|

Forex Today: Dollar bounces amid vaccine, stimulus concerns ahead of Nonfarm Payrolls

Here is what you need to know on Friday, December 4:

Markets are mixed and the dollar is off Thursday's lows as traders await the all-important Nonfarm Payrolls report. Brexit acrimony is weighing on the pound. Oil and the loonie are rising following an OPEC+ deal and ahead of Canada's jobs report.

The dollar has stabilized after suffering a downfall on Thursday. One of the reasons for the dollar's comeback and the cooling in markets has been a drop in chances for a stimulus package. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he still prefers a small relief deal rather than the large, near $1 trillion one. 

The US Nonfarm Payrolls report for November is set to show an increase of 469,000 jobs, down from 638,000 in October. The Unemployment Rate is set to decline from 6.9% to 6.8%. Investors want to see if the recovery is still on track or if the second wave of the virus has hurt job growth.

See:

US daily COVID-19 infections hit a new high above 210,000, hospitalizations remain above 100,00, and mortalities are nearing the spring peak. In the old continent, Italy extended its nationwide restrictions through January. 

Vaccine 1: Dr. Anthony Facui, America's lead epidemiologist, cast doubts about the UK's fast approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech jabs, but then backtracked his words. 

Vaccine 2: Pfizer announced that is unable to meet its goal of supplying 100 million doses of its COVID-19 immunization but rather 50 million, due to supply chain issues. The pharmaceutical company still intends to provide a billion doses in 2021. 

Brexit: UK officials said that the prospects of a deal have receded after the EU toughened its positioned in response to fresh demands from France. After intense talks in London, Chief EU Negotiator Michel Barnier will return to Brussels for quick consultations. GBP/USD is off the highs near 1.35 but has retreated. 

WTI Crude Oil has jumped above $46 after OPEC+ members agreed to extend production cuts into 2021 following long days of talks. Gold is holding onto gains and changes hands at around $1,840.

Similar to the US, Canada is also projected to report fewer jobs gained in November. The jobless rate is set to remain at 8.9%.

See Canadian Jobs Preview: Why expectations may be too high and the loonie could suffer

Cryptocurrencies have stabilized on high ground, with Bitcoin holding around $19,300. 

More Dollar downfall explained and what's next for markets

Author

Yohay Elam

Yohay Elam

FXStreet

Yohay is in Forex since 2008 when he founded Forex Crunch, a blog crafted in his free time that turned into a fully-fledged currency website later sold to Finixio.

More from Yohay Elam
Share:

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD stays weak near 1.1650 ahead of critical US events

EUR/USD stays in the red near 1.1650 in the European trading hours on Friday. The pair remains undermined by broad US Dollar strength and a cautious market mood. Traders keenly await the US Nonfarm Payrolls data and Supreme Court's ruling on Trump's tariff powers for further direction. 

GBP/USD holds lower ground below 1.3450, with eyes on US data

GBP/USD remains subdued for the fourth consecutive day, while trading below 1.3450 in the European session on Friday. Markets remain in a wait-and-see mode before the key US event risks and prefer to hold the US Dollar, which weighs negatively on the pair. The US monthly jobs data and the Supreme Court decision on tariffs are awaited. 

Gold flat lines around $4,475; looks to US NFP report for fresh impetus

Gold reverses a modest intraday dip to the $4,453 area, and trades near the top end of its daily range heading into the European session. The upside, however, seems limited as traders might opt to wait for the US Nonfarm Payrolls report later today. The crucial employment details will be looked upon for more cues about the Federal Reserve's rate-cut path.

Nonfarm Payrolls expected to show US labor market remained weak in December

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the Nonfarm Payrolls data for December on Friday at 13:30 GMT. Economists expect Nonfarm Payrolls to rise by 60,000 in December following the 64,000 increase recorded in November.

2026 economic outlook: Clear skies but don’t unfasten your seatbelts yet

Most years fade into the background as soon as a new one starts. Not 2025: a year of epochal shifts, in which the macroeconomy was the dog that did not bark. What to expect in 2026? The shocks of 2025 will not be undone, but neither will they be repeated.

Pepe Price Forecast: PEPE risks 100-day EMA fallout as bullish interest fades

Pepe is under extreme selling pressure, trading in the red for the fifth consecutive day, down 1% at press time on Friday. Pepe’s decline following a 72% hike last week suggests a likely profit-booking phase, while on-chain data indicates declining network activity.