• Prior +7.6%
• CPI +0.9% vs +0.6% m/m expected
• Prior +0.1%
• HICP +8.5% vs +8.1% y/y expected
• Prior +8.2%
• HICP +0.8% vs +0.4% m/m expected
• Prior -0.1%

The state readings earlier were mixed but evidently, the rise in consumer inflation in Germany’s industrial state outweighed the drop in annual inflation elsewhere. That’s not a comfortable set of figures with the EU-harmonised reading just short of the May high of 8.7% y/y. The increase in the monthly figures is also disconcerting as there will likely be a further spike come September once government subsidies expiries on 31 August.

This article was written by Justin Low at www.forexlive.com.

Headlines:

• Dollar pushes back, US Q2 GDP data in focus
• Treasury yields pull higher in European morning trade
• Eurozone July final consumer confidence -27.0 vs -27.0 prelim
• Saxony July CPI 7.2% vs 7.7% y/y prior
• Bavaria July CPI 8.0% vs 7.9% y/y prior
• North Rhine Westphalia July CPI 7.8% vs 7.5% y/y prior
• Japan says no plans to impose movement restrictions even as COVID-19 cases surge

Markets:

• JPY leads, EUR lags on the day
• European equities mostly higher; S&P 500 futures down 0.3%
• US 10-year yields up 5 bps to 2.782%
• Gold up 0.3% to $1,739.93
• WTI crude up 2.3% to $99.47
• Bitcoin up 1.3% to $23,084

The market continues to reflect on the Fed meeting yesterday and today, the dollar is finding a bit of a footing against most major currencies bar the yen. The Japanese currency surged higher in Asia trading, with USD/JPY falling to a low of 135.11 before sticking around 135.30-60 for the most part in European morning trade. That comes despite higher Treasury yields on the day. 10-year yields are up 5 bps to 2.78% with the high earlier coming in close to 2.83%.

The dollar was initially sluggish but as the euro slumped following another torrid set of economic data, the greenback managed to find some footing on the day. Euro area economic confidence slumped to a 17-month low and the selling kicked in later with EUR/USD falling from 1.0215 to 1.0120 and is holding at the lows now.

GBP/USD also slumped with a drop from 1.2190 to 1.2105 while USD/CAD moved up from 1.2800 to 1.2820 levels. Meanwhile, AUD/USD saw gains ease up near 0.7000 in a fall to 0.6965 during the session.

Risk trades are looking more guarded on the day with US futures keeping lower but all eyes are on the US Q2 GDP data now, with it being a potential catalyst for market moves now that the Fed has stressed data dependency.

This article was written by Justin Low at www.forexlive.com.

It started with some selling in the euro but as that deepened, it is turning into a broader bid for the dollar and the yen in European trading at the moment. EUR/USD has tumbled to a low of 1.0125, down 0.7% on the day, while GBP/USD has fallen from a high of 1.2190 to 1.2110 during the session.

Elsewhere, USD/CAD has erased losses to turn flat at 1.2825 now after briefly slipping below 1.2800 and we are also seeing AUD/USD fall lower by 0.2% to 0.6975 at the lows for the day after attempting to push above 0.7000 earlier. Those are key levels as highlighted in the post earlier here.

It looks like dollar buyers are showing some appetite as the post-FOMC rumblings continue, but just be wary that we do we have US Q2 GDP data to come later today and that could be a market mover in its own right.

This article was written by Justin Low at www.forexlive.com.

Things are not looking good for the euro as it continues to struggle to stay afloat despite all that is going on in the major currencies space. The dollar has been the main focus amid the Fed but the euro is stealing a bit of the spotlight today as it drops further across the board. If that isn’t an ominous signal, I’m not sure what else is there to take away from the euro’s inability to get off the floor.

While most major currencies are seeing a modest push against the dollar, the euro has struggled to get above the 50.0 Fib retracement level at 1.0283. In fact, the single currency has even struggled to contest that level and there hasn’t been much optimism after the ECB policy decision last week.

Economic data and sentiment continues to deteriorate and today’s economic confidence reading saw a drop to 17-month lows.

Surging inflation, a central bank which tends to only hike into a recession, a looming gas crisis ahead of winter, and the worst part? There doesn’t seem to be much relief on any fronts even as we dig in to the second half of the year. Sure, supply chain issues have eased slightly and energy prices have come off the boil but the continuation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict just ensures that there are more isolated problems than there are common solutions for the euro area at the moment.

Germany is set to face a serious gas crunch and a recession in Europe’s biggest economy looks more than likely at the moment. Meanwhile, Italy is facing a political upheaval and is giving more problems for the ECB to do their job – in which policymakers have already been rather slow in trying to address inflation pressures.

It’s hard to look at positives for the euro when the fundamental outlook is so dire. EUR/JPY is also now approaching its 100-day moving average to its lowest in two weeks at 137.67 while EUR/CHF is dribbling lower and threatening a push back towards 0.9700 after the break of parity.

This article was written by Justin Low at www.forexlive.com.

European indices are more mixed on the day with the early gains dissipating as US futures are also tilting lower, following a big day of gains yesterday. S&P 500 futures are down 0.5% while Nasdaq futures are down 1.1%, chipping away slightly at some of the Wall Street rally in the day before. It is still early though and we have US Q2 GDP data to work with before the open later.

Meanwhile, Treasury yields are keeping higher after holding at a key level again as noted here. 10-year yields are up 5 bps to 2.78% with the high earlier hitting nearly 2.83% – being pushed back by the 100-day moving average.

As for the dollar, it is trading mostly lower – only being little changed against the euro. EUR/USD is sitting close to 1.0200 and is still holding within a consolidation range of sorts between 1.0100 and the 50.0 Fib retracement level at 1.0283.

Meanwhile, USD/JPY is keeping lower on the day despite higher yields as the pair is down 0.9% to 135.30 currently. The 135.00 level is the key support level to watch out for at the moment:

GBP/USD is keeping just a touch higher after yesterday’s break, with the high earlier touching 1.2191. The next key resistance region to watch will be the 1.2200 level for offers and the 50.0 Fib retracement level of the swing lower from last month at 1.2213:

Besides that, commodity currencies are holding light gains against the greenback with AUD/USD flirting with a push above 0.7000 at the moment. That remains a key psychological level for the pair and buyers are looking poised after the push above the 50.0 Fib retracement level at 0.6982 yesterday:

A firm break above the figure level will tee up a potential push towards the 61.8 Fib retracement level at 0.7053 with the 16 June high at 0.7069 also in focus.

Then we have USD/CAD, which is testing 1.2800 at the moment and threatening a steeper drop after a breach of support around 1.2815-20 in trading yesterday:

A drop below that will put into focus the 100-day moving average at 1.2773 as the next key support level.

The US Q2 GDP data could provide a catalyst for market moves and overall, it looks like the dollar is showing some vulnerabilities but there are key technical levels to work through for a further breakdown in the greenback.

So far, the immediate reaction post-FOMC is just carrying with the recent pullback in the dollar and there needs to be more to convince of a significant breakdown in the bigger trend.

This article was written by Justin Low at www.forexlive.com.