What you need to know on Thursday, August 12:
The American dollar advanced throughout the first half of the day but ended the day in the red against most major rivals. The greenback changed course after the release of US inflation data, as the annual figure was confirmed at 5.4%, although the core number was downwardly revised to 4.3%, the first sign of inflation may be peaking.
Meanwhile, Fed officials continued to cool down tapering expectations. Kansas City Federal Reserve President Esther George said that the time has come to dial back the settings on the monetary policy, although she added that tapering does not imply any following policy rate adjustment. Even further, she also noted that the road ahead to policy normalization “is likely to be a long and bumpy.”
Wall Street got a boost from US inflation headlines, with the DJIA and the S&P 500 reaching fresh record highs. The Nasdaq Composite was unable to follow the lead and closed again in the red.
The EUR/USD pair recovered from a fresh low at 1.1705, but the recovery stalled around 1.1750, maintaining the tepid tone. GBP/USD posted a similar behaviour, approaching the 1.3900 level before retreating. The USD/JPY pair settled around 110.40, correcting but still poised to advance.
Commodity-linked currencies also advanced within familiar levels. Gold prices posted a nice comeback amid receding dollar’s demand. The bright metal settled at $1,751.30 a troy ounce. Crude oil prices shrugged off a discouraging EU stockpiles report, as the EIA Oil Stocks Change printed at -0.447 million, worse than expected.
US Treasury yields soared ahead of US inflation figures, but pulled back afterwards, ending the day marginally lower.
Like this article? Help us with some feedback by answering this survey:
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended content
Editors’ Picks
AUD/USD stands firm above 0.6500 with markets bracing for Aussie PPI, US inflation
The Aussie Dollar begins Friday’s Asian session on the right foot against the Greenback after posting gains of 0.33% on Thursday. The AUD/USD advance was sponsored by a United States report showing the economy is growing below estimates while inflation picked up. The pair traded at 0.6518.
EUR/USD mired near 1.0730 after choppy Thursday market session
EUR/USD whipsawed somewhat on Thursday, and the pair is heading into Friday's early session near 1.0730 after a back-and-forth session and complicated US data that vexed rate cut hopes.
Gold soars as US economic woes and inflation fears grip investors
Gold prices advanced modestly during Thursday’s North American session, gaining more than 0.5% following the release of crucial economic data from the United States. GDP figures for the first quarter of 2024 missed estimates, increasing speculation that the US Fed could lower borrowing costs.
Ethereum could remain inside key range as Consensys sues SEC over ETH security status
Ethereum appears to have returned to its consolidating move on Thursday, canceling rally expectations. This comes after Consensys filed a lawsuit against the US SEC and insider sources informing Reuters of the unlikelihood of a spot ETH ETF approval in May.
Bank of Japan expected to keep interest rates on hold after landmark hike
The Bank of Japan is set to leave its short-term rate target unchanged in the range between 0% and 0.1% on Friday, following the conclusion of its two-day monetary policy review meeting for April. The BoJ will announce its decision on Friday at around 3:00 GMT.