Daily Market Analysis from ForexMart

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GBP/USD. February 17, 2021 – Sterling started to decline from highs

On Wednesday, the GBP/USD pair declines moderately from 1.3950. The current quote for the asset is 1.3890.

The driver of the pound's decline was the strengthening of the US dollar in the market, which received support from a sharp rise in the yield of US debt bonds. However, the British currency does not intend to give up primacy so easily: the sterling receives strong support from the high rates of vaccination in the UK. Experts note that the rate of vaccination of the country's population is much higher than the world average.

Today you should pay attention to the publication of inflation data in Britain. The consumer price index in monthly terms decreased by 0.2%, which turned out to be better than the forecast of decline by 0.4%. Annual inflation in January accelerated to 0.7% from 0.6% in December. Also of interest are data on the price index of British producers: the indicator rose by 0.7%, while analysts predicted growth of 0.5%.

In the US, statistics on producer prices will be published in the same way, as well as on the volume of retail sales. In the evening hours, it is worth paying attention to the data on the volume of industrial production and the publication of the FOMC minutes.
 

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February 18 | Fundamental analysis of oil market

Brent quotes continue to renew multi-month highs: on Thursday, the asset quotes reached $65.40 per barrel. The last time at such marks the price of oil was in January 2020. The current Brent quote is $64.70.

The abnormal cold in Texas, which led to the suspension of the operation of several oil platforms, continues to contribute to the rise in prices. As a result, oil production in the United States fell by 2.6 million barrels per day. Combined with optimism about the rapid spread of vaccines in the world and a decrease in the number of coronavirus cases, this will lead to the fact that the bullish rally in oil prices will continue in the near future.

An additional local factor in the growth of Brent quotes was a report from the American Petroleum Institute (API), according to which US oil reserves fell by 5.8 million barrels over the week. Today you should pay attention to similar statistics from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the US Department of Energy. Analysts predict a decline in US oil reserves by 2 million barrels.

However, there are also risks. Experts note that the current rise in prices may lead to a revision of the terms of the OPEC+ deal at a meeting on March 3-4. It is also expected that Saudi Arabia may announce the cancellation of the unilateral production cut of 1 million barrels per day during February and March. In this scenario, the oil market may face a deep correction.

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EUR/USD. February 19, 2021 – Euro returns to growth

The EUR/USD pair is again approaching highs: the current quotation of the asset is 1.2140. The pressure on the dollar was exerted by yesterday's data on the number of claims for unemployment benefits in the United States: the indicator rose to 861 thousand against expectations of a decrease to 775 thousand. Such statistics indicate that the labor market in the United States remains unstable.

The data on the real estate market in January was also mixed. The number of building permits issued rose to 1.88 million from 1.70 million, while the number of new home starts fell to 1.58 million from the December level of 1.68 million. American businesses are still uncertain about future demand, despite low interest rates.

Today the macroeconomic calendar is quite diverse. The eurozone presented a preliminary index of business activity in the manufacturing sector for February: the indicator rose to 57.7 (better than the forecast of 54.3 points). A similar index in the service sector fell short of forecasts, falling to 44.7 points against growth expectations to 45.9.

In the evening hours, data on business activity will be presented by the United States. You should also pay attention to the important indicator of sales in the secondary housing market in January, which can demonstrate a local decline in the indicator. The Fed's monetary policy report will be released late in the evening.

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EUR/USD. February 22, 2021 – Euro grows weakly from the level of 1.2100

Last Friday, trading closed at 1.2100, and today the pair opens the day with growth to 1.2130. The European currency is supported by strong macro statistics from the Eurozone.

In particular, the February business activity indices of the Eurozone manufacturing sector were published last Friday. The indicator rose to 57.7 points against the forecasted decline to 54.3 points. The composite PMI of the euro zone was 48.1 points, while analysts had expected an increase to 48 points. At the same time, the indicator remains below the level of 50 points for the fourth month in a row, which indicates a decline in economic activity in the region.

On Monday, support for the European currency was provided by the data on the business climate index from IFO in Germany: the indicator rose from 90.3 to 92.4 points. Analysts had expected the index to reach 90.5 points. The index of business expectations in the largest European economy also came out better than forecast, showing an increase from 91.5 to 94.2 points.

