|

Forex Today: What if the RBA…?

The US Dollar alternated gains with losses in the area of two-month lows in a context of marginal trading conditions amid the inactivity in the US markets due to the Washington’s Day holiday.

Here is what you need to know on Tuesday, February 18:

The US Dollar Index (DXY) navigated a vacillating session in the sub-107.00 zone, or multi-week lows, following the absence of volatility in the broader FX galaxy. The NAHB Housing Market Index is due, along with the NY Empire State Manufacturing Index, TIC Flows, and speeches by Waller, Barr and Daly.

EUR/USD traded with marginal loses after returning to the region below the 1.0500 mark. The ZEW’s Economic Sentiment gauge in Germany and the euro bloc will precede the speech by the ECB’s Cipollone and the ECOFIN Meeting.

GBP/USD maintained its bullish bias in place above the key 1.2600 hurdle. The UK docket will feature the labour market report along with the speech by the BoE’s Bailey.

Further appreciation of the Japanese yen kept USD/JPY on the back foot in the area of multi-day lows around 151.30. The BoJ’s Takada will be the only release in the domestic calendar.

AUD/USD clinched new two-months tops around 0.6370, extending further its monthly recovery. The RBA will hold its monetary policy meeting, followed by Governor M. Bullock’s press conference.

Prices of WTI rebounded modestly amid the indecisive greenback, potential ceasefire talks in the Russia-Ukraine war and supply disruptions in the Caspian region.

Prices of Gold partially faded Friday’s deep sell-off and flirted with the $2,900 region against the backdrop of the lack of direction in the dollar and steady concerns around US tariffs. Silver prices followed suit and advanced to the $32.50 zone per ounce.

Author

Pablo Piovano

Born and bred in Argentina, Pablo has been carrying on with his passion for FX markets and trading since his first college years.

More from Pablo Piovano
Share:

Editor's Picks

USD/JPY eyes August swing low, near 155.20 ahead of US NFP

USD/JPY retests the August monthly swing low during the Asian session on Friday as a more hawkish repricing of BoJ rate-hike bets and a suspected intervention continue to underpin the Japanese Yen. Meanwhile, the US Dollar is seen consolidating the previous day's heavy losses amid soft US bond yields, further weighing on the currency pair as traders keenly await the US NFP report.

AUD/USD consolidates above 0.7200; US NFP awaited

AUD/USD holds steady above 0.7200, near its highest level since mid-May, as bulls await the US NFP report for more cues on the Fed's policy path before placing fresh bets. Meanwhile, the recent decline in US bond yields keeps the US Dollar depressed near its lowest level in over a week and acts as a tailwind for the Aussie amid the RBA's hawkish tilt.

Gold bulls seem hesitant below $4,500 amid modest USD bounce ahead of US NFP

Gold remains on the defensive below the $4,500 mark through the Asian session, snapping a two-day winning streak amid a modest US Dollar uptick. The commodity, however, remains close to the weekly high, which it touched the previous day, as traders keenly await the release of the closely watched US monthly employment details. The popularly known US Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) report will provide more cues about the Fed's policy path amid receding bets of a September rate hike.

Crypto’s $638 million buyback boom may not be as bullish as it looks
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) protocols reportedly spent $638 million to buy back their native tokens in August, up 17% from a year earlier. On the surface, the buyback trend suggests the cryptocurrency industry is maturing fast, adopting one of Wall Street’s oldest tools to bolster valuations and distribute revenue. The headline becomes less impressive once the number is opened up.
US August Nonfarm Payrolls expected to rebound to 56K after July slump

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is set to release the Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) data for August. Investors expect NFP to rise by 56K in August following July’s unexpected print of -23K.

Diesel’s record $100 warning: The oil shock hiding in plain sight

The Oil market may look calmer than it did a few months ago, but diesel is sending a very different message. The US diesel crack spread, the premium of ultra-low sulphur diesel futures over WTI, recently surged above $100 per barrel for the first time, reaching an intraday record of just over $102.00.