 in Tuesday’s early Asian session.
- Trump said that the US will blockade Iran in the Strait of Hormuz and charge ships 20% for safe passage.
- Traders brace for the US CPI data later on Tuesday.
The EUR/USD pair posts modest gains near 1.1385 during the Asian trading hours on Tuesday. Nonetheless, the potential upside for the major pair might be limited amid renewed US military strikes against Iran. Traders will take more cues from the US June Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation data, which will be released later on Tuesday.
US President Donald Trump on Monday announced that the US is reinstating its blockade of Iranian maritime traffic and would impose a toll of 20% on all cargo being shipped through the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military has resumed strikes on Iran, including on the port city of Bandar Abbas and on the Qeshm and Kish islands. In response, Iran has struck two UAE tankers, the Mombasa and Al Bahiyah. Rising tensions in the Middle East could boost a safe-haven currency such as the Greenback and create a headwind for the major pair in the near term.
The US CPI inflation report will be published on Tuesday, which could offer some hints about the US Federal Reserve’s (Fed) next move. A softer inflation outcome would delay the case for the US interest rate hikes and undermine the US Dollar (USD) against the Euro (EUR).
Euro FAQs
The Euro is the currency for the 20 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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