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DXY
On Thursday, the U.S. dollar held steady following the release of the U.S. CPI data. The market wrestled with unemployment claims, which were skewed due to recent hurricane impacts. The dollar index remained above 102.50, seeking support amid rising yields and growing speculation that the Federal Reserve might cut rates by 25 basis points in November. The dollar climbed further, nearing a multi-week high, just below the critical 103.00 mark. The recent inflation report and initial unemployment claims took center stage, and remarks from Federal Reserve members Daly and Cook are also anticipated. As markets digest the Federal Open Market Committee's (FOMC) September meeting minutes, the dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, showed gains against most of its rivals. The minutes revealed that Fed members were not committing to an aggressive easing path despite indications of an economic slowdown, and acknowledged the mixed outlook, supporting a data-driven approach to policy.
From the daily chart, the 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) has rebounded sharply above 66 from a recent low of 37, indicating a strengthening upside momentum. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) also suggests a robust bullish signal, implying that the dollar index could continue to advance. However, the overall trend remains bearish due to existing downside pressures. Key support levels to watch are 102.45 (Wednesday’s low), 102.09 (9-day moving average), and 102.00 (psychological level), with significant resistance around 103.00 (round number), 103.28 (100-day moving average), and 103.77 (200-day moving average).
Today’s recommendation is to short the dollar index around 102.98, with a stop loss at 103.10 and targets at 102.60 and 102.50.
AUD/USD
On Thursday, the AUD/USD stabilized after briefly testing the crucial support level at 0.6700, reversing its multi-day downtrend despite a slight uptick in the USD following the U.S. CPI data release. Early in the Asian session, the AUD/USD pair faced some selling pressure around 0.6720. The greenback's strength and concerns over Chinese demand weighed on the pair, while the FOMC's September meeting minutes showed that the "vast majority" of Fed officials supported a 50-basis-point rate cut. Last week’s upbeat U.S. employment report eased concerns over labor market cooling, leading traders to increase their bets on a November rate cut of 25 basis points, which broadly supported the dollar. For the Australian dollar, disappointment over China’s latest stimulus measures and a firm USD continue to exert pressure. However, the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) hawkish stance might limit the downside, especially since recent data indicated better-than-expected retail sales growth for August, reducing the likelihood of an imminent rate cut.
From a technical perspective, should AUD/USD experience further declines this week, it may retest the October low of 0.6708 and the 0.6700 psychological level before reaching the 150-day moving average at 0.6644. Key support still lies at the 200-day moving average of 0.6627 and the September 11 low of 0.6622. The 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) currently sits at a low of 41.80, indicating potential for continued downside. On the upside, resistance is at the 34-day moving average of 0.6778, followed by the significant 0.6800 psychological mark, and then the 14-day simple moving average at 0.6830.
Today’s recommendation is to go long on AUD around 0.6725, with a stop loss at 0.6710 and targets at 0.6775 and 0.6785.
EUR/USD
On Thursday, EUR/USD extended its Wednesday decline, dropping to the 1.0900 support level amid ongoing euro weakness and a slight dollar rally, driven by stubborn U.S. inflation and hawkish remarks from Fed member Bostic. In the Asian session, the pair traded within a narrow range below the mid-1.0950 level, consolidating its recent losses and hovering near the nearly two-month low it hit the day before. The dollar remained near its highest level since August 16, as traders have largely priced in the possibility of another 50-basis-point rate cut by the Fed in November. The hawkish tone in Wednesday’s Fed minutes further reinforced this expectation, likely keeping the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yield above 4%, thus supporting the dollar and weighing on EUR/USD. Additionally, growing expectations of two 25-basis-point rate cuts by the ECB at its policy meetings before the year-end are keeping the euro under pressure. Moreover, the heightened risk of further Middle East geopolitical tensions is favoring the safe-haven dollar, indicating minimal downside resistance for EUR/USD.
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