Since January 1 of this new year, the U.S. Dollar Index has been on a one-way move higher. The index has been in a long-term channel since mid-2018 and finally broke below it in December, only to be halted at the 50% retracement level from the lows on June 13, 2018 to the highs on October 1 of last year. More recently, over the last 2 weeks, the DXY has broken through a key inflection point near 97.50/97.75. At this level, price broke through:
- The upper trendline of the downward sloping channel, formed off the October 1 highs.
- The bottom trendline line of the upward slopping channel from 2015
- The 200-Day Moving Average
Source: Tradingview, FOREX.com
On a 240-minuted chart of the DXY, the upward trend is in full effect. However, there is plenty of resistance just above. Price is currently trading near 98.15. There is horizontal resistance near 98.25, as well as the 61.8% retracement level from the October 1 highs to the December 31 lows near 98.40. (98.50 is the target for the flag pattern that was formed off the lows as well). In addition, the RSI is over 75. Any reading above 70 is worth watching for possible pullbacks in price.
Source: Tradingview, FOREX.com
The Euro makes up almost 58% of the US Dollar index. So, it is no surprise that as the Dollar Index moves higher, the EUR/USD would move lower. The EUR/USD was in a falling wedge since mid-2018 and in December broke higher out of the wedge. Price halted at the 61.8% retracement level from the highs on June 24 to the lows of October 1 and reversed. More recently, over the last 2-week, EUR/USD has broken through a key inflection area near 1.1100. Near this level, price broke through:
- The rising trendline off the lows from October 1.
Price is currently at horizontal and psychological support near 1.1000.
Source: Tradingview, FOREX.com
On a 240-minuted chart of the EUR/USD, the downward trend is in full effect. Price has moved lower out of a head-and-shoulders pattern and has already broken through horizontal support and the 61.8% retracement level from the October 1 lows to the Decmeber 31 highs, whereas DXY has not broken through its corresponding levels. In addition, the RSI is oversold and diverging with price, whereas the DXY is not diverging. The target for the head-and-shoulders pattern is near 1.0935, which is also horizontal support.
Source: Tradingview, FOREX.co
If it turns out to be the case that the EUR/USD is really leading the DXY, one would expect the DXY to push higher through the near-term resistance levels.