Euro nudges higher above 1.1400 as traders ramp up their bets on ECB hikes
- EUR/USD trades with mild gains near 1.1430 in Friday’s early Asian session.
- ECB saw inflation rising despite nearly three expected hikes, accounts showed.
- US official said Washington remains committed to a resolution with Iran.
The EUR/USD pair posts modest gains around 1.1430 during the early Asian session on Friday, bolstered by a softer US Dollar (USD). The European Central Bank (ECB) is grappling with elevated core inflation, forcing traders to price in more aggressive tightening despite mixed guidance from ECB officials.
Accounts of the meeting showed on Thursday that the ECB policymakers gathering last month were presented with projections showing inflation staying above target into next year despite nearly three ECB interest rate hikes. The ECB raised rates at the June policy meeting, and traders expect it to do so twice more over the next year to contain the fallout from the Iran war on energy prices.
Traders raise their bets on ECB rate hikes again in recent days on signs that an agreement between the US and Iran to end the war is in jeopardy. This, in turn, provide some support to the shared currency.
Markets will closely monitor the developments surrounding the US-Iran conflict. Any signs of rising tensions could boost a safe-haven currency and act as a headwind for the major pair. US official on Thursday signaled that it is still committed to the memorandum of understanding with Iran, even though US President Donald Trump’s declared earlier this week that the framework deal to end the Iran war was “over.”
Euro FAQs
The Euro is the currency for the 20 European Union countries that belong to the Eurozone. It is the second most heavily traded currency in the world behind the US Dollar. In 2022, it accounted for 31% of all foreign exchange transactions, with an average daily turnover of over $2.2 trillion a day. EUR/USD is the most heavily traded currency pair in the world, accounting for an estimated 30% off all transactions, followed by EUR/JPY (4%), EUR/GBP (3%) and EUR/AUD (2%).
The European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt, Germany, is the reserve bank for the Eurozone. The ECB sets interest rates and manages monetary policy. The ECB’s primary mandate is to maintain price stability, which means either controlling inflation or stimulating growth. Its primary tool is the raising or lowering of interest rates. Relatively high interest rates – or the expectation of higher rates – will usually benefit the Euro and vice versa. The ECB Governing Council makes monetary policy decisions at meetings held eight times a year. Decisions are made by heads of the Eurozone national banks and six permanent members, including the President of the ECB, Christine Lagarde.
Eurozone inflation data, measured by the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), is an important econometric for the Euro. If inflation rises more than expected, especially if above the ECB’s 2% target, it obliges the ECB to raise interest rates to bring it back under control. Relatively high interest rates compared to its counterparts will usually benefit the Euro, as it makes the region more attractive as a place for global investors to park their money.
Data releases gauge the health of the economy and can impact on the Euro. Indicators such as GDP, Manufacturing and Services PMIs, employment, and consumer sentiment surveys can all influence the direction of the single currency. A strong economy is good for the Euro. Not only does it attract more foreign investment but it may encourage the ECB to put up interest rates, which will directly strengthen the Euro. Otherwise, if economic data is weak, the Euro is likely to fall. Economic data for the four largest economies in the euro area (Germany, France, Italy and Spain) are especially significant, as they account for 75% of the Eurozone’s economy.
Another significant data release for the Euro is the Trade Balance. This indicator measures the difference between what a country earns from its exports and what it spends on imports over a given period. If a country produces highly sought after exports then its currency will gain in value purely from the extra demand created from foreign buyers seeking to purchase these goods. Therefore, a positive net Trade Balance strengthens a currency and vice versa for a negative balance.
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