The trading day promises to be calm, as the macroeconomic calendar is almost completely empty today. In the evening hours, you should pay attention to the speech of the ECB Heads Christine Lagarde.

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GBP/USD. February 24, 2021 – Sterling renews three-year high

The pound sterling continues to confidently renew highs, rising above the 1.42 level. The current quote for the GBP/USD pair is 1.4172. The last time such values were observed at the beginning of January 2018.

The currency was supported by the speech of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who noted that he was satisfied with the rate of vaccination and the general epidemiological situation. The prime minister also announced a reduction in quarantine restrictions from March 8. Note that the rate of vaccination in the country today remains the fastest in the world.

Additional support for the British currency was provided by yesterday's data on the labor market in the UK. According to the United Kingdom Office for National Statistics, the unemployment rate rose from 5% to 5.1% in December, better than expected to rise to 5.2%. The number of applications for unemployment benefits fell by 20 thousand against the projected growth of 35 thousand. The average level of wages, taking into account bonuses, increased by 4.7%, experts had expected an increase of 4.1%.

Today you should pay attention to the inflation report from the Bank of England: as a rule, on its basis, the regulator decides on the further course of monetary policy.

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EUR/USD. February 25, 2021 – Euro hits local highs

On Thursday, the euro continues to rise, reaching 1.2233. The currency is still supported by macroeconomic statistics from Europe. According to the published data, the German economy grew by 0.3% in the IV quarter of 2020. The economic recovery was driven by the growth of investments (by 1%) and exports (by 4.5%), which offset the decline in consumer spending (by 3.3%) and government spending.

At the same time, a strong pressure on the US dollar was exerted by the speech of the head of the US Federal Reserve before Congress on Tuesday and Wednesday. Jerome Powell noted that the regulator intends to continue a soft policy without raising interest rates for a long period of time. Until inflation reaches the 2% target and employment returns to pre-crisis levels, rates will remain at historic lows.

Another important factor influencing the dynamics of the EUR/USD pair is the issue of agreeing on new fiscal stimulus measures in the United States. The Democrats are slated to pass a $1.9 trillion Senate bailout tomorrow, after which the bill will be sent to President Joe Biden for signature. If the stimulus package is adopted in full, huge cash infusions can accelerate inflation, which will have a very detrimental effect on the US currency.
 

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Brent. February 26, 2021 – «Black gold» is losing ground

The oil market began to correct: Brent quotes fell on Friday to $64.90 per barrel. Earlier, oil strengthened amid comments from the Fed about keeping interest rates at extremely low levels for a long time, until the regulator sees a noticeable improvement in the situation in the US economy. Additional support for oil quotes was provided by signs of recovery in energy demand, as well as a reduction in oil reserves in the United States. Since the peak levels of US crude oil inventories in June 2020, they have dropped by more than 90 million barrels, according to the latest figures from the US Department of Energy.

However, despite the positive external background, Brent still started to decline. The sell-off was driven by a general deterioration in market sentiment, which triggered a risk aversion for investors. Additional concerns are raised by the upcoming OPEC+ meeting next week, which is expected to change oil production quotas from April. Experts predict that the organization could discuss an increase in production by 500 thousand barrels per day.

It is worth noting that at the upcoming meeting, Saudi Arabia may announce the cancellation of the unilateral commitment to further cut production. And this could return another 1 million barrels of oil a day to the market. Thus, under these conditions, the decline in «black gold» may continue to $60 per barrel.

EUR/USD. February 26, 2021 – Euro fell to the level of 1.2100

On Friday, the euro began to correct, falling to the level of 1.2100. The dollar was supported by macroeconomic statistics from the United States: data on the volume of orders for durable goods in January reflected an indicator growth of 3.4% y/y, expecting an expansion of 0.9% m/m and the previous fact of a rise of 0.5% m/m.

GDP statistics for the IV quarter came out neutral: the economy grew by 4.1% against the forecast of growth by 4.2% and the previous estimate at 4.0%.

