|

USD struggling to see meaningful upside – Westpac

In view of Richard Franulovich, Research Analyst at Westpac, USD index has found a base at 98.5 and can see 100/101 near term but struggling to see meaningful upside.

Key Quotes

“Rising probabilities for June and Sep Fed hike are an obvious USD positive but yield spreads are not moving much in the USD’s favour: June Fed hike pricing may have risen from +18bp to +23bp since late April but pricing through to year's end remains stuck at 41bp, and yield elsewhere, most notably Europe are firming as the recovery there continues to gain traction.”

“Trump’s reflationary policies already faced significant obstacles, notably the challenge Republicans have in finding a consensus that satisfies both House conservatives and centrist Senators. The deepening scandal around “Russiagate” raises the political obstacles yet further, both as an all-consuming distraction and by reducing the president’s political capital/support in Congress. Political risks surge yet further in September when a new government funding bill is due and the debt ceiling comes into play.”

Author

Sandeep Kanihama

Sandeep Kanihama

FXStreet Contributor

Sandeep Kanihama is an FX Editor and Analyst with FXstreet having principally focus area on Asia and European markets with commodity, currency and equities coverage. He is stationed in the Indian capital city of Delhi.

More from Sandeep Kanihama
Share:

Editor's Picks

GBP/USD tumbles to three-day lows around 1.3420

GBP/USD comes under extra selling pressure and revisits the area of multi-day lows near 1.3420 in quite a bearish start to the week. Cable’s decline comes amid the firmer Greenback as investors continue to assess developments in the US-Iran conflict. Moving forward, attention will turn to the UK employment report on Tuesday.


EUR/USD meets some initial contention around 1.1400

EUR/USD keeps the bearish bias well in place, slipping back toward the 1.1400 region, where some initial support appears to have turned up. The auspicious start to the week of the US Dollar has kept the risk complex under pressure as investors has continued to closely follow developments from the Middle East conflict. The release of the ZEW Economic Sentiment in the Euroland and Germany are next on tap on the domestic calendar.

Gold stuck just above $4,000

Gold reverses Friday’s uptick, gyrating around the key $4,000 mark per troy ounce at the beginning of the week. Escalating military action in the Middle East provides some support to the safe-haven metal, although expectations of higher US interest rates bolster the US Dollar and keeps its under the microscope.

Ethereum Price Forecast: BitMine slows ETH accumulation in favor of share buybacks
Ethereum (ETH) is hovering near $1,900 following a drop in accumulation by BitMine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) in favor of $85 million worth of share buybacks and continued recovery in ETH exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Ethereum treasury firm BitMine scooped up 7,430 ETH last week, marking its lowest weekly acquisition since pivoting to a crypto treasury model.
Here's where the Canadian Dollar is headed next: 4 bearish scenarios and a bullish one
The Canadian Dollar (CAD) has ridden a volatile first half of the year, with Oil prices surging and then falling as markets danced to the Middle East’s tune. Neither the Bank of Canada nor the Federal Reserve has changed rates so far this year, and the USD/CAD's next move may depend on which of the two banks fails to deliver what markets expect.
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.