EUR/USD consolidates the slide near 1.1250, US retail sales eyed

The bears appear to have taken a breather last hour, allowing a brief consolidative mode in the EUR/USD pair near the midpoint of the 1.12 handle, as they await the US macro releases for the next push lower.

The spot stalled its sell-off but remains within a striking distance of fresh weekly lows reached at 1.1244 after the much-awaited German and Eurozone manufacturing PMI numbers disappointed markets and re-ignited Euro area growth concerns that intensify global economic slowdown fears.

On the data release, the Euro eroded as much as 50-pips against its American counterpart and finally broke its range trade around the 1.13 handle witnessed so far this week. From a technical perspective, the major remained exposed to downside risks given the repeated failure to close above the 1.13 handle and the double top formed at the 1.1325 key resistance.

As explained by Haresh Menghani, FXStreet’s Analyst, “oscillators have been gaining negative traction on 4-hourly/daily charts but are already pointing to slightly oversold conditions on the 1-hourly charts, warranting some consolidation. However, the set-up now seems to have turned firmly in favor of bearish traders and hence, a follow-through weakness, towards testing the 1.1200 mark, remains a distinct possibility.”

Looking ahead, all eyes remain on the US data flow, including the key retail sales, Philly Fed manufacturing gauge and jobless claims, for further trading momentum, as the US dollar remains in weekly tops vs. its major peers amid souring risk appetite.

EUR/USD Technical Levels