|

EUR/USD: A ''choppy'' trading after 50 points rates cut by Fed – What's next?

The single European currency remains steady  near  1,1150  level in the early trading hours of Thursday very near  at the levels it was at yesterday morning as if no time have passed despite the stormy events in the wake of Fed's meeting and the decision to cut by 50 basis points the key interest rates.

Finally Fed brought to the table what was a big surprise a few weeks earlier and decided to cut interest rates by 50 basis points on the grounds that inflation is moving downwards and approaching the target of 2% set by the Central Bank while at the same time it is necessary to defend US labor sector  where it has shown strong signs of cooling.

Although the 50 basis points did not confirm my thinking as my estimate was at 25 points the overall picture of the market did not disappoint me and the strategy  for positions  in favor of the US currency near 1,12 turned out to be a good idea.

Indeed choppy  trading behavior was the key feature in the aftermath of yesterday's Fed meeting, with intense volatility with a temporary peak near  1,12 level and a very quick pullback below 1.11.

Τhe difficulty of the European currency to take advantage of such stormy news which was clearly very negative for the US dollar confirms the  thinking that the strong upward momentum of the European currency is a significant challenge and to conquer levels well above last year's highs of 1.1270 will not be an easy task.

At the same time, the European economy continues to have problems while the interest rate reduction cycle has not been closed by both central banks, which will continue to monopolize investors  interest and affect the course of the exchange rate.

In my view a  1,08 -  1,14  trading  range  by the end of the year is a scenario with good chances.

Today's agenda is considerably calmer without any high-profile news with the weekly US jobless claims as  every Thursday garnering attention.

Although I had in mind to buy the US currency at some peak in the aftermath of Fed's meeting ,  I ultimately failed to achieve the correct entry point and consequently i  remain currently on hold. 

Author

Vasilis Tsaprounis

Vasilis Tsaprounis

Independent Analyst

Vassilis Tsaprounis possesses over 25 years of professional experience in Capital Markets and especially in the foreign exchange market.

More from Vasilis Tsaprounis
Share:

Editor's Picks

AUD/USD renews two-month lows near 0.6950 after Australian CPI data

AUD/USD is renewing two-month lows near 0.6950 in the Asian session on Wednesday, as below-expectations August Australian underlying CPI data pours cold water on expectations for further RBA interest rate hikes. Chinese PMI data also fail to inspire the Australian Dollar, despite a pause in the US Dollar advance.

USD/JPY trades below 157.50 as Japan's weak data and bullish USD lend support

USD/JPY extends its consolidative price move during the Asian session on Wednesday, trading below mid-157.00s. Hawkish BoJ expectations, along with intervention risks, underpin the Japanese Yen, though dismal domestic data cap gains. Meanwhile, rising Fed rate hike bets and oil-driven inflation fears push US bond yields to fresh multi-year highs. Moreover, the US-Iran standoff supports a bullish US Dollar and acts as a tailwind for the currency pair.

Gold consolidates below $4,200 as bullish USD and Fed hike bets offset softer bond yields

Gold struggles to capitalize on the previous day's recovery from an eight-week low, consolidating below $4,200 during the Asian session on Wednesday. The overnight slide in oil prices eased the US Treasury bond rout, supporting the bullion. However, Fed rate-hike bets and inflationary concerns keep bond yields near multi-year highs. Moreover, geopolitical uncertainties underpin the safe-haven US Dollar, which, in turn, caps the commodity.

Ethereum sees profit-taking near $2,700 ahead of key US economic data
Ethereum (ETH) has shown signs of profit-taking near $2,700 over the past few days, with rising exchange deposits and a slowdown in exchange-traded fund (ETF) inflows ahead of US inflation and labor market data releases. The top altcoin's Exchange Reserves, which track the total amount of a crypto asset held across exchange wallets, have increased by roughly 125K ETH since Friday.
Silver is more volatile than Gold ahead of PCE and NFP. This chart shows the positioning gap
The market’s attention is focused on American data this week, but there’s something only those with a trained eye may be looking at: Gold and Silver positioning gap. Financial markets are moving on fears, mostly related to persistently high energy prices driven by the Middle East war. Sure, the US Dollar (USD) is strong, but at what cost?
Silver is more volatile than Gold ahead of PCE and NFP. This chart shows the positioning gap
The market’s attention is focused on American data this week, but there’s something only those with a trained eye may be looking at: Gold and Silver positioning gap. Financial markets are moving on fears, mostly related to persistently high energy prices driven by the Middle East war. Sure, the US Dollar (USD) is strong, but at what cost?