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Countdown to chaos: Forex markets on edge as dollar prepares for Fed’s data

In this post:

  • The dollar held firm on Monday as investors assessed U.S. economic data ahead of the Fed Reserve policy meeting this week, although Middle East geopolitical issues limited risk sentiment.
  • Monday’s dollar index, which compares the U.S. dollar to six rivals, was unchanged at 103.53, close to last week’s six-week high of 103.82. 
  • Asian markets climbed as Beijing’s new moves to calm the local market offset the negative impact of the collapse of property giant China Evergrande.

In the dynamic world of global finance, few events command as much attention and anticipation as the release of crucial data by the United States Fed Reserve. As the heartbeat of the world economy, the fluctuations in the value of the U.S. dollar have far-reaching consequences, influencing international trade, investment decisions, and the overall stability of financial markets.

The forex markets, serving as the epicenter of currency exchange, are on the brink of a potential upheaval as traders, investors, and financial institutions brace themselves for the impact of the Fed’s latest insights.

 Fed data holds Forex markets captive

The dollar held firm on Monday as investors assessed US economic data ahead of this week’s Federal Reserve policy meeting while rising geopolitical concerns in the Middle East kept risk sentiment in check.

The dollar index, which measures the US currency against six rivals, was little changed at 103.53 on Monday, remaining close to the six-week high of 103.82 set last week. The index is expected to rise 2% in January as traders moderate their expectations for early and deep interest rate cuts in the United States.

The Fed stunned markets in December by adopting a dovish stance, prompting traders to price in aggressive easing, with a drop projected as early as March.

However, recent solid economic statistics and opposition from central bankers have pushed traders to modify their forecasts. According to the CME FedWatch tool, markets currently expect a 49% chance of a rate cut in March, down from 86% at the end of December.

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According to data released on Friday, prices in the United States grew marginally in December, maintaining the annual inflation rate below 3% for the third consecutive month.

This week, Investors will focus on the Federal Reserve’s policy statement on Wednesday, with the central bank widely expected to keep rates unchanged, leaving the spotlight on Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s remarks.

On the geopolitical front, investors are concerned about rising dangers after three US military personnel were killed in an aerial drone attack on US soldiers in northern Jordan near the Syrian border. Geopolitical tensions could provide the safe-haven yen a temporary boost.

Global market stocks today

European markets rose to their highest level since January 2022, while bond yields fell on Monday, marking the start of a busy week that includes significant corporate earnings, European inflation data, Federal Reserve and Bank of England meetings, and US job reports.

Europe’s broad STOXX 600 index edged marginally higher, aided by strength in the oil sector amid renewed Middle East tensions, reaching new 2-year highs after posting its greatest weekly gain in almost two months last week.

U.S. stock futures were similarly steady, implying no immediate interruption to the S&P 500’s position at all-time highs, bolstered by statistics this year indicating that economic growth is holding up while inflation continues to fall, allowing the Federal Reserve to begin cutting interest rates.

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Asian markets climbed as Beijing’s new moves to calm the local market offset the negative impact of the collapse of property giant China Evergrande. However, a lot on the calendar this week could break the generally good mood.

Five of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ huge U.S. tech firms that have dominated U.S. markets in recent months report earnings this week, while the Fed closes its rate-setting meeting on Wednesday, and the always-important non-farm payrolls are due on Friday.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng closed up 0.78%, down from a 1.9% rise after China’s securities regulator announced on Sunday that it would fully cease limited share lending.

Mainland China blue chips failed to get traction early in the day, eventually falling 0.9%. While all that takes place in traditional finance, The global crypto market cap is $1.7 trillion today, down 0.44% in the last 24 hours and 52.29% a year ago. 

As of today, Bitcoin’s (BTC) market cap is $828 billion, reflecting a 48.61% crypto market dominance. Meanwhile, stablecoins’ market cap is $137 billion, accounting for 8.03% of the total crypto market cap.

Bitcoin is currently valued at $42,458.83, up 1.3% from an hour ago and 0.5% from yesterday. The value of Bitcoin today is 4.5% greater than it was 7 days ago. The total volume of Bitcoin exchanged during the last 24 hours was $13,672,736,194.

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Disclaimer. The information provided is not trading advice. Cryptopolitan.com holds no liability for any investments made based on the information provided on this page. We strongly recommend independent research and/or consultation with a qualified professional before making any investment decision.

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