EUR/USD trudges lower ahead of ECB rate call

EUR/USD clattered into the 1.0500 handle on Wednesday.
Despite a tepid uptick in US CPI inflation, the Greenback is trading steady.
Euro markets are pulling back slightly ahead of the ECB’s latest rate cut.

Joshua Gibson FXStreet

EUR/USD fell for a fourth straight day on Wednesday, shedding one quarter of one percent and easing into the 1.0500 handle as the European Central Bank’s (ECB) latest rate call hangs over Fiber traders. US Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation figures printed tidily at median market forecasts, keeping broader Greenback flows on-balance as investors brace for Thursday’s US Producer Price Index (PPI) print.

The ECB’s latest rate call is set for Thursday, and the rate meeting is widely expected to deliver another quarter-point cut to investors. The ECB’s Main Refinancing Operations Rate is forecast to get trimmed to 3.15% from 3.4%, while the ECB Rate on Deposit Facility is anticipated to decline to a flat 3.0% from 3.25%.

US CPI inflation rose slightly for the year ended in November with headline CPI inflation ticking up to 2.7% YoY from 2.6%, while core CPI inflation held steady at 3.3% YoY. Monthly headline CPI inflation also rose in November, climbing to 0.3% MoM from October’s 0.2%. Despite the overall upswing in main inflation figures, Wednesday’s CPI print was broadly in line with forecasts, keeping investor sentiment tepid.

According to the CME’s FedWatch Tool, rate traders are now pricing in 95% odds of a 25 bps rate cut when the Fed convenes for its last rate call on December 18. Despite the near-term uptick in CPI inflation, investors have decided that the wiggle in reported figures isn’t enough to push the Fed away from delivering one last quarter-point cut to wrap up 2024.

US PPI inflation drops on Thursday, and markets are expecting a similar showing to this week’s CPI print: producer-level inflation is expected to tick higher on the front end of the curve, but expected to remain to close to recent levels overall. Core PPI is forecast to rise to 3.2% YoY, up slightly from the previous period’s 3.1%.

EUR/USD price forecast

Fiber turned into the low side for a fourth straight trading day, declining another 0.25% and wrapping up the day close to the 1.0500 handle. EUR/USD has seen a near-term bullish recovery entirely fizzle out, and the pair is extending downside momentum after flubbing a bullish recapture of the 1.0600 handle.

EUR/USD daily chart

Euro FAQs

What is the Euro?

The Euro is the currency for the 20 European Union countries that belong to the Eurozone. It is the second most heavily traded currency in the world behind the US Dollar. In 2022, it accounted for 31% of all foreign exchange transactions, with an average daily turnover of over $2.2 trillion a day, according to data from the Bank of International Settlements. EUR/USD is the most heavily traded currency pair in the world, accounting for an estimated 30% of all transactions, followed by EUR/JPY (4%), EUR/GBP (3%) and EUR/AUD (2%).

Author

Joshua Gibson

FXStreet

Joshua joins the FXStreet team as an Economics and Finance double major from Vancouver Island University with twelve years' experience as an independent trader focusing on technical analysis.

AUD/USD consolidates above 0.7200 after hot Chinese CPI data

AUD/USD is extending its consolidative price action above 0.7200 during the Asian session on Wednesday, uninspired by hot Chinese CPI and PPI data. Meanwhile, rising RBA rate-hike bets act as a tailwind for the Aussie amid Yen-inspired US Dollar weakness. Traders await the release of US inflation figures later in the week for fresh impetus.

USD/JPY stays weak near 153.50 amid aggressive BoJ hike bets

USD/JPY attracts fresh sellers in the Asian session on Wednesday as the strong Reuters Tankan business survey adds to the case for continued BoJ policy normalisation and boosts the Japanese Yen. This, along with a broadly weaker US Dollar, keeps the pair close to a nearly seven-month low set on Tuesday.

Gold rebounds from $4,350; will it last?

Gold is rebounding from a one-week low near $4,350 in the Asian session on Wednesday. The US Dollar, however, struggles to lure buyers amid a rallying Yen, supporting the commodity as traders await the key US inflation data for a fresh impetus. However, the rebound could be short-lived amid expectations of a Fed rate hike this month.

Bitcoin takes a breather, Ethereum and XRP maintain bullish footing

Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and Ripple (XRP) are trading with a broadly constructive tone on Wednesday despite BTC's mild pullback over the past two days. The Crypto King holds above $78,000; ETH and XRP remain strong above key Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs), keeping their upside prospects intact.

Gold and stocks: What eight midterm elections did

I went back through every midterm election since 1994 and asked one question of each: when did the stock market make its low for the year, before the vote or after it? In seven of the eight cycles, the low came before the election. In six of the eight, it came between mid-June and mid-October, which is to say in the exact window that the "they won't let it fall" argument says is protected.

Diesel’s record $100 warning: The oil shock hiding in plain sight

The Oil market may look calmer than it did a few months ago, but diesel is sending a very different message. The US diesel crack spread, the premium of ultra-low sulphur diesel futures over WTI, recently surged above $100 per barrel for the first time, reaching an intraday record of just over $102.00.