President Trump’s comments to the Davos WEF yesterday contained much of the same as his recent pronouncements—tax cuts, lower oil prices and a demand that interest rates drop ‘immediately’. Tariffs got some airtime, but the lack of specifics remains a hindrance on the US Dollar’s (USD) performance, Scotiabank’s Chief FX Strategist Shaun Osborne notes.

USD slides as President Trump soft pedals China tariffs

“In addition, the president commented last night that he’d ‘rather not’ have to impose tariffs on China—prompting a further slide in the USD. Markets have been holding significant long USD positions and the USD’s run up around the presidential election was due in some significant part to the expectation that broad and aggressive tariff action would be slapped on the US’ main trading partners from day one. The more nuanced approach to tariffs is prompting a shake out of positioning—and there may be more to come.”

“The major currencies are showing broad gains on the USD today and the DXY is showing a 1.6% loss on the week, its biggest fall since a similar decline in late August. Technical pointers are leaning bearish for the DXY, suggesting the index could ease another 1% or so in the short run. The SEK, ZAR and MXN are leading gains on the day, with the EUR also notching up a solid rise, with the help of Eurozone data.”

“Havens like the CHF and JPY are lagging, with the Japanese currency more or less flat on the session despite the BoJ delivering the expected 25bps rate hike earlier (to 0.5%, the highest since 2008). The BoJ upgraded its view on the strength of inflation, keeping the door open to more tightening down the road. Before the decision, Japan reported higher than expected CPI for December (+3.6% Y/Y). Narrower spreads should help keep a firm lid on USD/JPY around the 160 point but spot gains may be limited by the fact that the USD is trading a little below our fair value estimate (157) currently.”

Share: Feed news

Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.

If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.

FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.

The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.

XM
Account
7.2
Tools
9.2
Service
9.4
Trading
9.0
Trust
7.0
Experience
8.4
Read review
Moneta Markets
Account
7.4
Tools
6.6
Service
8.0
Trading
6.6
Trust
5.2
Experience
9.2
Read review
Trading Pro
Account
7.2
Tools
5.2
Service
6.6
Trading
8.0
Trust
5.0
Experience
7.0
Read review
Pepperstone
Account
8.2
Tools
8.2
Service
7.4
Trading
9.0
Trust
8.8
Experience
9.0
Read review
XM
Read review
Moneta Markets
Read review
Trading Pro
Read review
Pepperstone
Read review
Trading Pro
Read review
Pepperstone
Read review
XM
Read review
Moneta Markets
Read review
Trading Pro
Account
7.2
Tools
5.2
Service
6.6
Trading
8.0
Trust
5.0
Experience
7.0
Read review
Pepperstone
Account
8.2
Tools
8.2
Service
7.4
Trading
9.0
Trust
8.8
Experience
9.0
Read review
XM
Account
7.2
Tools
9.2
Service
9.4
Trading
9.0
Trust
7.0
Experience
8.4
Read review
Moneta Markets
Account
7.4
Tools
6.6
Service
8.0
Trading
6.6
Trust
5.2
Experience
9.2
Read review

Recommended content


Recommended content

Editors’ Picks

EUR/USD remains offered in the low-1.0900s

EUR/USD remains offered in the low-1.0900s

The generalised selling pressure continues to weigh on the risk complex, pushing EUR/USD back toward the 1.0900 support level amid a growing risk-off mood, as traders assess President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs and their impact on economic activity.

EUR/USD News
GBP/USD retreats further and breaks below 1.2800

GBP/USD retreats further and breaks below 1.2800

The US Dollar is picking up extra pace and flirting with daily highs, sending GBP/USD to multi-week lows near 1.2770 in a context where safe-haven demand continues to dictate sentiment amid the chaos of US tariffs.

GBP/USD News
Gold slips back below the $3,000 mark

Gold slips back below the $3,000 mark

 

Gold has turned lower, slipping beneath the key $3,000 mark per troy ounce amid a broad sell-off across global equity markets. The decline in the precious metal may reflect investors unwinding long positions in gold to offset mounting losses in stocks.

Gold News
US stock market suddenly reverses higher after rumor of 90-day tariff pause before sinking again

US stock market suddenly reverses higher after rumor of 90-day tariff pause before sinking again Premium

NASDAQ sinks 4% before shooting higher on tariff pause rumor. CNBC says White House unaware of tariff pause rumor. S&P 500 sinks to January 2024 level. Bank of America cuts its year-end target for S&P 500 by 16%.

Read more
Strategic implications of “Liberation Day”

Strategic implications of “Liberation Day”

Liberation Day in the United States came with extremely protectionist and inward-looking tariff policy aimed at just about all U.S. trading partners. In this report, we outline some of the more strategic implications of Liberation Day and developments we will be paying close attention to going forward.

Read more
The Best brokers to trade EUR/USD

The Best brokers to trade EUR/USD

SPONSORED Discover the top brokers for trading EUR/USD in 2025. Our list features brokers with competitive spreads, fast execution, and powerful platforms. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, find the right partner to navigate the dynamic Forex market.

Read More

Forex MAJORS

Cryptocurrencies

Signatures

Best Brokers of 2025