EUR/USD stays below 1.0550 as traders exercise caution ahead of the US CPI

EUR/USD receives downward pressure due to market caution ahead of the US inflation report.
US headline and core inflation are estimated to rise to 2.7% and 3.3%, respectively, YoY in November.
The Euro faces challenges as the ECB is widely expected to implement a 25 basis point rate cut on Thursday.

Akhtar Faruqui FXStreet

EUR/USD remains subdued for the fourth consecutive day, trading around 1.0530 during the Asian session on Wednesday. However, the pair faced challenges as the US Dollar (USD) gained support from market caution, which could be attributed to the upcoming US Consumer Price Index (CPI) data release due on Wednesday.

The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the value of the US Dollar (USD) against its six major peers, appreciates as the US Treasury yields continue to rise amid market caution ahead of the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) policy decision. The DXY maintains its position around 106.40 with 2-year and 10-year yields on US Treasury coupons standing at 4.16% and 4.23%, respectively, at the time of writing.

The US CPI inflation is estimated to rise to 2.7% YoY in November from 2.6% in October. Meanwhile, the core CPI, excluding Food & Energy, is expected to increase 3.3% YoY. Any indications of stalled progress could significantly diminish the likelihood of a Federal Reserve’s (Fed) rate cut. However, markets are now pricing in nearly an 85.8% chance of Fed rate reductions by 25 basis points, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.

In the Eurozone, traders await the European Central Bank's (ECB) policy decision, scheduled for release on Thursday. The central bank is widely expected to implement a 25 basis point cut, lowering the Main Refinancing Operations Rate from 3.4% to 3.15% and the Deposit Facility Rate from 3.25% to 3.0%.

ECB FAQs

What is the ECB and how does it influence the Euro?

The European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt, Germany, is the reserve bank for the Eurozone. The ECB sets interest rates and manages monetary policy for the region. The ECB primary mandate is to maintain price stability, which means keeping inflation at around 2%. Its primary tool for achieving this is by raising or lowering interest rates. Relatively high interest rates will usually result in a stronger Euro and vice versa. The ECB Governing Council makes monetary policy decisions at meetings held eight times a year. Decisions are made by heads of the Eurozone national banks and six permanent members, including the President of the ECB, Christine Lagarde.

What is Quantitative Easing (QE) and how does it affect the Euro?

In extreme situations, the European Central Bank can enact a policy tool called Quantitative Easing. QE is the process by which the ECB prints Euros and uses them to buy assets – usually government or corporate bonds – from banks and other financial institutions. QE usually results in a weaker Euro. QE is a last resort when simply lowering interest rates is unlikely to achieve the objective of price stability. The ECB used it during the Great Financial Crisis in 2009-11, in 2015 when inflation remained stubbornly low, as well as during the covid pandemic.

What is Quantitative tightening (QT) and how does it affect the Euro?

Quantitative tightening (QT) is the reverse of QE. It is undertaken after QE when an economic recovery is underway and inflation starts rising. Whilst in QE the European Central Bank (ECB) purchases government and corporate bonds from financial institutions to provide them with liquidity, in QT the ECB stops buying more bonds, and stops reinvesting the principal maturing on the bonds it already holds. It is usually positive (or bullish) for the Euro.

Author

Akhtar Faruqui

FXStreet

Akhtar Faruqui is a Forex Analyst based in New Delhi, India. With a keen eye for market trends and a passion for dissecting complex financial dynamics, he is dedicated to delivering accurate and insightful Forex news and analysis.

GBP/USD appears well offered near 1.3160

GBP/USD builds on Tuesday’s losses, although it now manages to pick up some pace and bounce off earlier multi-month troughs near 1.3140. The Greenback’s solid performance and continued political turmoil in the UK are keeping Cable under persistent pressure, with little sign of a meaningful recovery.

EUR/USD rebounds from lows, back to 1.1360

After bottoming out near 1.1320, EUR/USD gathers some traction and reclaims the 1.1350-1.1360 band as the NA session draws to a close on Wednesday. The pair’s drop to multi-month lows comes in response to the continuous leg higher in the US Dollar, which remains propped up by hawkish Fed expectations and uncertainty over the outcome of US-Iran peace negotiations.

Gold pressured near fresh 2026 lows

Gold accelerates its decline and gyrates around the key $4,000 mark per troy ounce on Wednesday, its lowest level since November 2025. In the meantime, tighter-for-longer Fed expectations and a broadly firmer US Dollar continue to weigh on the yellow metal, while uncertainty surrounding a potential US-Iran peace agreement has done little to revive demand for the safe haven space.

XRP nears key support as Fed hike risks suppress demand

Ripple (XRP) continues to face significant selling pressure, trading around $1.05 at the time of writing on Wednesday. This decline mirrors the broader weakness in the crypto market, exacerbated by mounting macroeconomic headwinds and persistent geopolitical uncertainties.

US-Iran talks: The next 60 days will decide where Oil prices go next

Oil markets received some encouraging news after weeks of rising tensions in the Middle East. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves: we’re far from victory, and markets just seem to have priced out the worst-case scenario. The US and Iran have reportedly made "substantive progress" in talks in Switzerland and agreed on a framework for working toward a broader deal within 60 days.

Regime change: Inside Kevin Warsh's first move to make the Fed unreadable on purpose

The rate did not move. That was the least interesting thing about Kevin Warsh's first meeting in charge of the Fed. The FOMC held its benchmark at 3.50%-3.75% for the fourth straight meeting, exactly as priced, and then the new chair used his first press conference to dismantle the machinery the market has leaned on for a decade.