Positive news came from the employment market as well. The weekly report on the number of applications for unemployment benefits in the United States reflected a decrease in the indicator to 730 thousand against last week's data at 841 thousand and forecasts of about 828 thousand.

Today you should pay attention to the parameters of personal expenses and income of Americans for January. In terms of income, an increase of 9.4% is expected. In addition, the final value of the consumer confidence index from the University of Michigan for February will be published. If the data does not disappoint again, the dollar will continue to strengthen.
 

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GBP/USD. March, 1, 2021 – Sterling is back below 1.4000

At the end of last week, the sterling fell to 1.3890 amid the global strengthening of the US dollar in the market. The current quote for the GBP/USD pair is 1.3950.

The head of the Bank of England said last Friday that the regulator expects negative growth in the first quarter of 2021. Andrew Bailey also noted that several sectors of the economy, including retail, hospitality and tourism, were hit harder than expected by the second and third blockages. At the same time, the head of the Central Bank also noted good prospects, mainly due to the active recovery of the trade sector.

The regulator also said that inflation risks are generally balanced. And the rise in British securities yields is a consequence of more positive news in the economy, rather than worries about inflation.

The UK released preliminary February business data today. PMI in manufacturing rose better than expected: 55.1 points against the forecast of growth to 54.9 and the previous value at 54.1 points. In the evening hours, you should pay attention to the similar figure from the USA.
 

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USD/CAD. March 02, 2021 – Loonie weakens amid sales in the oil market

The USD/CAD pair dropped to the key support level of 1.25, which was already an obstacle in the way of the «bears» in 2016 and 2018. In 2021, the asset again failed to gain a foothold below this level and bounced off it, breaking through the resistance level of 1.27. The current quote for the pair is 1.2670.

The Canadian dollar was supported by a strong rise in oil prices to $66.75 per barrel last week. However, today oil is showing a correction, which also puts pressure on the CAD rate.

At the same time, the US dollar is receiving support from growing Treasury yields and positive economic statistics. In particular, in January, orders for durable goods grew by 1.4%, GDP in the IV quarter added 4.1%, and the number of applications for unemployment benefits amounted to 730 thousand, which is below forecasts.

Also, the dynamics of the dollar was influenced by the agreement in the US House of Representatives of Biden's proposed fiscal stimulus package in the amount of $1.9 trillion. Now the document must be approved by the Senate, and only then will it go to the president for signature.

On Tuesday, the RSI indicator is consolidating in the neutral zone, which signals the formation of a flat below the level of 1.27.
 

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EUR/USD. March 3, 2021 – The pair is volatile in the corridor 1.20-1.21

The EUR/USD pair demonstrates high trading volatility in the 1.20-1.21 range. The current quote for the pair is 1.2060. Such activity was caused, first of all, by the comments of monetary politicians. In particular, Fed Governor Lael Brainard said that the outlook for the American economy looks positive, since the vaccination process is at an active pace and means an early victory over the pandemic. However, this does not mean that the Fed will quickly roll back its stimulus programs.

Brainard also noted that someday the Fed will have the opportunity to raise rates, but such changes will occur gradually.

Today we should pay attention to the final values of the index of business activity in the services sector for February in the eurozone and Germany. The index of the euro zone came out better than the forecast (45.7 against expectations of 44.7 points), but the German index fell short of expectations (45.7 against 45.9 points). In the evening hours, the US will present statistics on the number of jobs in the private sector from the ADP. Average forecasts assume growth by 203 thousand after strengthening earlier by 174 thousand. The stronger the report, the better for the dollar.
 

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GBP/USD. March 04, 2021 | Pound falls on weak statistics

The British pound weakened slightly during the trading session on Thursday. The current quote for the GBP/USD pair is 1.3950.

The pound was pressured by the weak macroeconomic data from Great Britain published yesterday. The index of business activity in the services sector in February fell from 49.7 to 49.5 points, and did not reach the level of 50 points. An additional driver of sales was the presentation of the UK budget, which provides for an increase in corporate taxes from 19% to 25% in order to combat the growing national debt of the country (2.1 trillion pounds). Also, the government will suspend the income tax thresholds until 2026.

