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US Dollar Index News: Fed Rate Cut Speculations Drive DXY Down

By:
James Hyerczyk
Published: Dec 27, 2023, 14:47 UTC

US Dollar Index (DXY) hits July low amid Fed rate cut speculation; market eyes 150 bps cuts in 2024, Treasury yields dip.

US Dollar Index (DXY)

In this article:

Highlights

  • US dollar falls to five-month low
  • Fed rate cut speculation affects Treasury yields
  • Euro strengthens, Yen weakens

US Dollar Weakens Amid Fed Rate Cut Speculation

The US dollar dipped to a five-month low, reflecting changing market trends. As traders speculate on the Federal Reserve’s potential rate cuts, the dollar index has fallen to 101.41, its lowest since July. This marks a notable shift after two years of gains, driven by the Fed’s rate hikes to combat inflation.

Fed Policy and Treasury Yields

Expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut by March 2024 have intensified, with the market predicting over 150 basis points of reductions next year. This sentiment has pushed US Treasury yields down, with the 10-year yield decreasing nearly 4 basis points to 3.85%. Cooling inflation data supports these projections, indicating a possible shift in the Fed’s stance.

Contrasting Moves in Euro and Yen

The euro has gained against the dollar, reaching a four-month high at $1.1053, an almost 3% increase this year. In contrast, the Japanese yen shows a slight weakening to 142.52 per dollar, set for an 8% annual drop. However, recent strength in the yen reflects market anticipation of the Bank of Japan altering its ultra-loose monetary policy.

Market Outlook

The short-term forecast suggests a bearish trend for the US dollar in light of potential Fed rate cuts. Meanwhile, the euro’s upward movement and the yen’s expected policy shift present a complex picture for currency markets.

Technical Analysis

Daily US Dollar Index (DXY)

Analyzing the US Dollar Index (DXY) using the provided technical indicators reveals a bearish sentiment.

The current daily price of 101.212 is positioned below both the 200-day and 50-day moving averages, at 103.438 and 104.167 respectively. This indicates that the DXY is currently trending lower than its average price over both the medium and longer-term periods.

Additionally, the index is just above the minor support level of 101.000. If this level is broken, there could be further downside potential. The current price is also below the minor resistance of 103.572 and the main resistance of 102.853, suggesting that any upward movement might face significant resistance.

Overall, the positioning of the DXY in relation to these technical indicators points towards a bearish market sentiment.

About the Author

James is a Florida-based technical analyst, market researcher, educator and trader with 35+ years of experience. He is an expert in the area of patterns, price and time analysis as it applies to futures, Forex, and stocks.

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