Dollar's Weak Show Amidst Weak Data
21 Janeiro 2025 - 12:58AM
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The U.S. Dollar recorded a mixed performance during the past
week amidst favorable economic data and anxiety ahead of the
inauguration of Donald Trump's presidency. The week spanning
January 13 to 17 witnessed the greenback weakening against the
euro, the Australian Dollar and the Japanese Yen but gaining
against the British Pound. The Dollar Index, a measure of the
Dollar's relative strength against a basket of six specified
currencies also declined during the week.
The Dollar Index, a measure of the Dollar's strength against a
basket of 6 currencies closed the week ended January 17 at 109.35,
versus 109.65 a week earlier. The Index slipped from the
multi-month high of 110.18 touched on Monday in the aftermath of
the stronger-than-expected payrolls data to a low of 108.60 on
Wednesday, the day the CPI readings for December were released.
Recent data from the U.S. that showed softer-than-expected
levels of core inflation, producer price inflation, and retail
sales that are expected to increase the headroom available to the
Federal Reserve to ease monetary policy, abetted the greenback's
decline.
Consumer price inflation update from the U.S. on Wednesday and
in particular, the softer-than-expected core inflation swayed
currency market sentiment significantly. The core component of the
year-on-year inflation which was seen steady at 3.3 percent
unexpectedly declined to 3.2 percent. Though annual headline
inflation increased to 2.9 percent from 2.7 percent in November, it
was in line with market expectations.
While month-on-month inflation which was seen steady at 0.3
percent unexpectedly edged up to 0.4 percent, the core component
thereof dropped to 0.2 percent in line with expectations.
The EUR/USD pair rallied 0.26 percent during the week ended
January 17 amidst the dollar's weakness and hints from ECB
officials of a pursuit of a monetary policy middle path. From the
level of 1.0244 on January 10, the pair increased to 1.0271 in a
week's time. The week's trading ranged between 1.0178 touched on
Monday and 1.0355 recorded on Wednesday.
The sterling however slipped against the greenback by 0.34
percent. The GBP/USD pair ranged between Monday's low of 1.2098 and
Wednesday's high of 1.2307. The pair eventually closed at 1.2163,
versus 1.2204 a week earlier amidst data that showed an unexpected
decline in inflation as well as GDP in the U.K.
The AUD/USD pair strengthened 0.73 percent during the week ended
January 17, rising to 0.6190, from 0.6145 a week earlier. The pair
recorded the week's low of 0.6131 on Monday and the week's high of
0.6248 on Wednesday. The currency movement came amidst an uptick in
Australia's unemployment rate and largest trading partner China's
trade data release on Sunday that showed a bigger-than-expected
jump in imports and exports.
The yen's strength dragged down the USD/JPY pair by 0.88
percent, to 156.30 from 157.69 a week earlier. However, the pair's
weekly trading range was much wider, between the high of 158.23 on
Tuesday and low of 154.98 on Thursday. The yen's strength came
amidst renewed fears over another rate hike by Bank of Japan as
early as this week.
Despite the data-led decline in the U.S. dollar over the course
of the past week, the greenback has dropped further in the current
week. The six-currency Dollar Index is currently at 108.58, versus
109.35 at close on Friday. Speculations about the intensity and
immediacy of Trump's tariff measures and other economic polies
continue to hold sway over the currency market.
The EUR/USD pair has rallied to 1.0362 whereas the GBP/USD pair
has strengthened to 1.2260. The AUD/USD pair is currently at
0.6233, versus 0.6190 at close on Friday. Ahead of Bank of Japan's
interest rate decision due on Thursday, the USD/JPY pair has
declined to 155.72.