|

Forex Today: Dollar licks its wounds as Biden cools on China, vaccine, stimulus and data eyed

Here is what you need to know on Wednesday, December 2:

The US dollar is marginally bouncing as President-elect Joe Biden wants to keep tariffs on China unchanged at first. The UK's approval of a coronavirus vaccine helps sustain an upbeat mood. ADP's jobs figures, Fed Chair Powell's testimony, fiscal stimulus, and Brexit are all eyed. 

Vaccine: The UK is the first Western country to approve a COVID-19 vaccine, giving the green light to the Pfizer/BioNTech jab, which could be administered as early as next week. The news boosts the market mood.

Sino-American relations: President-elect Joe Biden told the New York Times that he will first conduct a full review and consult allies before removing any tariffs on China. These headlines somewhat weighed on the market mood and allowed the dollar to stabilize. 

Fiscal stimulus: A bipartisan group of US Senators unveiled a package worth $908 billion. It is unclear if outgoing President Donald Trump and other politicians back the accord. 

Monetary stimulus: Jerome Powell, Chairman of the Federal Reserve, refrained from hinting about expanding the bank's bond-buying scheme in its upcoming decision, but only committed to providing support. He continues testifying on Wednesday. 

EUR/USD rallied on Tuesday, hitting the highest since May 2018. The mix of political certainty, a divergence in reactions to monetary stimulus, and vaccine hopes triggered the breakout. 

See EUR/USD Forecast: Three reasons for the massive breakout and big levels to watch

The US ISM Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index marginally missed expectations with 57.5 points while the employment component dropped below 50, indicating contraction. The ADP jobs report is due out on Wednesday and provides another clue toward Friday's Nonfarm Payrolls. 

See ADP Jobs Preview: Even a minimal beat could trigger a greenback comeback

Brexit talks continue in full force but the EU denies they have "entered a tunnel" – a term that refers to off-the-radar intense talks are en route to an accord. GBP/USD jumped above 1.34 in hopes for a breakthrough and is holding above that level.

AUD/USD is trading closer to 0.74 amid US dollar weakness and upbeat Gross Domestic Product figures from Australia. The economy grew by 3.3% in the third quarter, better than expected.

Gold has recaptured the $1,800 on Tuesday amid stimulus hopes. 

Oil prices continue spilling lower as OPEC+ ministers have yet to reach a deal on output cuts. WTI is changing hands at around $44. 

The Canadian dollar is lagging behind some of its peers due to the slide in oil prices and disappointing Canadian GDP, which came out at 40.7% annualized growth in the third quarter.

Cryptocurrencies remain highly volatile. Bitcoin is trading below $19,000 after nearing the round $20,000 level on Tuesday. 

More US Manufacturing Slows in November: New business remains strong

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:

Markets move fast. We move first.

Orange Juice Newsletter brings you expert driven insights - not headlines. Every day on your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to our Terms and conditions.

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD recovers to 1.1750 region as 2025 draws to a close

Following the bearish action seen in the European session on Wednesday, EUR/USD regains its traction and recovery to the 1.1750 region. Nevertheless, the pair's volatility remains low as trading conditions thin out on the last day of the year.

GBP/USD stays weak near 1.3450 on modest USD recovery

GBP/USD remains under modest beairsh pressure and fluctuates at around 1.3450 on Wednesday. The US Dollar finds fresh demand due to the end-of-the-year position adjustments, weighing on the pair amid the pre-New Year trading lull. 

Gold retreats to $4,300 area, looks to post monthly gains

Gold stays on the back foot on the last day of 2025 and trades near $4,300, possibly pressured by profit-taking and position adjustments. Nevertheless, XAU/USD remains on track to post gains for December and extend its winning streak into a fifth consecutive month.

Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP prepare for a potential New Year rebound

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple are holding steady on Wednesday after recording minor gains on the previous day. Technically, Bitcoin could extend gains within a triangle pattern while Ethereum and Ripple face critical overhead resistance. 

Economic outlook 2026-2027 in advanced countries: Solidity test

After a year marked by global economic resilience and ending on a note of optimism, 2026 looks promising and could be a year of solid economic performance. In our baseline scenario, we expect most of the supportive factors at work in 2025 to continue to play a role in 2026.

Crypto market outlook for 2026

Year 2025 was volatile, as crypto often is.  Among positive catalysts were favourable regulatory changes in the U.S., rise of Digital Asset Treasuries (DAT), adoption of AI and tokenization of Real-World-Assets (RWA).