EUR/USD keeps rolling after ECB rate cut

The euro has posted strong gains on Friday after taking a pause a day earlier.  EUR/USD is trading at 1.0858 in the European session, up 0.69% on the day.  It’s been a remarkable week for the euro, which has soared 4.7% against the US dollar.

ECB cuts but Lagarde warns of uncertainty

The ECB lowered rates by 25 basis points on Thursday in a widely-expected decision.  This brings the deposit rate to 2.5%, its lowest level since Dec. 2022.  The central bank has been aggressive in its easing cycle, slashing rates by 185 basis points in just nine months.

The rate reduction was no surprise and is being described as the “last easy cut”.  Inflation is running at a 2.4% clip, above the ECB’s 2% target but low enough to deliver rate hikes in order to boost the flagging economy. What’s next for the ECB is a tricky question, especially with economic and political developments moving at a dizzying pace.

First, the new Trump administration hasn’t wasted any time in imposing (and in some cases, suspending) tariffs, which has chilled investor sentiment and sent equity markets tumbling. The US hasn’t applied tariffs to the European Union although it has threatened to do so.  The EU would surely retaliate and a trade war between the two giant economies will damage growth and raise inflation in the eurozone.

Second, Trump is showing growing impatience with Ukraine and has suspended military aid. Germany has responded by easing its fiscal spending rules and has proposed a massive spending scheme for defense and infrastructure. This has sent German bond yields and the euro soaring.

ECB President Lagarde said after the ECB meeting that the situation was changing “dramatically” by the day and the ECB would need to be “extremely vigilant” and “agile”. She reiterated that future rate decisions would be based on the data.

The US wraps up the week with the February employment report. Nonfarm payrolls sank to 143 thousand in January from 256 thousand a month earlier.  The market estimate for February stands at 160 thousand. A surprise in either direction from nonfarm payrolls would likely have a significant impact on the direction of the US dollar.

EUR/USD technical

• EUR/USD has pushed above resistance at 1.0801 and 1.0837 and is putting pressure on resistance at 1.0889.  Above, there is resistance at 1.0925.

• 1.0749 and 1.0713 are the next support lines.