US Dollar Index rises to near 98.50 ahead of Retail Sales data
- US Dollar Index advances ahead of the US Retail Sales release due on Thursday.
- The US Dollar gains ground amid the increasing likelihood of the Fed maintaining its interest rates in July.
- Trump announced plans to notify over 150 countries in a single letter about a forthcoming 10% tariff.
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the value of the US Dollar (USD) against six major currencies, is retracing its recent losses from the previous session and trading around 98.50 during the Asian hours on Thursday. Traders will keep an eye on the US Retail Sales for June, followed by weekly Initial Jobless Claims and Philly Fed Manufacturing Index due later in the North American session.
The Greenback receives support from rising odds of the Federal Reserve (Fed) maintaining its benchmark overnight interest rate unchanged in the 4.25%-4.50% range at its July policy meeting, driven by the hotter-than-expected June inflation figures from the United States (US).
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Tuesday that the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 2.7% year-over-year in June, matching market expectations. Core CPI came in at 2.9%, just below the 3.0% forecast but still notably above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. On Wednesday, the bureau released US Producer Price Index (PPI) data, showing it remained unexpectedly unchanged in June, while core PPI rose 2.6% year-over-year.
Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan said on Tuesday that the Fed will probably need to leave interest rates where they are for a while longer to ensure inflation stays low in the face of upward pressure from the Trump administration's tariffs. Moreover, New York Fed President John Williams said late Wednesday that monetary policy is in the right place to allow the Fed to monitor the economy before taking its next decision.
The latest Fed Beige Book shows that while overall business activity remains healthy and inflation pressures are relatively subdued, underlying cost pressures are building, and business operators remain cautious.
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he plans to send a single letter to over 150 countries, notifying them of a 10% tariff rate they will face. He emphasized that these are "not big countries" with limited trade ties to the US, unlike China or Japan. He also hinted the rate could rise to 15–20%, though he did not confirm any specifics. Regarding tariffs on Canada, he said it’s too soon to comment. A tariff deal with India, however, is very close.
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 Australian Dollar.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 0.12% | 0.17% | 0.39% | 0.23% | 0.56% | 0.30% | 0.17% | |
| EUR | -0.12% | 0.03% | 0.26% | 0.14% | 0.47% | 0.21% | 0.08% | |
| GBP | -0.17% | -0.03% | 0.22% | 0.07% | 0.39% | 0.13% | 0.00% | |
| JPY | -0.39% | -0.26% | -0.22% | -0.20% | 0.14% | -0.09% | -0.22% | |
| CAD | -0.23% | -0.14% | -0.07% | 0.20% | 0.41% | 0.07% | -0.06% | |
| AUD | -0.56% | -0.47% | -0.39% | -0.14% | -0.41% | -0.34% | -0.38% | |
| NZD | -0.30% | -0.21% | -0.13% | 0.09% | -0.07% | 0.34% | -0.13% | |
| CHF | -0.17% | -0.08% | -0.00% | 0.22% | 0.06% | 0.38% | 0.13% |
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).
Economic Indicator
Retail Sales (MoM)
The Retail Sales data, released by the US Census Bureau on a monthly basis, measures the value in total receipts of retail and food stores in the United States. Monthly percent changes reflect the rate of changes in such sales. A stratified random sampling method is used to select approximately 4,800 retail and food services firms whose sales are then weighted and benchmarked to represent the complete universe of over three million retail and food services firms across the country. The data is adjusted for seasonal variations as well as holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes. Retail Sales data is widely followed as an indicator of consumer spending, which is a major driver of the US economy. Generally, a high reading is seen as bullish for the US Dollar (USD), while a low reading is seen as bearish.
Read more.Next release: Thu Jul 17, 2025 12:30
Frequency: Monthly
Consensus: 0.1%
Previous: -0.9%
Source: US Census Bureau
Retail Sales data published by the US Census Bureau is a leading indicator that gives important information about consumer spending, which has a significant impact on the GDP. Although strong sales figures are likely to boost the USD, external factors, such as weather conditions, could distort the data and paint a misleading picture. In addition to the headline data, changes in the Retail Sales Control Group could trigger a market reaction as it is used to prepare the estimates of Personal Consumption Expenditures for most goods.
Author
Akhtar Faruqui
FXStreet
Akhtar Faruqui is a Forex Analyst based in New Delhi, India. With a keen eye for market trends and a passion for dissecting complex financial dynamics, he is dedicated to delivering accurate and insightful Forex news and analysis.
