As the new trading week opens, the forex markets present a scene of relative tranquility during the Asian session. Dollar is attempting a modest recovery from last week's downturn, yet the impetus for a decisive rally seems absent. In contrast to the upbeat sentiment in Asian equity markets, spurred by Friday's surge on Wall Street, currencies such as the Australian and New Zealand Dollars are not following suit, entering a phase of consolidation instead. Yen has shown vulnerability in response to BoJ Governor Kazuo Ueda's reaffirmation of a dovish policy outlook. Meanwhile, Swiss Franc has edged ahead, together with Euro, as the British Pound trails its continental counterparts.
European majors are maintaining their upward momentum against the Dollar, leveraging last week's rally and finding additional support in the unexpectedly positive Eurozone investor confidence data. Yet, while the data provided a glimmer of positivity, the market remains guarded, unwilling to fully commit to the narrative of an economic rebound. Meanwhile, Australian and New Zealand Dollars are surrendering some of their recent gains as traders pivot their attention to the upcoming RBA interest rate decision. With the central bank expected to hike rates, traders are holding their bets in anticipation of volatility. Yen, on the other hand, finds itself on softer footing following dovish remarks from BoJ Governor.
The British Pound started a recovery wave above 1.2120 against the US dollar. GBP/USD gained pace above 1.2150 to move into a short-term positive zone.
In a surprising twist, Euro experienced a significant surge overnight, powering through a short-term resistance level when matched up against Dollar. Euro in also a position to resume its long-term up trend versus Yen. he factors fuelling this surge, however, remain a subject of speculation. On one hand, recent economic indicators have been less than stellar, and there's a strong expectation that ECB will keep interest rates unchanged this week.