- EUR/USD has turned lower and dropped below 1.1000 in the American session.
- The US dollar outperformed its rivals as concerns about an economic slowdown eased.
- Investors see decreasing likelihood of a big Fed rate cut in September.
After touching its highest level in 2024 near 1.1050 on Wednesday, the EUR/USD entered a consolidation phase during the European trading hours on Thursday. However, with the latest US macroeconomic data releases boosting the USD, the pair lost ground and fell below 1.1000. At the time of publication, the pair was down 0.55% on the day at 1.0955.
US Dollar PRICE Today
The table below shows the exchange rate of the US Dollar (USD) against major currencies today. The US Dollar was the strongest currency against the Japanese Yen.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 0.54% | 0.19% | 1.22% | 0.12% | -0.01% | 0.46% | 0.98% | |
| EUR | -0.54% | -0.36% | 0.67% | -0.41% | -0.64% | -0.25% | 0.44% | |
| GBP | -0.19% | 0.36% | 1.05% | -0.05% | -0.27% | 0.12% | 0.90% | |
| JPY | -1.22% | -0.67% | -1.05% | -1.10% | -1.25% | -0.91% | -0.14% | |
| CAD | -0.12% | 0.41% | 0.05% | 1.10% | -0.14% | 0.17% | 0.96% | |
| AUD | 0.00% | 0.64% | 0.27% | 1.25% | 0.14% | 0.37% | 1.16% | |
| NZD | -0.46% | 0.25% | -0.12% | 0.91% | -0.17% | -0.37% | 0.78% | |
| CHF | -0.98% | -0.44% | -0.90% | 0.14% | -0.96% | -1.16% | -0.78% |
The heatmap shows percentage changes of major currencies. The base currency is selected from the left column, while the quote currency is selected from the top row. For example, if you choose the US Dollar from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change shown in the chart will represent the USD (base)/JPY (quote).
The U.S. Census Bureau reported Thursday that retail sales rose 1% to $709.7 billion in July, beating the market expectation of a 0.3% increase.
Additionally, the number of initial applications for unemployment benefits in the US decreased by 7,000 to 227,000 in the week ending August 10, the US Department of Labor announced.
With the immediate market reaction, investors began to lean towards a 25 basis point rate cut by the Fed in September and US Treasury bond yields rose sharply. At the time of writing, the yield on the 10-year US Treasury note was up nearly 3% on the day at 3.95%. According to the CME FedWatch tool, the probability of the Fed opting for a 50 basis point rate cut at the next meeting now stands at around 20%, down from roughly 50% seen earlier in the week.
The U.S. economic calendar will not include any other high-impact data releases on Thursday. Nevertheless, investors will pay close attention to comments from Fed policymakers later in the American session.
Euro FAQs
The Euro is the currency of the 20 European Union countries that belong to the Eurozone. It is the second most traded currency in the world, behind the US Dollar. In 2022, it accounted for 31% of all foreign exchange transactions, with an average daily volume of over $2.2 trillion per day. EUR/USD is the most traded currency pair in the world, accounting for an estimated 30% of all transactions, followed by EUR/JPY (4%), EUR/GBP (3%) and EUR/AUD (2%).
The European Central Bank (ECB), based in Frankfurt, Germany, is the reserve bank of the Eurozone. The ECB sets interest rates and manages monetary policy. The ECB’s main mandate is to maintain price stability, which means controlling inflation or stimulating growth. Its main instrument is to raise or lower interest rates. Relatively high interest rates – or the expectation of higher rates – generally benefit the Euro and vice versa. The Governing Council of the ECB takes monetary policy decisions at meetings held eight times a year. Decisions are taken by the heads of the national banks of the Eurozone and six permanent members, including ECB President Christine Lagarde.
Eurozone inflation data, as measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), is an important econometric data point for the euro. If inflation rises more than expected, especially if it exceeds the ECB’s 2% target, the ECB is forced to raise interest rates to bring inflation back under control. Relatively high interest rates compared to their peers usually benefit the euro, as it makes the region more attractive as a place for global investors to park their money.
Data releases measure the health of the economy and can influence the Euro. Indicators such as GDP, manufacturing and services PMIs, employment and consumer sentiment surveys can influence the direction of the single currency. A strong economy is good for the Euro. Not only does it attract more foreign investment, but it can encourage the ECB to raise interest rates, which will directly strengthen the Euro. Conversely, if economic data is weak, the Euro is likely to fall. Economic data from the four largest Eurozone economies (Germany, France, Italy and Spain) are especially significant, as they account for 75% of the Eurozone economy.
Another important output for the euro is the trade balance. This indicator measures the difference between what a country earns from its exports and what it spends on imports during a given period. If a country produces highly sought-after export products, its currency will appreciate due to the additional demand created by foreign buyers who wish to purchase these goods. Therefore, a positive net trade balance strengthens a currency and vice versa for a negative balance.
Source: Fx Street
I am Joshua Winder, a senior-level journalist and editor at World Stock Market. I specialize in covering news related to the stock market and economic trends. With more than 8 years of experience in this field, I have become an expert in financial reporting.
