- EUR/USD faces selling pressure as flash Eurozone annual headline HICP came in lower at 1.8% than estimates of 1.9% in September.
- The ECB is highly expected to cut interest rates again in October.
- Investors await the US labor market data for fresh interest rate guidance.
EUR/USD slides below the round-level support of 1.1100 in Tuesday’s European session. The major currency pair weakens due to further deceleration in the preliminary annual Eurozone headline Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) below the European Central Bank’s (ECB) target of 2%, which has boosted market speculation for the ECB cutting interest rates again in October.
The report showed that the annual headline HICP inflation decelerated at a faster-than-expected pace to 1.8% from the estimates of 1.9% and August’s reading of 2.2%. The core HICP – which excludes volatile items such as food, energy, alcohol, and tobacco – rose by 2.7%, slower than expectations and the August reading of 2.8%. Monthly headline HICP deflated by 0.1% in September, while the core HICP grew at a similar pace.
The ECB delivered the second interest rate cut of its current policy-easing cycle in September and is expected to cut again in October. The return of the annual HICP below 2% is not the sole reason for an increase in the ECB rate cut bets. The Old Continent is underperforming on various parameters, such as the labor market and overall economic activity. Therefore, more rate cuts are needed for the economic revival.
On Monday, ECB President Christine Lagarde acknowledged, “Some survey indicators suggest that the recovery is facing headwinds,” at the European Union parliamentary hearing in Brussels. “The latest developments strengthen our confidence that inflation will return to target in a timely manner,” and “we will take that into account in our next monetary policy meeting in October,” she added.
Daily digest market movers: EUR/USD weakens on US Dollar’s recovery
- EUR/USD remains under pressure as the US Dollar (USD) bounces back after traders pare Federal Reserve (Fed) large rate cut bets for November. The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback’s value against six major currencies, jumps above 101.00. According to the CME FedWatch tool, 30-day Federal Fund futures pricing data shows that the likelihood of the Fed reducing interest rates by 50 bps in November waned to 35.3% from 58% a week ago.
- Market speculation for Fed outsize interest rate cuts eased after Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s comments at the National Association for Business Economics conference on Monday, which indicated that the central bank will reduce key rates by quarter-to-a-percentage in both meetings remaining this year. Powell said, “If the economy evolves as expected, that would be two more cuts by year’s end, for a total reduction of half a percentage point more”, Reuters reported.
- On the contrary, Atlanta Fed Bank President Raphael Bostic backed a second straight interest rate cut by 50 bps if the labor market data weakens unexpectedly. For fresh insights about the current labor market health, investors will focus on the United States (US) ADP Employment Change and the Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) data for September, which will be published on Wednesday and Friday, respectively.
- In Tuesday’s New York session, the US Dollar will be influenced by the US ISM Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for September and the JOLTS Job Openings data for August, which will be published at 14:00 GMT.
Technical Analysis: EUR/USD falls from 1.1200
EUR/USD drops sharply to near 1.1100 after failing to recapture the key resistance of 1.1200 on Monday. The major currency pair drops slightly below the upward-sloping 20-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) near 1.1110, suggesting that the near-term outlook has become uncertain.
The long-term outlook of the shared currency pair remains firm till it holds the breakout of the Rising Channel chart pattern formed on a daily time frame near the psychological support of 1.1000.
The 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) edges lower below 60.00, suggesting momentum is weakening.
Looking up, a decisive break above the round-level resistance of 1.1200 will result in further appreciation toward the July 2023 high of 1.1276. On the downside, the psychological level of 1.1000 and the July 17 high near 1.0950 will be major support zones.
Euro FAQs
The Euro is the currency for the 19 European Union countries that belong to the Eurozone. It is the second most heavily traded currency in the world behind the US Dollar. In 2022, it accounted for 31% of all foreign exchange transactions, with an average daily turnover of over $2.2 trillion a day. EUR/USD is the most heavily traded currency pair in the world, accounting for an estimated 30% off all transactions, followed by EUR/JPY (4%), EUR/GBP (3%) and EUR/AUD (2%).
The European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt, Germany, is the reserve bank for the Eurozone. The ECB sets interest rates and manages monetary policy. The ECB’s primary mandate is to maintain price stability, which means either controlling inflation or stimulating growth. Its primary tool is the raising or lowering of interest rates. Relatively high interest rates – or the expectation of higher rates – will usually benefit the Euro and vice versa. The ECB Governing Council makes monetary policy decisions at meetings held eight times a year. Decisions are made by heads of the Eurozone national banks and six permanent members, including the President of the ECB, Christine Lagarde.
Eurozone inflation data, measured by the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), is an important econometric for the Euro. If inflation rises more than expected, especially if above the ECB’s 2% target, it obliges the ECB to raise interest rates to bring it back under control. Relatively high interest rates compared to its counterparts will usually benefit the Euro, as it makes the region more attractive as a place for global investors to park their money.
Data releases gauge the health of the economy and can impact on the Euro. Indicators such as GDP, Manufacturing and Services PMIs, employment, and consumer sentiment surveys can all influence the direction of the single currency. A strong economy is good for the Euro. Not only does it attract more foreign investment but it may encourage the ECB to put up interest rates, which will directly strengthen the Euro. Otherwise, if economic data is weak, the Euro is likely to fall. Economic data for the four largest economies in the euro area (Germany, France, Italy and Spain) are especially significant, as they account for 75% of the Eurozone’s economy.
Another significant data release for the Euro is the Trade Balance. This indicator measures the difference between what a country earns from its exports and what it spends on imports over a given period. If a country produces highly sought after exports then its currency will gain in value purely from the extra demand created from foreign buyers seeking to purchase these goods. Therefore, a positive net Trade Balance strengthens a currency and vice versa for a negative balance.
