- Dollar Index trades at 104.6, registering mild losses in Tuesday’s trading.
- USD is trading sideways as a cautious Fed is hesitant on premature easing.
- The odds of a cut in September slightly decrease but remain high.
The US Dollar Index (DXY) is seen at 104.6 level on Tuesday with mild losses. Amid signals of robust growth and persistent inflation in the US, Federal Reserve (Fed) officials continue to express caution about premature easing. The market’s focus is steadily shifting toward the forthcoming release of the Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC) Minutes on Wednesday and mid-tier data on Thursday and Friday including S&P PMIs and Durable Goods Orders.
As long as the US economy continues its robust growth while enduring inflation, Fed officials will lean toward caution, which could limit the downside for the USD.
Daily digest market movers: DXY mildly down as markets await FOMC Minutes
- Fed officials express concerns over rushing into easing amidst relaxed financial conditions and continuously advocate for a cautious approach toward rate cuts.
- Market predictions currently suggest a 75% chance of a rate decrease during the Fed’s September meeting, odds that are mildly lower after being priced in last week.
- Any fresh clues on the May FOMC Meeting Minutes or the outcome of May’s S&P PMIs or April Durable Goods orders might generate volatility in the USD dynamics.
DXY technical analysis: DXY’s balance between bulls and bears persists, while investors await direction
The indicators on the daily chart reflect a state of equilibrium for the US Dollar Index. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) remains flat, indicating no clear dominance between buying and selling momentum. However, It remains in negative territory, which could suggest an overall bearish bias, but not decidedly so. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) shows flat red bars, hinting at bearish sentiment remaining steady.
Despite the increased selling pressure pushing the pair below the 20-day Simple Moving Average (SMA), it continues to stay above the 100 and 200-day SMAs. While the market appears to await direction, the ability of the Index to maintain above the 100 and 200-day SMAs shows persistent demand each time the DXY dips, highlighting a bigger bullish picture.
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.
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