US: CB Consumer Confidence Index improves to 138.4 in September vs 132.1 expected

Eren Sengezer FXStreet

"The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® increased in September, following a large improvement in August. The Index now stands at 138.4 (1985=100), up from 134.7 in August," the Conference Board reported on Tuesday.

Key takeaways from the press release

The Present Situation Index improved marginally from 172.8 to 173.1, while the Expectations Index surged from 109.3 last month to 115.3 this month.
The September reading is not far from the all-time high of 144.7 reached in 2000.
- Consumers’ assessment of current conditions remains extremely favorable, bolstered by a strong economy and robust job growth.
Those claiming jobs are “plentiful” increased from 42.3 percent to 45.7 percent, but those claiming jobs are “hard to get” increased from 12.1 percent to 13.2 percent.
The percentage of consumers anticipating business conditions will improve over the next six months increased from 24.4 percent to 27.6 percent, while those expecting business conditions will worsen declined, from 9.9 percent to 8.0 percent.

Author

Eren Sengezer

FXStreet

As an economist at heart, Eren Sengezer specializes in the assessment of the short-term and long-term impacts of macroeconomic data, central bank policies and political developments on financial assets.

AUD/USD extends the range play above 0.7200 as traders await US inflation data

AUD/USD is seen extending its consolidative price move above 0.7200 during the Asian session on Thursday amid mixed cues. Rising RBA rate-hike bets keep the Aussie close to its highest level since May 14. However, hawkish Fed expectations and escalating US-Iran tensions offer some support to the US Dollar, capping the currency pair as traders await US inflation figures.

USD/JPY consolidates around 153.50 as bears turn cautious ahead of US inflation

USD/JPY stabilizes above 153.50 during the Asian session on Thursday, but remains near a seven-month low set earlier this week as hawkish BoJ repricing continues to underpin the Japanese Yen. Meanwhile, rising September Fed rate-hike bets and escalating US-Iran tensions help ease US Dollar selling pressure, offering some support to the currency pair ahead of US inflation figures.

Gold remains in the red, still below $4,400

Gold maintains an erratic trade so far this week, now slipping back below the key $4,400 mark per troy ounce following the stronger US Dollar and a strong rebound in US Treasury yields across the curve, particularly following US Producer Prices and ahead of Friday’s more relevant US CPI data.

XRP slides amid a fragile crypto market structure

Ripple (XRP) falls for the second straight day, trading at $1.37 on Thursday. The broader cryptocurrency market remains fragile as investors weigh the impact of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which triggered persistent increases in Crude Oil prices while restricting shipping through the Straight of Hormuz and the Red Sea.

Jobs opened the door for the Fed — inflation decides whether it walks through

The latest US jobs report did not end the debate over the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) next move. It may have done something more subtle: it gave policymakers permission to keep their options open. After months of softer labour market signals, August delivered a stronger-than-expected rebound.

Venezuela’s 65-billion-barrel Oil deal could reshape America’s inflation fight

The United States (US) has secured unprecedented access to part of Venezuela’s vast Oil reserves. The timing is particularly significant as the war with Iran is disrupting Middle Eastern supplies, keeping energy prices elevated and reviving concerns about inflation.