|

US Dollar forecast: DXY is holding – But not truly strong

  • US Dollar Index (DXY) is no longer strong, but it is temporarily holding after a sharp repricing from range highs.
  • What looks like strength is largely defensive and relative, driven by positioning, yield differentials, and lack of alternatives—not fresh bullish conviction.
  • Technical Forecast: DXY remains structurally fragile below 99.80–100.00, with rallies still corrective unless price acceptance shifts decisively higher.

The USD is holding, not leading

The recent behavior of the US dollar requires a more precise distinction:

The USD is not strong – It is simply not collapsing

Following the rejection from the 99.80–100.36 zone, the DXY entered a clear distribution-to-repricing phase. The subsequent bounce from 98.03 initially gave the impression of renewed strength, but structurally, the move lacks the characteristics of a true bullish reversal.

There has been:

  • No impulsive reclaim of prior highs.
  • No acceptance above equilibrium.
  • No expansion in upside momentum.

Instead, price action suggests temporary stabilization, driven by short covering and defensive positioning rather than genuine demand.

Is the US Dollar strong or weak right now?

The correct answer: Neither – It is transitional

The USD currently sits in a holding phase, not a trending one.

Why it’s not truly strong

  • Rallies fail to follow through beyond resistance
  • Breaks higher have repeatedly resulted in fake-outs
  • Yield support has stabilized, not expanded
  • Macro data has stopped generating bullish repricing

True strength requires initiative buying. What we are seeing instead is reactionary defense.

Why it’s not weak either

  • Selling pressure has slowed near key demand
  • The breakdown below 98.03 failed to extend
  • Liquidity-driven bounces remain orderly
  • No disorderly unwind in USD positioning has occurred

This puts the dollar in a compression regime, not a trend.

What’s actually supporting the Dollar right now (temporarily)

1. Relative weakness elsewhere

The USD looks “strong” largely because:

  • The euro lacks growth momentum.
  • The yen remains constrained by yield gaps.
  • Commodity currencies are capped by global demand concerns.

This is relative support, not absolute strength.

2. Yield stability, not expansion

US yields have stopped falling aggressively—but they are not breaking higher either. This keeps the USD supported, but not bid.

Think of this as a floor, not a launchpad.

3. Defensive, not offensive positioning

Institutions are:

  • Reducing exposure volatility.
  • Protecting portfolios.
  • Avoiding aggressive directional bets.

That favors the USD as a hedge, not as a trend vehicle.

High-impact USD news context (last seven days)

Recent red-folder US releases (GDP Final, Core PCE, FOMC commentary, Jobless Claims) all shared one common theme:

Nothing was weak enough to break the dollar — but nothing was strong enough to lift it.

This reinforced the market’s current stance: wait, rebalance, reassess.

Technical outlook: Holding vs. reclaiming

Key levels

  • Range High: 100.360.
  • Key High: 99.816.
  • 4H FVG Resistance: 98.821 – 99.011.
  • Key Low: 98.030.

The rebound from 98.03 resembles a bear trap structurally, but without follow-through, it remains a reaction, not a reversal.

Bullish scenario: Strength must be proven

For the USD to transition from holding to strong, DXY must:

  • Hold above 98.82–99.01.
  • Reclaim 99.80.
  • Show acceptance above prior distribution highs.

Only then does the narrative shift from stabilization to strength.

Bullish targets:

  • 99.80
  • 100.36

Until this happens, upside moves remain suspect.

Bearish scenario: Holding fails, repricing continues

If current support gives way:

  • Failure inside the 4H FVG
  • Rejection near 99.00–99.20
  • Momentum rolls over below short-term structure

Bearish targets:

  • 98.30
  • 98.03
  • Potential deeper repricing if risk appetite improves

This keeps the market firmly in a sell-the-rally environment.

Final takeaway: Precision matters

Calling the US dollar “strong” right now is misleading.

A more accurate framing is this:

The USD is being defended, not accumulated.

  • Strength requires initiative — which is absent.
  • Weakness requires surrender — which hasn’t happened

Until the market commits beyond 99.80 or below 98.03, the US dollar remains neutral, compressed, and conditional.

Author

Jasper Osita

Jasper Osita

ACY Securities

Jasper has been in the markets since 2019 trading currencies, indices and commodities like Gold. His approach in the market is heavily accompanied by technical analysis, trading Smart Money Concepts (SMC) with fundamentals in mind.

More from Jasper Osita
Share:

Markets move fast. We move first.

Orange Juice Newsletter brings you expert driven insights - not headlines. Every day on your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to our Terms and conditions.

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD stays bid above 1.1700 as risk flows dominate

EUR/USD posts small gains above 1.1700 in early European trading hours on Monday. The US Dollar remains broadly subdued amid a risk-on market profile, underpinning the pair. 

GBP/USD clings to recovery gains near 1.3400

GBP/USD is clinging to recovery gains near 1.3400 in early Europe on Monday. The pair capitalizes on an upbeat market mood and a steady US Dollar as traders digest the recent

 monetary policy decisions by the Fed and the BoE.

Gold hits fresh record highs above $4,400 amid renewed geopolitical woes

Gold is hitting fresh record highs above $4,400 early Monday, helped by renewed geopolitical tensions. Israel-Iran conflict and US-Venezuela headlines drive investors toward the traditional store of value, Gold. 

Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple eye breakout for fresh recovery

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple are approaching key technical levels at the time of writing on Monday as the broader crypto market stabilizes. Market participants are closely watching whether BTC, ETH, and XRP can sustain breakouts and achieve decisive daily closes above nearby resistance levels, which could signal the start of a short-term recovery.

Ten questions that matter going into 2026

2026 may be less about a neat “base case” and more about a regime shift—the market can reprice what matters most (growth, inflation, fiscal, geopolitics, concentration). The biggest trap is false comfort: the same trades can look defensive… right up until they become crowded.

Hyperliquid price forecast: Bullish interest builds amid user recovery

Hyperliquid (HYPE) trades at $25 at press time on Monday, holding the 3% gains from the previous day. The perpetual exchange sees a recovery in active users, while weekly fees collected decline to the lowest level so far this month.