|

USD recovery remains fragile as tariffs and economic risks mount – BBH

US Dollar (USD) and Treasury yields are steady just above Friday’s lows while US equity futures point to a modest rebound. Any USD recovery looks fragile in our view, and the broader downtrend should reassert itself, BBH FX analysts report.

USD recovery fragile amid policy credibility and tariff concerns

"First, US policymaking credibility is increasingly under threat. Fed Governor Adriana Kugler’s departure on August 8, gives President Donald Trump an opportunity to appoint a replacement aligned with his monetary policy agenda. Meanwhile, the dismissal of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) head by President Trump immediately after the poor July jobs data risks damaging perception of US economic data integrity."

"Second, the US economy is showing cracks while the full hit from tariffs has yet to come. The average effective US tariff rate is estimated at 18.3% as of August 1, the highest since 1934. That’s up from 2.4% in January, 7% in May and roughly 16% in June and July. The higher tariffs are projected to lower real GDP growth by -0.5 percentage points in both 2025 and 2026 and increase consumer prices by 1.8% in the short-run."

Author

FXStreet Insights Team

The FXStreet Insights Team is a group of journalists that handpicks selected market observations published by renowned experts. The content includes notes by commercial as well as additional insights by internal and external analysts.

More from FXStreet Insights Team
Share:

Markets move fast. We move first.

Orange Juice Newsletter brings you expert driven insights - not headlines. Every day on your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to our Terms and conditions.

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD flatlines below 1.1800 amid trading lull, awaits Fed Minutes

EUR/USD trades around a flatline below 1.1800 in European trading on Tuesday. The pair lacks any trading impetus as the US Dollar moves little amid market caution ahead of the Fed's December Meeting Minutes release, which could offer insights into the Federal Reserve’s 2026 outlook.

GBP/USD retakes 1.3500 despite the year-end grind

GBP/USD finds fresh demand and retakes 1.3500 on Tuesday as markets grind through the last trading week of the year. Despite the latest uptick, the pair is unlikely to see further progress due to the year-end holiday volumes.

Gold holds the bounce on Fed rate cut bets, safe-haven flows

Gold holds the rebound near $4,350 in the European trading hours on Tuesday. The precious metal recovers some lost ground after falling 4.5% in the previous session, which was Gold's largest single-day loss since October. Increased margin requirements on gold and silver futures by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group, one of the world’s largest trading floors for commodities, prompted widespread profit-taking and portfolio rebalancing.

Tron steadies as Justin Sun invests $18 million in Tron Inc.

Tron (TRX) trades above $0.2800 at press time on Monday, hovering below the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at $0.2859.

Economic outlook 2026-2027 in advanced countries: Solidity test

After a year marked by global economic resilience and ending on a note of optimism, 2026 looks promising and could be a year of solid economic performance. In our baseline scenario, we expect most of the supportive factors at work in 2025 to continue to play a role in 2026.

Crypto market outlook for 2026

Year 2025 was volatile, as crypto often is.  Among positive catalysts were favourable regulatory changes in the U.S., rise of Digital Asset Treasuries (DAT), adoption of AI and tokenization of Real-World-Assets (RWA).