Forex Today: US Dollar rallies on Trump’s Iran warning as markets brace for NFP
Here is what you need to know on Tuesday, March 31:
The US Dollar Index (DXY) rose to the 100.50 region, holding firm amid safe-haven demand following hawkish remarks by United States (US) President Donald Trump, who warned that the US could take a tougher stance against Iran if tensions continue to escalate. In response, Iran signaled reluctance to engage with the US, highlighting fragile diplomatic progress and dampening hopes for de-escalation. If completed, this will be the fifth straight session that the DXY has ascended.
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 British Pound.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 0.41% | 0.56% | -0.43% | 0.22% | 0.32% | 0.56% | 0.11% | |
| EUR | -0.41% | 0.14% | -0.81% | -0.19% | -0.05% | 0.15% | -0.30% | |
| GBP | -0.56% | -0.14% | -0.99% | -0.33% | -0.21% | 0.00% | -0.45% | |
| JPY | 0.43% | 0.81% | 0.99% | 0.65% | 0.76% | 0.98% | 0.53% | |
| CAD | -0.22% | 0.19% | 0.33% | -0.65% | 0.11% | 0.28% | -0.12% | |
| AUD | -0.32% | 0.05% | 0.21% | -0.76% | -0.11% | 0.21% | -0.22% | |
| NZD | -0.56% | -0.15% | -0.01% | -0.98% | -0.28% | -0.21% | -0.45% | |
| CHF | -0.11% | 0.30% | 0.45% | -0.53% | 0.12% | 0.22% | 0.45% |
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 slipped to the 1.1460 area, a one-week low, as it struggled to gain traction amid USD strength and lingering Eurozone growth concerns.
GBP/USD fell to a three-month low of 1.3174, remaining under pressure as a firm USD and cautious sentiment limit recovery attempts.
USD/JPY broke a four-day winning streak and is now trading near the 159.60 region, as geopolitical tensions provided intermittent support for the Yen, capping further gains.
AUD/USD slipped to a two-month low near 0.6850, with gains capped by risk aversion. On another note, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is preparing for its next meeting with a cautious yet hawkish outlook.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Oil trades near $103.20 per barrel, surging for four days in a row due to Iran's continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Gold trades near the $4,515 region, struggling to regain some ground but still holding a firm tone amid safe-haven demand despite a relatively strong US Dollar.
What’s next in the docket:
Tuesday, March 31
- Eurozone February Retail Sales
- Eurozone March Consumer Price Index Prel
- Eurozone February Unemployment Rate
- Eurozone March Core HICP Prel
- Eurozone March HICP Prel
- Canada January GDP
- United States January Housing Price Index
- United States March Chicago PMI
- United States March Consumer Confidence
- United States February JOLTS Job Openings
- New Zealand February Building Permits
- Australia February AiG Industry Index
- Japan Q1 Tankan Survey
- Australia February Building Permits
- China March Manufacturing PMI
Wednesday, April 1
- Switzerland February Retail Sales
- Eurozone March Manufacturing PMI
- Eurozone February Unemployment Rate
- United States March ADP Employment Change
- United States February Retail Sales
- Canada March Manufacturing PMI
- United States March ISM Manufacturing PMI
- Australia February Trade Balance
Thursday, April 2
- Switzerland March CPI
- Eurozone Economic Bulletin
- United States March Challenger Job Cuts
- United States Initial Jobless Claims
- China March Services PMI
Friday, April 3
- United States March Average Hourly Earnings
- United States March Nonfarm Payrolls
- United States March Unemployment Rate
- United States March Labor Market Data
- United States March S&P Global Composite PMI
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.
