US Dollar lost further ground with Fed around the corner
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Patricio Martín
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27 Jan @ 06:06 (GMT+0)

US Dollar lost further ground with Fed around the corner

  • The Dollar Index remains under heavy pressure, slipping below 108.00 and testing the critical 107.00 level.
  • New Home Sales in December beat estimates, rising to 698,000 units versus expectations of 670,000.
  • President Trump’s tariff threats on Colombia imports and Wednesday’s Federal Reserve decision add uncertainty to the Dollar’s trajectory.

The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the value of the US Dollar (USD) against a basket of currencies, continues to slide on Monday, breaking below the psychological 108.00 mark. Concerns over AI-related market valuation, combined with geopolitical tensions from President Donald Trump’s tariff threats against Colombia, contribute to bearish sentiment. Economic data highlights some resilience in the United States (US) economy, but the Dollar remains under pressure ahead of the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) Wednesday decision on interest rates.

Daily digest market movers: US Dollar under pressure amid Fed anticipation and geopolitical tensions

  • The Chicago Fed National Activity Index for December rebounded to 0.15 from -0.01 in November, reflecting stronger economic activity.
  • December New Home Sales surged to 698,000 units, surpassing the forecast of 670,000 and November's 674,000 figure.
  • President Trump’s proposal to impose 50% tariffs on Colombian imports over deportation disputes rattles trade markets and global sentiment.
  • Markets will look for further clues on the incoming president’s plans on tariffs on its North American neighbors.
  • Federal Reserve’s Wednesday meeting looms large; markets are watching closely for updates on rate decisions and economic outlook with a hold priced in.
  • Both the statement and Chair Jerome Powell’s tone will be closely looked upon by the markets.

DXY technical outlook: Bearish momentum builds further

The US Dollar Index remains below 108.00, showing persistent downward momentum. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) continues to linger under the neutral 50 mark, indicating weak relative strength. Meanwhile, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) histogram deepens in the red, signaling intensifying bearish pressure. Although the index is testing oversold conditions, the downside risks remain, with the potential to breach 107.00. A corrective bounce could occur if the movement becomes overstretched, but recovery beyond 108.50 appears challenging unless sentiment shifts significantly. For now, the path of least resistance points further downward.

Central banks FAQs

Central Banks have a key mandate which is making sure that there is price stability in a country or region. Economies are constantly facing inflation or deflation when prices for certain goods and services are fluctuating. Constant rising prices for the same goods means inflation, constant lowered prices for the same goods means deflation. It is the task of the central bank to keep the demand in line by tweaking its policy rate. For the biggest central banks like the US Federal Reserve (Fed), the European Central Bank (ECB) or the Bank of England (BoE), the mandate is to keep inflation close to 2%.

A central bank has one important tool at its disposal to get inflation higher or lower, and that is by tweaking its benchmark policy rate, commonly known as interest rate. On pre-communicated moments, the central bank will issue a statement with its policy rate and provide additional reasoning on why it is either remaining or changing (cutting or hiking) it. Local banks will adjust their savings and lending rates accordingly, which in turn will make it either harder or easier for people to earn on their savings or for companies to take out loans and make investments in their businesses. When the central bank hikes interest rates substantially, this is called monetary tightening. When it is cutting its benchmark rate, it is called monetary easing.

A central bank is often politically independent. Members of the central bank policy board are passing through a series of panels and hearings before being appointed to a policy board seat. Each member in that board often has a certain conviction on how the central bank should control inflation and the subsequent monetary policy. Members that want a very loose monetary policy, with low rates and cheap lending, to boost the economy substantially while being content to see inflation slightly above 2%, are called ‘doves’. Members that rather want to see higher rates to reward savings and want to keep a lit on inflation at all time are called ‘hawks’ and will not rest until inflation is at or just below 2%.

Normally, there is a chairman or president who leads each meeting, needs to create a consensus between the hawks or doves and has his or her final say when it would come down to a vote split to avoid a 50-50 tie on whether the current policy should be adjusted. The chairman will deliver speeches which often can be followed live, where the current monetary stance and outlook is being communicated. A central bank will try to push forward its monetary policy without triggering violent swings in rates, equities, or its currency. All members of the central bank will channel their stance toward the markets in advance of a policy meeting event. A few days before a policy meeting takes place until the new policy has been communicated, members are forbidden to talk publicly. This is called the blackout period.