|

EUR/USD: Mixed US jobs data and French elections surprise add clouds on the pair

The single European currency is trading above the 1,08 level trying to balance after the opening  of the new week  where it cames under question after the result of the French elections where the Left Party creating the  surprise and collected largest percentages.

The first movements of the exchange rate in Asia started with a small gap of about 40 basis points as anxiety was high in the markets as it is still too early for anyone to be able to decipher the consequences of the results of the French election.

After the initial challenge , the exhange rate is showing signs of calm  with the euro recovering slightly and trading above the 1.08 level with the environment however quite cloudy and any big bets at the moment seem to be extremely risky.

The European currency was favored on Friday as mixed results from the US jobs sector kept the possibility of a faster cut in key interest rates from the Fed on the table.

I remain skeptical of the European currency's ability to easily break through the 1,10 level and stay above it in the near term as the interest rate differential continues to clearly favor the US dollar and any local  highs in the Euro are expected to boost the interest for  buying the US currency.

Today's agenda is relatively poor with no major macroeconomic announcements or statements from Fed and ECB officials.

The market's difficulty in deciphering the results of the French election is expected to weigh on the European currency and increase the cloudy environment with investors likely to avoid taking large bets.

There are no significant changes in my thinking and now that the level of 1,06 which I wanted to buy the European currency has moved away ,I  remain on hold and will consider buying the American currency at the levels of 1,10 and above.

Author

Vasilis Tsaprounis

Vasilis Tsaprounis

Independent Analyst

Vassilis Tsaprounis possesses over 25 years of professional experience in Capital Markets and especially in the foreign exchange market.

More from Vasilis Tsaprounis
Share:

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD sticks to positive bias above 1.1800 as trade jitters undermine USD

The EUR/USD pair builds on the previous day's modest gains and attracts some buyers for the second straight day on Thursday amid a softer US Dollar. Spot prices, however, lack bullish conviction and trade around the 1.1815-1.1820 area during the Asian session, up 0.10% for the day.

GBP/USD bounces as soft CPI boosts BoE cut bets

GBP/USD rose 0.42% on Wednesday, recovering toward 1.3600 in a session shaped by softer-than-expected UK inflation data and broad US Dollar weakness. The pair had been consolidating in a tight range between about 1.3450 and 1.3520 for the past few days following the sharp pullback from the late-January high near 1.3870, and Wednesday's move pushed price action back onto the high side of key moving averages.

Gold retains positive bias amid sustained safe-haven demand, softer USD

Gold attracts some buyers for the second straight day as trade jitters and geopolitical tensions ahead of the US-Iran nuclear talks underpin demand for safe-haven assets. Apart from this, a softer US Dollar further supports the bullion, though the underlying bullish sentiment could cap gains. Bulls might also opt to wait for acceptance above the $5,200 mark before positioning for any meaningful appreciating move.

AUD/USD rises toward three-year highs on RBA rate hike bets

AUD/USD remains stronger for the third successive session, trading around 0.7120 during the Asian hours on Thursday. The pair advances toward its three-year high of 0.7147, last touched on February 12, as the Australian Dollar strengthens following hotter-than-expected inflation data from Australia, reinforcing expectations of further interest rate hikes by the Reserve Bank of Australia this year.

Nvidia delivers another monster earnings report, and forecasts big things to come

It was another monster earnings report from Nvidia for fiscal Q4. Revenues were $68.1bn, smashing estimates of $65bn. Gross profit margin was a healthy 75%, up from 73.5% in the prior quarter, and the outlook for this quarter was monstrous.

Cosmos Hub Price Forecast: ATOM rebounds slightly, bearish outlook remains intact

Cosmos Hub (ATOM) price rebounds, trading above $2.05 at the time of writing on Wednesday, after undergoing a sharp correction since last week. Weakening on-chain and derivatives data support a bearish outlook, while technical analysis remains unfavorable.