|

US: Industrial Production rises by 0.2% in May vs. 0.4% expected

  • Industrial Production in US grew at a softer pace than expected in May.
  • US Dollar Index clings to strong daily gains above 104.50. 

Industrial Production in the US expanded by 0.2% on a monthly basis in May, the data published by the US Federal Reserve revealed on Friday. This print followed April's expansion of 1.4% and came in weaker than the market expectation of 0.4%. 

"In May, manufacturing output declined 0.1% after three months when growth averaged nearly 1%," The Fed's publication further read. "Capacity utilization edged up to 79.0%, 0.5 percentage point below its long-run (1972–2021) average."

Market reaction

The greenback holds its ground after these data and the US Dollar Index was last seen rising 0.8% on the day at 104.62.

Author

Eren Sengezer

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.

More from Eren Sengezer
Share:

Editor's Picks

GBP/USD stays below 1.3400 after soft UK CPI data

GBP/USD struggles to gain traction and stays below 1.3400 in the second half of the day on Wednesday. The UK annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation cooled to 2.6% in June against the market forecast of 2.7%, making it difficult for the British Pound gather recovery momentum. Meanwhile, investors keep a close eye on headlines coming out of the Middle East.

EUR/USD stabilizes near 1.1400 as markets focus on geopolitics

EUR/USD trades in a narrow channel at around 1.1400 on Wednesday. In the absence of high-impact data releases, escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East caps the pair's upside. On Thursday, the European Central Bank (ECB) will announce monetary policy decisions.

Gold holds comfortably above $4,100, remains close to two-week high

Gold steadies above $4,100 during the Asian session on Thursday, stalling the previous day's modest pullback from over a two-week high amid a soft US Dollar. However, the recent spike in oil prices, bolstered by escalating US-Iran tensions, continues to fuel inflationary concerns and lift bets for a Fed rate hike in 2026. This remains supportive of elevated US Treasury bond yields, which favors USD bulls and could act as a headwind for the non-yielding bullion.

Australia unemployment rate set to steady at 4.4% in June, signaling strong job market

Australia will publish the June monthly employment report on Thursday at 01:30 GMT, and market participants expect a modest increase in job creation in the land Down Under. The Australian Bureau of Statistics is expected to announce that the country added 15K new jobs in the month, while the Unemployment Rate is forecast at 4.4%, unchanged from May.

Hyperliquid, Robinhood could lead crypto’s next bull market as DeFi and TradFi converge

The next crypto bull market could be driven by the growing convergence between blockchain-based financial infrastructure and traditional finance, according to Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan. In a report published late Tuesday, Hougan argued that crypto may be showing early signs of a market bottom, with Bitcoin gaining 9% since July 1 even as the NASDAQ 100 declined 6%.

US Dollar mid-year outlook: Exceptional currency, exceptional risks?
The US Dollar enters the second half of 2026 in a markedly different position from a year ago. The King currency has recovered, reflecting persistent US inflation, changing expectations for Fed policy, geopolitical tensions and renewed demand for defensive assets.