Forex Today: US Dollar rallies on strong ADP jobs data and Trump’s Iran remarks
Here is what you need to know for Wednesday, May 20:
The US Dollar Index (DXY) strengthens toward the 99.30 region after the latest ADP employment report showed US private employers added 42,250 jobs on average over the previous four weeks, marking the strongest reading since the weekly series began in October 2025.
Meanwhile, United States President Donald Trump stated that “We may have to give Iran another hit” and added that “Iran is begging to make a deal,” reviving concerns about a possible escalation in the Middle East and increasing safe-haven demand.
US Dollar Price Today
The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies today. US Dollar was the strongest against the Australian Dollar.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 0.45% | 0.24% | 0.11% | 0.09% | 0.86% | 0.65% | 0.58% | |
| EUR | -0.45% | -0.20% | -0.31% | -0.35% | 0.43% | 0.23% | 0.14% | |
| GBP | -0.24% | 0.20% | -0.11% | -0.15% | 0.61% | 0.44% | 0.35% | |
| JPY | -0.11% | 0.31% | 0.11% | -0.05% | 0.72% | 0.55% | 0.45% | |
| CAD | -0.09% | 0.35% | 0.15% | 0.05% | 0.77% | 0.58% | 0.50% | |
| AUD | -0.86% | -0.43% | -0.61% | -0.72% | -0.77% | -0.18% | -0.27% | |
| NZD | -0.65% | -0.23% | -0.44% | -0.55% | -0.58% | 0.18% | -0.09% | |
| CHF | -0.58% | -0.14% | -0.35% | -0.45% | -0.50% | 0.27% | 0.09% |
The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the US Dollar from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent USD (base)/JPY (quote).
EUR/USD weakens toward the 1.1610 region as rising US Treasury yields and stronger US Dollar (USD) demand pressure the shared currency. The Euro also remains capped after European Central Bank (ECB) officials warned that long-term demographic challenges could weigh on the Eurozone’s growth outlook despite resilient labor-market conditions.
GBP/USD falls near the 1.3400 area amid broad USD strength, which dominates market sentiment. Sterling remains under pressure as traders continue to monitor the United Kingdom’s (UK) fragile fiscal outlook.
USD/JPY advances toward the 159.00 zone, supported by higher US Treasury yields and renewed safe-haven demand following Trump’s comments on Iran.
AUD/USD declines toward the 0.7110 region as the stronger USD and cautious market sentiment weigh on risk-sensitive currencies.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Oil rises toward the $104.30 per barrel as fears of renewed tensions involving Iran raise concerns about potential disruptions to global energy flows and shipping routes near the Strait of Hormuz.
Gold loses ground near the $4,480 region, as investors prefer the Greenback as a safe haven amid Middle East uncertainty.
What’s next in the docket:
Wednesday, May 20:
- China PBoC Interest Rate Decision
- UK April Inflation Data (CPI, Core CPI, PPI, RPI)
- Germany April Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices
- NZ April Trade Data (Exports, Imports, Trade Balance)
- Australia May Preliminary S&P Global PMIs
- Japan April Trade Data (Exports, Imports, Trade Balance)
Thursday, May 21:
- Australia May Consumer Inflation Expectations
- Australia April Labor Market Data (Employment Change, Participation Rate, Unemployment Rate)
- Germany April Producer Price Index
- Switzerland Q1 Industrial Production
- France May Preliminary HCOB PMIs
- Germany May Preliminary HCOB PMIs
- EU May Preliminary HCOB PMIs
- UK May Preliminary S&P Global PMIs
- US April Housing Data (Building Permits, Housing Starts)
- US Initial Jobless Claims, May Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Survey
- US May Preliminary S&P Global PMIs
- EU May Preliminary Consumer Confidence
- NZ Q1 Retail Sales
- UK May GfK Consumer Confidence
- Japan April CPI
Friday, May 22:
- Germany Q1 Gross Domestic Product
- UK April Retail Sales
- Germany May IFO Survey (Business Climate, Current Assessment, Expectations)
- Canada March Retail Sales
- US May Michigan Consumer Sentiment and Inflation Expectations
WTI Oil FAQs
WTI Oil is a type of Crude Oil sold on international markets. The WTI stands for West Texas Intermediate, one of three major types including Brent and Dubai Crude. WTI is also referred to as “light” and “sweet” because of its relatively low gravity and sulfur content respectively. It is considered a high quality Oil that is easily refined. It is sourced in the United States and distributed via the Cushing hub, which is considered “The Pipeline Crossroads of the World”. It is a benchmark for the Oil market and WTI price is frequently quoted in the media.
Like all assets, supply and demand are the key drivers of WTI Oil price. As such, global growth can be a driver of increased demand and vice versa for weak global growth. Political instability, wars, and sanctions can disrupt supply and impact prices. The decisions of OPEC, a group of major Oil-producing countries, is another key driver of price. The value of the US Dollar influences the price of WTI Crude Oil, since Oil is predominantly traded in US Dollars, thus a weaker US Dollar can make Oil more affordable and vice versa.
The weekly Oil inventory reports published by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Energy Information Agency (EIA) impact the price of WTI Oil. Changes in inventories reflect fluctuating supply and demand. If the data shows a drop in inventories it can indicate increased demand, pushing up Oil price. Higher inventories can reflect increased supply, pushing down prices. API’s report is published every Tuesday and EIA’s the day after. Their results are usually similar, falling within 1% of each other 75% of the time. The EIA data is considered more reliable, since it is a government agency.
OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) is a group of 12 Oil-producing nations who collectively decide production quotas for member countries at twice-yearly meetings. Their decisions often impact WTI Oil prices. When OPEC decides to lower quotas, it can tighten supply, pushing up Oil prices. When OPEC increases production, it has the opposite effect. OPEC+ refers to an expanded group that includes ten extra non-OPEC members, the most notable of which is Russia.
Author
Agustin Wazne
FXStreet
Agustin Wazne joined FXStreet as a Junior News Editor, focusing on Commodities and covering Majors.
