Investors slashed their bets of higher interest rates in the United States (US), which is also bad news for the USD. The odds for September’s meeting stay at around 93%, as shown by the CME FedWatch Tool, while the chances for November diminished further. Additionally, the first-rate reduction is projected for May 1, with traders anticipating rate cut odds around 5.14%, 19 basis points lower than the current effective Federal Funds Rate (FFR) of 5.33%.
A quiet session at the beginning of the week saw the Euro (EUR) gaining 0.19% versus the US Dollar (USD), as the US cash markets were closed on a Labor Day holiday. European Central Bank (ECB) officials failed to boost significantly the EUR, as the EUR/USD pair trades at 1.0792, almost flat as Tuesday’s Asian session begins.
EUR/USD Sees Limited Movement as ECB President Stays Mum on Monetary Policy; U.S. Jobs Data and Chinese Stimulus in Focus
Other data, depicted by the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), reported that US business activity, as indicated by the manufacturing PMI, scored 47.6, exceeding analysts’ estimates of 47.0 and the previous reading of 46.4.
What to watch?
- EUR/USD pair gains a modest 0.19% to trade at 1.0792, as US markets remain closed for Labor Day and ECB President Lagarde’s comments fail to stir volatility.
- Mixed US employment data and a higher manufacturing PMI of 47.6 led to reduced expectations for US interest rate hikes, keeping September odds at 93%.
- For further directional cues, investors see upcoming economic indicators, including the Eurozone’s S&P Global Services, Composite PMIs, and US Factory Orders.