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Geopolitics and Economic Data Put the EUR and the Greenback in the Spotlight

By:
Bob Mason
Published: Jul 17, 2020, 01:14 UTC

Today's EU video call to discuss the EU Recovery Fund together with COVID-19 news and consumer sentiment figures from the U.S will be key drivers.

Euro Coin Dollar Note

Earlier in the Day:

It was a quieter start to the day on the economic calendar, following yesterday’s data deluge. The Kiwi Dollar was back in action this morning.

Looking at the latest coronavirus numbers

On Thursday, the number of new coronavirus cases rose by 247,059 to 13,935,944, according to figures at the time of writing. On Wednesday, the number of new cases had risen by 242,529. The daily increase was larger than Wednesday’s rise and 223,514 new cases from the previous Thursday.

Germany, Italy, and Spain reported 2,175 new cases on Thursday, which was up from 1,523 new cases on Wednesday. On the previous Thursday, 1,190 new cases had been reported. Notably, Spain reported 1,361 new cases on Thursday.

From the U.S, the total number of cases rose by 72,063 to 3,693,700 on Thursday. On Wednesday, the total number of cases had increased by 71,670. On Thursday, 9th July, a total of 61,067 new cases had been reported.

For the Kiwi Dollar

In June, the Business PMI rose from 39.7 to 56.3, following a rise from 26.1 to 39.7 in May. In April, the PMI had tumbled to a record low 26.1.

According to the June survey,

  • New Zealand’s manufacturing sector expanded for the 1st time since February
  • Looking at the sub-indexes:
    • The production sub-index rebounded from 38.1 to 58.6, with the new orders sub-index jumping from 39.5 to 58.6.
    • The employment sub-index rose from 39.2 to 48.5.

The Kiwi Dollar moved from $0.65372 to $0.65396 upon release of the figures. At the time of writing, the Kiwi Dollar was up by 0.17% to $0.6546.

Elsewhere

At the time of writing, the Japanese Yen was flat at ¥107.27 against the U.S Dollar, while the Aussie Dollar was up by 0.14% to $0.6981.

The Day Ahead:

For the EUR

It’s a relatively quiet day ahead on the economic calendar. Key stats include finalized June inflation figures for the Eurozone.

The finalized numbers are unlikely to have a material impact on the EUR, however. Market risk sentiment and COVID-19 news updates will continue to be in focus, along with any Brexit chatter.

From the EU, leaders are scheduled to discuss the EU Recovery Fund mechanics that will be a key driver on the day. Any discord and expect the EUR to come under pressure.

At the time of writing, the EUR was flat at $1.1384.

For the Pound

It’s a particularly quiet day ahead on the economic calendar. There are no material stats due out of the UK to provide the Pound with direction.

A lack of stats will leave the Pound in the hands of Brexit and market risk sentiment on the day. While there has been news of progress towards trade agreements with a number of economies, plenty of uncertainty remains.

From a market perspective, an agreement with the EU remains critical to avoid geographical and political isolation…

On the monetary policy front, BoE Governor Bailey is due to speak later today, which should generate some interest.

At the time of writing, the Pound was up by 0.07% to $1.2562.

Across the Pond

It’s a relatively busy day ahead for the U.S Dollar. Key stats include June housing data and prelim July consumer sentiment figures

We would expect the July consumer sentiment figures to garner plenty of interest. Have the latest spikes in new COVID-19 cases and containment measures had any impact on sentiment?

Any slide in consumer sentiment and expect market risk appetite to be tested.

Away from the economic calendar, updates on COVID-19 and chatter from Washington will continue to influence.

At the time of writing, the Dollar Spot Index was down by 0.10% to 96.254.

For the Loonie

It’s a relatively quiet day ahead on the economic calendar. May wholesale sales figures are due out of Canada later today.

The numbers are unlikely to have a material impact on the Loonie, however. Expect chatter on COVID-19, vaccines, and geopolitics to remain the key drivers on the day.

At the time of writing, the Loonie was up by 0.01% to C$1.3573 against the U.S Dollar.

For a look at all of today’s economic events, check out our economic calendar.

About the Author

Bob Masonauthor

With over 20 years of experience in the finance industry, Bob has been managing regional teams across Europe and Asia and focusing on analytics across both corporate and financial institutions. Currently he is covering developments relating to the financial markets, including currencies, commodities, alternative asset classes, and global equities.

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