USD talking points:
– The Dollar continues to show all-round strength as high US inflation makes further US interest rate rises this year ever more likely.
– That’s weakening many other currencies, as well as gold.
Check out the IG Client Sentiment data to help you trade profitably.
And for a longer-term outlook take a look at our Q2 forecast for USD.
USD strength still in focus
Rising US inflation is continuing to boost the Dollar at the expense of many other currencies as the likelihood of tighter US monetary policy this year to combat price pressures continues to give the currency an interest rate advantage over its rivals. While April producer price data this session are expected to show a mild easing of the upside pressure on consumer prices further down the line, April consumer price figures tomorrow are forecast to show further increases; a trend that will likely keep the Federal Reserve on the path towards still higher rates.
This session, the US dollar basket hit its highest level this year before easing back a little.
US Dollar Basket Price Chart, Daily Timeframe (November 27, 2017 – May 9, 2018)
At the same time, EURUSD has eased to its weakest since December last year, undermined by the prospect of a snap general election in Italy in the next few months that could result in populists taking control as well as by news of an unexpected fall in French industrial production in March that emphasized the relative weakness of the Euro-Zone economy.
GBPUSD is close to its 2018 lows too, with sentiment hit by a lack of progress on Brexit and by data from the British Retail Consortium showing the sharpest fall since the BRC started collecting retail sales data 23 years ago.
Elsewhere, AUDUSD has fallen to its lowest level since June last year, USDCAD continues to climb, USDJPY has risen strongly this session and the price of gold has fallen as the yield on the 10-year US Treasury note has risen back to 3%, emphasizing the Dollar’s interest-rate advantage against many other major currencies.
Resources to help you trade the forex markets
Whether you are a new or an experienced trader, at DailyFX we have many resources to help you: analytical and educational webinars hosted several times per day, trading guides to help you improve your trading performance, and one specifically for those who are new to forex. You can learn how to trade like an expert by reading our guide to the Traits of Successful Traders.
— Written by Martin Essex, Analyst and Editor
Feel free to contact me via the comments section below, via email at martin.essex@ig.com or on Twitter @MartinSEssex
