US Dollar secures gains after PCE figures, eyes on NFPs next week

US inflation, as measured by the PCE Price Index, remained unchanged at 2.5% YoY in July.
The USD is gaining due to the strength of its economy while inflation is coming down.
The labor market is still the focus for September's decision.

Patricio Martín FXStreet

On Friday, the US Dollar, measured by the US Dollar Index (DXY), extended gains after the release of July's Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Index, which showed inflation continuing to be kept at bay.

With inflation coming down and economic activity steady, the outlook justifies rate cuts by the Federal Reserve (Fed), whose chairman has already stated that there will be a cut in September. However, the PCE print may not have been dovish enough to persuade the central bank to start with a 50-basis-point cut.

Daily digest market movers: DXY gains ground after PCE figures

Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index, the Federal Reserve's (Fed) preferred inflation gauge, remained unchanged at 2.5% on a yearly basis in July, below the market expectation of 2.6%.
Core PCE Price Index, excluding volatile food and energy prices, also matched June's increase at 2.6%, below the market forecast of 2.7%.
The data suggests that inflation is coming down, but the pace of the cutting cycle will be dictated by the incoming labor market data.
CME FedWatch tool now shows a near 30% probability of a 50-basis-point rate cut in September, which has slightly declined.

Technical outlook: Bullish momentum increases, target now at 102.00

Technical analysis indicates a potential recovery for the DXY index. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is trending upward, while the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) is printing lower red bars. If the DXY remains above the 101.00 level, it could trigger a rally toward the 20-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) at 102.00. That being said, the overall outlook is negative, but a recovery of the mentioned SMA might flip the table.

Key support levels are at 100.50, 100.30 and 100.00, while resistance levels are at 101.70, 101.80 and 102.00.

Nonfarm Payrolls FAQs

What are Nonfarm Payrolls?

Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) are part of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics monthly jobs report. The Nonfarm Payrolls component specifically measures the change in the number of people employed in the US during the previous month, excluding the farming industry.

How does Nonfarm Payrolls influence the Federal Reserve monetary policy decisions?

The Nonfarm Payrolls figure can influence the decisions of the Federal Reserve by providing a measure of how successfully the Fed is meeting its mandate of fostering full employment and 2% inflation. A relatively high NFP figure means more people are in employment, earning more money and therefore probably spending more. A relatively low Nonfarm Payrolls’ result, on the either hand, could mean people are struggling to find work. The Fed will typically raise interest rates to combat high inflation triggered by low unemployment, and lower them to stimulate a stagnant labor market.

How does Nonfarm Payrolls affect the US Dollar?

Nonfarm Payrolls generally have a positive correlation with the US Dollar. This means when payrolls’ figures come out higher-than-expected the USD tends to rally and vice versa when they are lower. NFPs influence the US Dollar by virtue of their impact on inflation, monetary policy expectations and interest rates. A higher NFP usually means the Federal Reserve will be more tight in its monetary policy, supporting the USD.

How does Nonfarm Payrolls affect Gold?

Nonfarm Payrolls are generally negatively-correlated with the price of Gold. This means a higher-than-expected payrolls’ figure will have a depressing effect on the Gold price and vice versa. Higher NFP generally has a positive effect on the value of the USD, and like most major commodities Gold is priced in US Dollars. If the USD gains in value, therefore, it requires less Dollars to buy an ounce of Gold. Also, higher interest rates (typically helped higher NFPs) also lessen the attractiveness of Gold as an investment compared to staying in cash, where the money will at least earn interest.

Sometimes Nonfarm Payrolls trigger an opposite reaction than what the market expects. Why is that?

Nonfarm Payrolls is only one component within a bigger jobs report and it can be overshadowed by the other components. At times, when NFP come out higher-than-forecast, but the Average Weekly Earnings is lower than expected, the market has ignored the potentially inflationary effect of the headline result and interpreted the fall in earnings as deflationary. The Participation Rate and the Average Weekly Hours components can also influence the market reaction, but only in seldom events like the “Great Resignation” or the Global Financial Crisis.

Author

Patricio Martín

FXStreet

Patricio is an economist from Argentina passionate about global finance and understanding the daily movements of the markets.

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