|

DXY: Overvalued USD consolidates – Scotiabank

After a solid start to the year yesterday, broad dollar gains have been checked back somewhat, leaving the Dollar Index (DXY) in consolidation mode into the weekend, Scotiabank’s Chief FX Strategist Shaun Osborne notes.

Strong USD advance leaves valuation looking stretched

“Some restraint in the dollar’s overall advance would not be too surprising, despite its robust performance in the past couple of weeks. Fundamentals are favourable and seasonal trends suggest that strength is likely to persist through Q1. But the gains in the DXY are looking stretched relative to our fair value estimate based on rate differentials alone.”

“There is a Trump premium being built into the USD on the assumption that the presidentelect’s policies will be pro-growth, perhaps somewhat inflationary and therefore supportive of the USD.”

“But the DXY is trading close to two standard deviations above its spread-based equilibrium estimate now and sustaining that sort of performance may prove difficult without drivers warranting such a performance. Moreover, gains are prone to a reversal if market assumptions about Trump policies are challenged—in terms of scale, scope or timing, for example.”

Author

FXStreet Insights Team

The FXStreet Insights Team is a group of journalists that handpicks selected market observations published by renowned experts. The content includes notes by commercial as well as additional insights by internal and external analysts.

More from FXStreet Insights Team
Share:

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD deflates to fresh lows, targets 1.1600

The selling pressure on EUR/USD now gathers extra pace, prompting the pair to hit fresh multi-week lows in the 1.1625-1.1620 band on Friday. The continuation of the downward bias comes in response to further gains in the US Dollar as market participants continue to assess the mixed release of US Nonfarm Payrolls in December.

GBP/USD breaks below 1.3400, challenges the 200-day SMA

GBP/USD remains under heavy fire and retreats for the fourth consecutive day on Friday. Indeed, Cable suffers the strong performance of the Greenback, intensified post-mixed NFP, and trades at shouting distance from its critical 200-day SMA near 1.3380.

Gold flirts with yearly tops around $4,500

Gold keeps its positive bias on Friday, adding to Thursday’s advance and challenging yearly highs in the $4,500 region per troy ounce. The risk-off sentiment favours the yellow metal despite the firmer tone in the Greenback and rising US Treasury yields.

Crypto Today: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP risk further decline as market fear persists amid slowing demand

Bitcoin holds $90,000 but stays below the 50-day EMA as institutional demand wanes. Ethereum steadies above $3,000 but remains structurally weak due to ETF outflows. XRP ETFs resume inflows, but the price struggles to gain ground above key support.

Week ahead – US CPI might challenge the geopolitics-boosted Dollar

Geopolitics may try to steal the limelight from US data. A possible US Supreme Court ruling on tariffs could dictate market movements. A crammed data calendar next week, US CPI comes on Tuesday; Fedspeak to intensify.

XRP trades under pressure amid weak retail demand

XRP presses down on the 50-day EMA support as risk-averse sentiment spreads despite a positive start to 2026. XRP faces declining retail demand, as reflected in futures Open Interest, which has fallen to $4.15 billion.