The US Dollar Index (DXY), which compares the dollar against six major currencies, is poised for a weekly gain, reversing a three-week downturn with an anticipated 0.6% rise. This shift comes amid expectations of pivotal central bank meetings, including the U.S. Federal Reserve.
At 13:40 GMT, the US Dollar Index (DXY) is trading 103.392, up 0.031 or +0.03%.
Recent U.S. Treasury yield movements were muted as investors grappled with the implications of higher-than-anticipated inflation data. The Producer Price Index (PPI) for February showed a 0.6% monthly increase, surpassing expectations. Core PPI, excluding food and energy, rose by 0.3%. Similarly, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) indicated a 0.4% month-over-month increase and a 3.2% yearly rise, also above forecasts.
The upcoming Federal Reserve meeting is highly anticipated, with expectations of maintaining current interest rates. However, given recent inflation data, investors are eager for hints regarding potential interest rate cuts. Presently, there’s about a 60% chance of a rate cut in June, a slight decrease from earlier predictions.
In Japan, significant wage increases have sparked speculations about the Bank of Japan moving away from negative interest rates. Similar anticipations surround other central banks, like the Bank of England and the Swiss National Bank. The yen and the euro have shown slight adjustments against the dollar, with the yen experiencing its most significant weekly drop since January and the euro increasing marginally.
Considering the current economic indicators, including inflation rates and central bank policies, the DXY is likely to experience cautious optimism in the short term. While the Federal Reserve might exhibit more restraint in their inflation outlook, the overall trend suggests a slightly bullish forecast for the DXY. This outlook is tempered by the global central bank decisions and currency market reactions in the coming weeks.
The US Dollar Index (DXY) is inching higher on Friday, putting it in a position to challenge a wall of resistance formed by the 50-day moving average at 103.546 and the 200-day moving average at 103.693.
Since the intermediate and long-term trends are down, we expect sellers to show up on the first test of 103.546 – 103.693. However, the latter is also a trigger point for an acceleration to the upside.
James is a Florida-based technical analyst, market researcher, educator and trader with 35+ years of experience. He is an expert in the area of patterns, price and time analysis as it applies to futures, Forex, and stocks.