USD/INR gains ground ahead of Indian, US CPI data
|- Indian Rupee edges lower on the stronger US Dollar.
- Indian government bond yields and the Indian rupee will be influenced by domestic and US inflation data this week.
- Investors will take cues from the Indian and US CPI data ahead of the FOMC meeting.
Indian Rupee (INR) trades on a negative note on Tuesday amid renewed US Dollar (USD) demand. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) left the benchmark repo rate unchanged at 6.50%, as expected last week. The RBI remains in a wait-and-see mode as it monitors inflationary risks. The Indian economy surpassed estimates in the September quarter, expanding 7.6%, making it the fastest-growing major country. The RBI forecasts a growth rate in India's GDP at 7.0% in FY24.
Domestic and US inflation data, as well as the Federal Open Market Committee's (FOMC) decision on interest rates, will all have an impact on Indian government bond yields and the Indian rupee this week. Market players have priced in a nearly 45.6% odds that FOMC will begin cutting rates from March 2024 and have priced in a 50% chance of 125 basis points (bps) of rate cuts in 2024, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.
Investors will keep an eye on the Indian Consumer Price Index (CPI) for November, Industrial Production, and Manufacturing Output. On the US docket, the CPI figures will be due on Tuesday. The attention will shift to the FOMC meeting on Wednesday, with no change expected.
Daily Digest Market Movers: Indian Rupee faces challenges from global headwinds
- According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Indian Real Gross Domestic Product (real GDP) is forecast to expand by more than 6.0% in both 2023 and 2024.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi set an ambitious target to boost India to become a $5 trillion economy within the next five years.
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee decided to maintain the policy repo rate unchanged at 6.50% and keep the focus on the withdrawal of accommodation.
- RBI forecasted India's retail inflation at 5.4% in FY24, with 5.6% in Q3 and 5.2% in Q4 of FY24.
- The current expected growth rate for India's GDP in FY24 is 7.0%, with growth rates of 6.5% and 6.0% predicted for the third and fourth quarters, respectively.
- The US monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) is expected to rise 0.1% from 0.0%, and the annual rate is estimated to ease from 3.2% YoY to 3.1%. The annual core CPI, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, is projected to remain steady at 4.0%.
- The markets widely expected the FOMC to leave interest rates steady at 5.25–5.50% for the third straight meeting on Wednesday.
- US Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) surged by 199K in November from 150K in October, above the market consensus of 180K.
Technical Analysis: The Indian Rupee maintains a constructive outlook
Indian Rupee trades weaker on the day. The USD/INR pair has traded in a familiar trading band held over the past three months between 82.80 and 83.40. Technically, the bullish stance of USD/INR remains unchanged as the pair holds above the key 100-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) with an upward slope on the daily chart. Meanwhile, the 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) remains above the 50.0 level, adding to the upward momentum.
A convincing breakout above the upper boundary of the trading range of 83.40 will pave the way to the next upside barrier at the year-to-date (YTD) high of 83.47, followed by a psychological round mark of 84.00. On the flip side, a breach below the key support level of 83.00 round figure will see a drop to the confluence of the lower limit of the trading range and a low of September 12 at 82.80. Further south, the next contention level to watch is a low of August 11 at 82.60.
US Dollar price in the last 7 days
The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies in the last 7 days. US Dollar was the strongest against the Euro.
| USD | EUR | GBP | CAD | AUD | JPY | NZD | CHF | |
| USD | 0.62% | 0.45% | 0.08% | 0.42% | -1.31% | 0.18% | 0.48% | |
| EUR | -0.63% | -0.19% | -0.53% | -0.21% | -1.94% | -0.45% | -0.13% | |
| GBP | -0.45% | 0.19% | -0.34% | -0.01% | -1.73% | -0.25% | 0.05% | |
| CAD | -0.09% | 0.53% | 0.34% | 0.30% | -1.37% | 0.10% | 0.39% | |
| AUD | -0.42% | 0.21% | 0.02% | -0.32% | -1.71% | -0.23% | 0.07% | |
| JPY | 1.29% | 1.86% | 1.69% | 1.35% | 1.69% | 1.45% | 1.75% | |
| NZD | -0.18% | 0.45% | 0.27% | -0.09% | 0.24% | -1.49% | 0.30% | |
| CHF | -0.50% | 0.13% | -0.05% | -0.40% | -0.08% | -1.81% | -0.31% |
The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the Euro from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent EUR (base)/JPY (quote).
Interest rates FAQs
What are interest rates?
Interest rates are charged by financial institutions on loans to borrowers and are paid as interest to savers and depositors. They are influenced by base lending rates, which are set by central banks in response to changes in the economy. Central banks normally have a mandate to ensure price stability, which in most cases means targeting a core inflation rate of around 2%.
If inflation falls below target the central bank may cut base lending rates, with a view to stimulating lending and boosting the economy. If inflation rises substantially above 2% it normally results in the central bank raising base lending rates in an attempt to lower inflation.
How do interest rates impact currencies?
Higher interest rates generally help strengthen a country’s currency as they make it a more attractive place for global investors to park their money.
How do interest rates influence the price of Gold?
Higher interest rates overall weigh on the price of Gold because they increase the opportunity cost of holding Gold instead of investing in an interest-bearing asset or placing cash in the bank.
If interest rates are high that usually pushes up the price of the US Dollar (USD), and since Gold is priced in Dollars, this has the effect of lowering the price of Gold.
What is the Fed Funds rate?
The Fed funds rate is the overnight rate at which US banks lend to each other. It is the oft-quoted headline rate set by the Federal Reserve at its FOMC meetings. It is set as a range, for example 4.75%-5.00%, though the upper limit (in that case 5.00%) is the quoted figure.
Market expectations for future Fed funds rate are tracked by the CME FedWatch tool, which shapes how many financial markets behave in anticipation of future Federal Reserve monetary policy decisions.
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