Annual inflation in the United States (US), as measured by the change in the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index, declined to 2.5% in January from 2.6% in December, the US Bureau of Economic Analysis reported on Friday.
The core PCE Price Index, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, increased 2.6% on a yearly basis in January, down from 2.9% in December. This print came in line with the market expectations. On a monthly basis, the PCE Price Index and the core PCE Price Index both rose 0.3%, as anticipated.
Other details of the report showed that Personal Income increased by 0.9% on a monthly basis, while Personal Spending declined by 0.2%.
Market reaction to PCE inflation data
The PCE inflation data don't seem to be having a noticeable impact on the US Dollar's (USD) valuation. At the time of press, the USD Index is up 0.04% on the day at 107.33.
US Dollar PRICE This week
The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies this week. US Dollar was the strongest against the New Zealand Dollar.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 0.49% | 0.25% | 1.15% | 1.32% | 2.25% | 2.46% | 0.47% | |
| EUR | -0.49% | -0.33% | 0.49% | 0.64% | 1.75% | 1.77% | -0.19% | |
| GBP | -0.25% | 0.33% | 0.89% | 0.97% | 2.08% | 2.11% | 0.14% | |
| JPY | -1.15% | -0.49% | -0.89% | 0.16% | 1.16% | 1.37% | -0.58% | |
| CAD | -1.32% | -0.64% | -0.97% | -0.16% | 0.87% | 1.13% | -0.81% | |
| AUD | -2.25% | -1.75% | -2.08% | -1.16% | -0.87% | 0.02% | -1.91% | |
| NZD | -2.46% | -1.77% | -2.11% | -1.37% | -1.13% | -0.02% | -1.92% | |
| CHF | -0.47% | 0.19% | -0.14% | 0.58% | 0.81% | 1.91% | 1.92% |
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 US Dollar from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent USD (base)/JPY (quote).
This section below was published as a preview of the US Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index data for October at 07:00 GMT.
- The core Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index is expected to rise 0.3% MoM and 2.6% YoY in January.
- Markets largely expect the Federal Reserve to hold the policy setting unchanged in March and May.
- Annual PCE inflation is forecast to edge lower to 2.5% from 2.6% in December.
The United States (US) Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) is set to release the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index data for January on Friday at 13:30 GMT. This index is the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) preferred measure of inflation.
Although PCE inflation data is usually seen as a big market mover, it might be difficult to assess its impact on the US Dollar’s (USD) valuation this time. Markets see virtually no chance of a Fed interest rate cut in March, and investors have been more interested in headlines surrounding US President Donald Trump’s policy changes and their potential impact on the economic outlook.
Anticipating the PCE: Insights into the Fed's key inflation metric
The core PCE Price Index, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, is projected to rise 0.3% on a monthly basis in January, following the 0.2% increase recorded in December. Over the last twelve months, the core PCE inflation is forecast to soften to 2.6% from 2.8%. Meanwhile, the headline annual PCE inflation is seen retreating to 2.5% from 2.6% in the same period.
Following a 25 bps cut in December, lowering the Fed’s policy rate to the 4.25%-4.50% range, the central bank kept interest rates unchanged in the January decision. In the meeting Minutes released on February 19, the central bank removed earlier language suggesting inflation had "made progress" toward its 2% target, instead stating that the pace of price increases "remains elevated" to justify such a pause.
Previewing the PCE inflation report, TD Securities said: “We look for core PCE prices to register a notably weaker advance in January compared to the CPI equivalent's 0.45% m/m increase. Headline PCE inflation should also come in softer at 0.30%. On a y/y basis, core PCE inflation is likely to drop by a notable three tenths to 2.5%—its lowest level since early 2021. Personal spending also likely fell for the first time since March.”
How will the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index affect EUR/USD?
Market participants will likely react to an unexpected reading in the monthly core PCE Price Index, which is not distorted by base effects. A print of 0.4% or higher in this data could support the US Dollar (USD) with the immediate reaction. On the other hand, a reading below 0.2% could have the opposite effect on the USD’s performance against its major rivals.
Nevertheless, the market reaction is likely to remain short-lived. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, investors see about a 98% probability of the Fed holding the policy settings unchanged in March and price in a 20% chance of a 25 bps rate cut in May. It will likely take several soft PCE inflation readings in succession before market participants see a stronger probability of a rate reduction in May.
