Forex Today: US Dollar rebounds after Iran conflict sparks Oil volatility and safe-haven demand
Here is what you need to know for Thursday, March 12:
The conflict between the United States (US), Israel and Iran continues apace after Iran's military commented that the world should be prepared for Oil to hit $200 a barrel. Iran has kept the Strait of Hormuz closed and attacked three vessels near it on Wednesday. In response, the International Energy Agency (IEA) recommended releasing 400 million barrels of oil to temper soaring prices though West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose to $87 a barrel.
On another note, the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) for February was released, and it aligned with expectations, reinforcing the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) view of maintaining a cautious policy stance as inflation continues to trend above the Fed’s 2% target.
The US Dollar Index (DXY) is trading close to the 99.20 price region, recovering some of its intraweek losses after the CPI rose to 0.3% MoM in February, matching market expectations and accelerating from 0.2% in January.
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 Japanese Yen.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 0.36% | 0.07% | 0.52% | 0.03% | -0.36% | 0.28% | 0.13% | |
| EUR | -0.36% | -0.28% | 0.15% | -0.32% | -0.71% | -0.06% | -0.21% | |
| GBP | -0.07% | 0.28% | 0.45% | -0.04% | -0.44% | 0.21% | 0.07% | |
| JPY | -0.52% | -0.15% | -0.45% | -0.49% | -0.88% | -0.23% | -0.39% | |
| CAD | -0.03% | 0.32% | 0.04% | 0.49% | -0.39% | 0.26% | 0.11% | |
| AUD | 0.36% | 0.71% | 0.44% | 0.88% | 0.39% | 0.65% | 0.54% | |
| NZD | -0.28% | 0.06% | -0.21% | 0.23% | -0.26% | -0.65% | -0.15% | |
| CHF | -0.13% | 0.21% | -0.07% | 0.39% | -0.11% | -0.54% | 0.15% |
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 is trading near the 1.1570 level, losing all its intraday gains after the Iranian attack on oil vessels prompted buyers to run back to the Greenback safe-haven.
GBP/USD is trading near the 1.3410 price zone, practically unchanged throughout the American session after losing its gains from earlier in the day. Meanwhile, in the UK finance minister Rachel Reeves said it's too soon to take measures to shield households from soaring energy prices spurred by the Middle East conflict.
USD/JPY is trading near the 156.90 region, nearing a one-month high, as a resilient US Dollar (USD) and higher Treasury yields are adding to the Yen’s weakness, with the Greenback being supported by US inflation data, which came in-line with expectations.
USD/CAD is trading near the 1.3590 level, trading in a neutral zone. Market focus shifts to Friday's monthly employment report for February, while the CPI for the same month will be released next Monday. This could reshape the next Bank of Canada (BoC) monetary policy decision scheduled for next Wednesday.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil is trading around $87 per barrel, in a tightly bound range after reaching a three-year high below$120 on Monday.
Gold is trading at $5,167, in the red but still little changed throughout the day as investors look to the Greenback for comfort.
What’s next in the docket:
Thursday, March 12:
- Australia, March, Consumer Inflation Expectations
- UK, January, Industrial Production.
- United States, January, Building Permits.
- United States, January, Housing Starts.
- United States, Initial Jobless Claims.
- United States, February, Monthly Budget Statement.
- New Zealand, February, Business NZ PMI.
Friday, March 13:
- UK, January, GDP.
- UK, January, Manufacturing Production.
- Spain, February, HICP.
- Eurozone, January, Industrial Production s.a.
- Canada, February, Average Hourly Wages.
- Canada, February, Net Change in Employment.
- Canada, February, Unemployment Rate.
- United States, January, Core Personal Consumption Expenditures - Price Index.
- United States, Flash (Q4), Core Personal Consumption Expenditures.
- United States, January, Durable Goods Orders.
- United States, Flash (Q4), Gross Domestic Product Annualized.
- United States, Flash (Q4), Gross Domestic Product Price Index.
- United States, January, Nondefense Capital Goods Orders ex Aircraft.
- United States, January, Personal Consumption Expenditures - Price Index.
- United States, Flash (Q4), Personal Consumption Expenditures Prices.
- United States, January, Personal Income.
- United States, January, Personal Spending.
- United States, Flash March, Michigan Consumer Expectations Index.
- United States, Flash March, Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index.
- United States, Flash March, UoM 1-year Consumer Inflation Expectations.
- United States, January, JOLTS Job Openings.
- United States, Flash March, UoM 5-year Consumer Inflation Expectation.
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.
