|

EUR/USD Forecast: Ready to resume its rise? Euro showing resilience alongside uptrend support

  • EUR/USD has been edging lower amid coronavirus and geopolitical concerns. 
  • Uncertainty about EU fiscal stimulus and US COVID-19 statistics are eyed.
  • Wednesday's four-hour chart is showing uptrend support underpinning the pair.

Is the downside correction over? The common currency has been giving some ground as stocks retreated and the dollar clawed back some of its losses – but that seems limited. 

After the "weekend effect" pushed US COIVD-19 statistics lower in reports published on Monday, figures coming out of various US states painted a darker picture. Infections topped 10,000 in both California and Texas, with the latter struggling to manage its overwhelmed hospitals. While cases in Florida remained below 10K, the positive test rate is at a worrying 16%. 

Overall, the US has over three million confirmed cases and around 131,000 mortalities – and the death curve has stopped flattening.

Source: New York Times

President Donald Trump continues playing down the disease and wants schools to reopen in September. The US formally announced it will be leaving the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2021, cutting the multilateral institution from its largest funder. 

The White House is also mulling destabilizing the Hong Kong Dollar peg – which has been maintained since 1983. Several policymakers wish to punish China for tightening its grip on the city-state. However, breaking the peg is a considerable undertaking – around $5 trillion are parked in HK. Moreover, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has the backing of China's central bank if it needs support with swap lines. 

USD/HKD is trading at the lower bound of the peg – showing the strength of the local currency. Investors seem to shrug off the threats, but the president may feel urged to act ahead of the elections. Trump continues trailing rival Joe Biden by around nine points. 

See Hong Kong Dollar Peg: How vulnerable is it and if it breaks, how will it happen? Explained

The old continent continues keeping the lid on the virus, with outbreaks limited to small localities – for now. Investors are already eyeing next week's events. Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, has hinted that her institution has done enough and will leave its policy unchanged. The ECB boosted its bond-buying scheme by €600 billion in June. 

The focus shifts to the EU Summit – the first post-pandemic face-to-face encounter – with the proposed EU Fund topping the agenda. The "Frugal Four" – Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden – have reservations about the plan. The European Commission's program, backed by Germany and France, includes grants worth €500 billion, funded mutually. The four rich countries prefer loans. Investors expect a compromise, but further feet-dragging may weigh on the common currency.

Overall, coronavirus, geopolitics, and speculation about the next "EU fudge" are likely to dominate trading.

EUR/USD Technical Analysis

Euro/dollar is trading above the long-term support line running from late May, as well as alongside a steeper one that was formed in early July when it bottomed out at 1.1185. Moreover, momentum on the four-hour chart remains to the upside and EUR/USD is holding above the 50, 100, and 200 Simple Moving Averages. 

Resistance is at 1.13, which capped the currency pair last week. It is followed by the critical 1.1350 level – a double top. Further up, 1.1385 and 1.1410 await EUR/USD.

Support is at 1.1260, the daily low, followed by 1.1220, a support line from last week. The next lines are 1.1185 and 1.1165.

Author

Yohay Elam

Yohay Elam

FXStreet

Yohay is in Forex since 2008 when he founded Forex Crunch, a blog crafted in his free time that turned into a fully-fledged currency website later sold to Finixio.

More from Yohay Elam
Share:

Editor's Picks

AUD/USD sits at three-week highs above 0.7000 on hawkish RBA-speak

AUD/USD holds a positive bias for the fourth straight day, trading above 0.7000 in the Asian session on Wednesday and at three-week highs. RBA Deputy Governor Andrew Hauser's hawkish remarks and inflation concerns underpin the pair. However, the upside appears capped as the US Dollar attracts some buyers amid looming US-Iran uncertainty.

USD/JPY remains confined in a familiar range below 158.50

USD/JPY sees some dip-buying in the Asian session on Wednesday, though it remains confined within a multi-week range near 158.50 as the uncertainty over the timing of the next BoJ rate hike keeps Japanese Yen bulls on the defensive. Meanwhile, hawkish Fed expectations, bolstered by inflation risks stemming from volatile oil prices, underpin the US Dollar. However, looming intervention fears could limit JPY losses and cap the currency pair.

Gold advances modestly; targets $4,150

Gold prices manage to reverse three consecutive daily declines, trading just below the $4,150 mark per troy ounce on Wednesday. The precious metal’s recovery comes amid a slight drop in the US Dollar, mixed US Treasury yields across the board and a widespread cautious tone from the US-Iran front.

Bitcoin eyes a break above $85,000 as institutional demand returns

Bitcoin edges higher above $83,000, extending its rebound from the 50-day EMA near $80,786. US-listed BTC spot ETFs recorded over $23 million in net inflows on Tuesday, following Monday's $526 million, signaling a return of institutional demand.

What November 3 means for the Fed's rate path and the US Dollar

The USD faces a decisive period ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. While markets anticipate another interest rate increase from the Fed in December, the battle for control of Congress could reshape fiscal policy expectations and, indirectly, the path of US monetary policy in 2027.

The US Dollar fell. Gold didn't rally. That tells you everything
Gold (XAU/USD) is struggling to capitalize on a weaker US Dollar (USD), after repeatedly failing to establish itself above the $4,200 level. The precious metal remains confined to a relatively narrow trading range despite a combination of developments that would normally support higher prices.