Eren Sengezer, European Session Lead Analyst at FXStreet, shares a brief technical outlook for EUR/USD:
“The Relative Strength Index (RSI) indicator on the daily chart edges lower but manages to hold above 50, suggesting that EUR/USD loses upward momentum while keeping a slightly bullish bias.”
“On the downside, 1.0390-1.0380 (50-day Simple Moving Average (SMA), Fibonacci 23.6% retracement level of the November-January downtrend) aligns as the first support. In case EUR/USD makes a daily close below this level, technical sellers could take action and open the door for an extended decline toward 1.0300 (static level). Looking north, the first resistance could be spotted at 1.0520 (100-day SMA). Once EUR/USD starts using this level as support, 1.0570 (Fibonacci 50% retracement) and 1.0650 (Fibonacci 61.8% retracement) could be set as next bullish targets.”
Inflation FAQs
Inflation measures the rise in the price of a representative basket of goods and services. Headline inflation is usually expressed as a percentage change on a month-on-month (MoM) and year-on-year (YoY) basis. Core inflation excludes more volatile elements such as food and fuel which can fluctuate because of geopolitical and seasonal factors. Core inflation is the figure economists focus on and is the level targeted by central banks, which are mandated to keep inflation at a manageable level, usually around 2%.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the change in prices of a basket of goods and services over a period of time. It is usually expressed as a percentage change on a month-on-month (MoM) and year-on-year (YoY) basis. Core CPI is the figure targeted by central banks as it excludes volatile food and fuel inputs. When Core CPI rises above 2% it usually results in higher interest rates and vice versa when it falls below 2%. Since higher interest rates are positive for a currency, higher inflation usually results in a stronger currency. The opposite is true when inflation falls.
Although it may seem counter-intuitive, high inflation in a country pushes up the value of its currency and vice versa for lower inflation. This is because the central bank will normally raise interest rates to combat the higher inflation, which attract more global capital inflows from investors looking for a lucrative place to park their money.
Formerly, Gold was the asset investors turned to in times of high inflation because it preserved its value, and whilst investors will often still buy Gold for its safe-haven properties in times of extreme market turmoil, this is not the case most of the time. This is because when inflation is high, central banks will put up interest rates to combat it. Higher interest rates are negative for Gold because they increase the opportunity-cost of holding Gold vis-a-vis an interest-bearing asset or placing the money in a cash deposit account. On the flipside, lower inflation tends to be positive for Gold as it brings interest rates down, making the bright metal a more viable investment alternative.
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended content
Editors’ Picks
Gold price conquers $3,100 for the first time ever on tariff war fears
The record rally in Gold price remains unabated as buyers conquer the $3,100 threshold for the time on record. Heightening fears of a potential global trade war and stagflation in the United States intensify safe-haven demand for the traditional store of value, Gold.
USD/JPY extends the slide below 149.00 as trade war fears ramp up risk aversion
USD/JPY extends losses below 149.00 in Monday's Asian trading. Hawkish BoJ expectations and heightening risk-off mood amid escalating tensions underpin the safe-haven Japnese Yen. Moreover, fears of stagflation in the US keep the US Dollar undermined, adding to the pair's downslide.
AUD/USD turns lower below 0.6300 as risk-off flows intensify
AUD/USD has ereased earlier gains to edge lower below 0.6300 in the Asian session on Monday. Trump's tariff concerns outweigh mixed Chinese NBS March PMI data, Australia's hot private inflation data and broad US Dollar weakness, exerting downward pressure on the pair as risk-aversion intensifies.
Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple decline as President Trump’s team considers “broader and higher tariffs”
Bitcoin continues its decline, trading below $82,000 on Monday after falling 4.29% the previous week. Ethereum and Ripple followed BTC’s footsteps and declined by 9.88% and 12.40%, respectively.
US: Trump's 'Liberation day' – What to expect?
Trump has so far enacted tariff changes that have lifted the trade-weighted average tariff rate on all US imports by around 5.5-6.0%-points. While re-rerouting of trade will decrease the effectiveness of tariffs over time, the current level is already close to the highest since the second world war.
The Best brokers to trade EUR/USD
SPONSORED Discover the top brokers for trading EUR/USD in 2025. Our list features brokers with competitive spreads, fast execution, and powerful platforms. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, find the right partner to navigate the dynamic Forex market.