Forex Today: US Dollar weakens, stocks rise on Iran peace hopes
Here is what you need to know for Wednesday, April 1:
The US Dollar Index (DXY) fell to near the 100.00 region on Tuesday, holding a weak tone as the US Dollar (USD) lost its safe-haven demand amid growing hopes of a de-escalation of the war in the Middle East. The Wall Street Journal reported that US President Donald Trump told aides he is willing to end the war against Iran even if the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed. Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country had the "necessary will" to end the war, but is seeking guarantees that the conflict would not be repeated.
Tensions, however, remain high as Iran's state media reported that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) plans to target United States companies in the region as retaliation for attacks on Iran. Among the 18 companies warned by the IRGC are Microsoft, Apple, Google, Intel, and Boeing. Despite this, stock markets rose sharply on Tuesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite posting solid gains.
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 Swiss Franc.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | -0.65% | -0.36% | -0.54% | 0.06% | -0.58% | -0.29% | 0.08% | |
| EUR | 0.65% | 0.31% | 0.15% | 0.76% | 0.11% | 0.39% | 0.77% | |
| GBP | 0.36% | -0.31% | -0.15% | 0.46% | -0.19% | 0.09% | 0.47% | |
| JPY | 0.54% | -0.15% | 0.15% | 0.59% | -0.06% | 0.27% | 0.63% | |
| CAD | -0.06% | -0.76% | -0.46% | -0.59% | -0.64% | -0.33% | 0.02% | |
| AUD | 0.58% | -0.11% | 0.19% | 0.06% | 0.64% | 0.29% | 0.68% | |
| NZD | 0.29% | -0.39% | -0.09% | -0.27% | 0.33% | -0.29% | 0.37% | |
| CHF | -0.08% | -0.77% | -0.47% | -0.63% | -0.02% | -0.68% | -0.37% |
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 surged towards the 1.1540 area, benefiting from the softer USD as investors rotated out of the Greenback despite ongoing Eurozone growth concerns.
GBP/USD rebounded modestly from multi-month lows near 1.3240, but struggled to extend gains ascautious UK sentiment offset a softer US Dollar.
USD/JPY edged lower towards 158.90, with the Japanese Yen (JPY) gaining modest support from intervention threats and hawkish signals from policymakers.
AUD/USD gained some ground near the 0.6900 region after five consecutive sessions of losses. On the Aussie side, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) minutes showed policymakers remain concerned about persistent inflation and emphasized that risks are still tilted to the upside, reinforcing a cautious but relatively hawkish stance.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Oil edged lower below $100.00 per barrel after Iran signaled potential attacks on US-linked infrastructure in the region.
Gold skyrocketed to near $4,670, supported by strong safe-haven demand as investors hedged against the growing risk of a broader regional conflict.
What’s next in the docket:
Wednesday, April 1
- Switzerland February Retail Sales
- Eurozone March Manufacturing PMI
- Eurozone February Unemployment Rate
- United States March ADP Employment Change
- United States February Retail Sales
- Canada March Manufacturing PMI
- United States March ISM Manufacturing PMI
- Australia February Trade Balance
Thursday, April 2
- Switzerland March CPI
- Eurozone Economic Bulletin
- United States March Challenger Job Cuts
- United States Initial Jobless Claims
- China March Services PMI
Friday, April 3
- United States March Average Hourly Earnings
- United States March Nonfarm Payrolls
- United States March Unemployment Rate
- United States March Labor Market Data
- United States March S&P Global Composite 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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