USD sees strength on the back of a yield play while tomorrow sees the much focused on FOMC rate decision
FX markets have seen yet another volatile session today, with play dictated once again by the greenback ahead of the much anticipated Fed rate decision announcement. The USD kicked off the day with significant softness and the USD-index lower by 0.5% midway through the European session. However, the greenback turned around as US participants arrived at their desk to reside in positive territory after risk on sentiment saw a fall in T-notes, prompting a yield play into USD. The USD was further bolstered by the release of US CPI, with the Y/Y figure printing above expectation (0.50% vs. Exp. 0.40%) to provide further weight to the argument that the US economy is ready to withstand a rate hike. As such, ahead of the European close, a number of key levels were broken amid the USD strength with GBP/USD falling below 1.5100, USD/JPY moving above 121.50 and AUD/USD slipping below 0.7200
Over in Europe, today saw notable data in the form of UK CPI (Y/Y 0.10% vs. Exp. 0.10%) and the latest German ZEW survey (Expectations 16.10 vs. Exp. 15), with markets shrugging off both releases as focus instead fell on the aforementioned price action across the pond. Also in focus today was the Riksbank rate decision, with the Swedish central bank opting to keep rates on hold, which then saw strength go through the SEK as participants unwound outside bets for a rate cut.
Looking ahead, tomorrow could well see the most important financial event of the year in the form of the potential FOMC rate hike, while elsewhere tomorrow sees the preliminary readings of manufacturing and services PMIs, the UK employment data and US housing starts, building permits and industrial production as well as New Zealand’s GDP.