EUR/USD gains ground above 1.0650 ahead of Eurozone PMI data

The EUR/USD pair trades on a stronger note around 1.0665 during the early Asian session on Monday. However, the pair’s upside might be limited due to the commentary from Federal Reserve (Fed) officials suggesting a shift to an increasingly hawkish stance. Investors will keep an eye on the preliminary Eurozone HCOB PMI for April on Tuesday ahead of the final reading of the US March Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (PCE) on Friday. 

The European Central Bank (ECB) is expected to hold rates steady in its June meeting. The ECB delivered a firm message that markets should expect an interest rate cut soon if we don’t have a major shock in development. Meanwhile, François Villeroy de Galhau, governor of the Bank of France, stated the ECB should cut in June so that higher rates do not cause too much damage to the euro area economy. Joachim Nagel, president of Germany’s Bundesbank, commented that the “probability of June rate cut is increasing, adding that there were caveats, including the risk of higher oil prices.

However, ECB Governing Council member Madis Muller said that the central bank mustn’t rush into further interest rate cuts after a likely first step in June. Additionally, ECB policymaker Robert Holzmann, one of the most hawkish members, flagged geopolitical tensions as the biggest threat to interest rate cuts this year. The lower bets on rate cut expectations provide some support to the Euro (EUR) and 

On the other hand, the hawkish remarks from the Federal Reserve (Fed) officials and the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East could lift the Greenback against its rivals. Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee said on Friday that inflation progress had “stalled” and the Fed’s current restrictive policy is appropriate. While Atlanta Fed Raphael Bostic stated that the US central bank wouldn’t cut rates until the end of the year.