On Friday, February 17, the US Dollar reached fresh weekly highs against most major rivals, but gave back some ground ahead of the Wall Street close as US indexes bounced from their early lows. This was due to the US Producer Price Index (PPI) which was up 6% year-on-year (YoY) in January, down from 6.5% in December, but above the 5.4% forecast. This news revived speculation that the US Federal Reserve will maintain the pace of tightening for more than anticipated, while a pivot in monetary policy moved further away.
Stocks came under intense selling pressure, although Wall Street trimmed most of its intraday losses ahead of the close. US government bond yields, on the other hand, advanced, with the 10-year note now offering 3.83% and the 2-year note paying 4.61%.
The EUR/USD pair trades a handful of pips below 1.0700, while GBP/USD hovers around 1.2010. European Central Bank Executive Board member Fabio Panetta said raising borrowing costs in small increments would allow a better monetary policy adjustment as previous tightening has started to put a brake on economic activity.
According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s GDPNow model, the US economy is expected to grow at an annualized rate of 2.5% in the first quarter, up from 2.4% in the previous estimate. Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem said he expects Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation to fall to around 3% in the middle of this year and reach the 2% target in 2024. However, he added, “if evidence begins to accumulate to show that inflation is not declining in line with forecast, we are prepared to raise policy rate further.” USD/CAD trades at around 1.3420.
Meanwhile, AUD/USD battles to regain the 0.6900 threshold after falling to a fresh monthly low on the back of soft Australian employment data and the sour tone of equities. USD/JPY topped 134.45 with US yields intraday peaks, now down to 133.80.
Gold prices fell to $1,827.58 a troy ounce, its lowest since early January. It currently hovers at around $1,842, helped by receding risk aversion. Crude oil prices remained stable, with WTI changing hands at $78.45 a barrel.
As for Bitcoin price, it could run up to $41,000 over the next month if it follows a certain pattern.
In conclusion, the US Dollar reached fresh weekly peaks against most major rivals on Friday, February 17, giving back some ground ahead of the Wall Street close as US indexes bounced from their early lows. This was due to the US Producer Price Index (PPI) which was up 6% year-on-year (YoY) in January, down from 6.5% in December, but above the 5.4% forecast. The news revived speculation that the US Federal Reserve will maintain the pace of tightening for more than anticipated, while a pivot in monetary policy moved further away. Stocks came under intense selling pressure, although Wall Street trimmed most of its intraday losses ahead of the close. US government bond yields, on the other hand, advanced, with the 10-year note now offering 3.83% and the 2-year note paying 4.61%.
The EUR/USD pair trades a handful of pips below 1.0700, while GBP/USD hovers around 1.2010. European Central Bank Executive Board member Fabio Panetta said raising borrowing costs in small increments would allow a better monetary policy adjustment as previous tightening has started to put a brake on economic activity. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s GDPNow model, the US economy is expected to grow at an annualized rate of 2.5% in the first quarter, up from 2.4% in the previous estimate.
Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem said he expects Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation to fall to around 3% in the middle of this year and reach the 2% target in 2024. However, he added, “if evidence begins to accumulate to show that inflation is not declining in line with forecast, we are prepared to raise policy rate further.” USD/CAD trades at around 1.3420. AUD/USD battles to regain the 0.6900 threshold after falling to a fresh monthly low on the back of soft Australian employment data and the sour tone of equities. USD/JPY topped 134.45 with US yields intraday peaks, now down to 133.80.
Gold prices fell to $1,827.58 a troy ounce, its lowest since early January. It currently hovers at around $1,842, helped by receding risk aversion. Crude oil prices remained stable, with WTI changing hands at $78.45 a barrel. As for Bitcoin price, it could run up to $41,000 over the next month if it follows a certain pattern.
It is important to note that the US Dollar’s performance on Friday, February 17, as well as the market trends, could have a significant impact on the global economy. Therefore, it is essential to stay up-to-date with the latest news and developments, as well as to keep an eye on the US Dollar, stocks, bond yields, and other major currencies. By doing so, investors and traders can make informed decisions and take advantage of potential opportunities in the market.