Economic statistics from the United States came out ambiguous. In particular, the index of business activity in the service sector from Markit rose from 58.9 to 59.8 points, while the similar index from ISM, on the contrary, fell sharply from 58.7 to 55.3 points.

The markets were also somewhat disappointed by the ADP report on employment in the US private sector, which reflected the growth of jobs only by 117 thousand in February after increasing by 195 thousand in January. Today the focus is on the speech of the head of the US Federal Reserve Jerome Powell, as well as statistics on the dynamics of applications for unemployment benefits in the US.

EUR/USD. March 4, 2021 – Consolidation at 1.2050

The EUR/USD pair continues to trade within the 1.20-1.21 range. The current quote for the asset is 1.2050. Yesterday, the yield on US government bonds rose sharply, which contributed to the strengthening of the US dollar across the entire spectrum of the market.

However, the further rally of the dollar remains questionable, and the blame is weak macroeconomic statistics. According to the ADP, the economy created just 117,000 new jobs in February, which is significantly less than the forecast of 177,000. Activity in the service sector also slowed: the ISM index fell from 58.7 to 55.3 points. Today we should pay attention to the release of data on applications for unemployment benefits, it is expected that the figure will once again decline.

Also important will be the statistics from the eurozone, which can exert strong pressure on the euro. The 0.6% growth in retail sales in Europe is expected to be followed by a 1.2% decline. In other words, consumer prices have finally begun to rise, while sales have plummeted. This indicates the instability of inflationary processes in the region, and Europe may once again slide into deflation.

The RSI indicator has consolidated in the neutral zone, which signals the continuation of the sideways trend at 1.2050 until the release of economic statistics, which will determine the further direction of movement of the EUR/USD pair.

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EUR/JPY. March 08, 2021 | Consolidation at 129.00

During the trading session last week, the EUR / JPY currency pair formed on the daily chart a series of pin-bar and doji candlestick patterns at the resistance level of 129.00, giving a signal to sell.

Earlier, the EUR / JPY price renewed its maximum since November 2018 at 129.96, after which it corrected to the nearest strong support level - 129.00. There is still not enough strength to continue the upward trend, it may first be necessary to rewrite local minimums near 128.00, near the EMA 21 line.

Selling according to this pattern is risky because it is against the trend. I will monitor the appearance of buy signals. The immediate target for growth and strong resistance is at the round level of 130.00.

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EUR/USD. March 9, 2021 | Euro falls to 1.1830 after US Senate stimulus package

The US dollar continues to strengthen in the market, the current quotation of the EUR/USD pair is 1.1865. The American currency was supported by the adoption by the US Senate of the stimulus project in the amount of $1.9 trillion on Sunday. Trades in America are quite volatile due to fears of rising inflation, which may accelerate against the backdrop of new infusions of funds.

The EUR/USD pair may become one of the most vulnerable pairs this week. Moreover, the increased demand for the dollar and the «dovish» rhetoric of the European Central Bank may lead it to new 4-month lows.

In addition, the unexpected slowdown in industrial production in Germany from 1.9% to -2.5% also exerted strong pressure on the single currency. And combined with the low rates of vaccination, the protracted quarantine and the growth in the profitability of the public debt in Europe, this does not bode well for the euro.

Today it is worth paying attention to the third estimate of the eurozone's GDP, which should once again show an acceleration in the rate of economic decline from -4.3% to -5.0%. However, the two previous estimates showed the same results, and this fact is already incorporated into the value of the European currency. Therefore, we do not expect any strong movements during the day, and the pair will continue to trade in the area of local minimums.
 

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EUR/USD. March 10, 2021 | Consolidation at 1.19

On Wednesday, EUR/USD consolidates at 1.1900 in anticipation of US February inflation data in the evening. The consensus forecast assumes an increase of 0.4 percentage points. up to 1.7%.

Such expectations are quite logical, since the rise in prices for industrial goods and energy resources contributed to an increase in the consumer price index. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell in his recent speeches also pointed to the rise in inflation in the next few months.

If analysts' forecasts come true, the dollar may strengthen somewhat, but high volatility should not be expected, as investors will refrain from opening positions before tomorrow's ECB meeting.

GBP/USD. March 10, 2021 | The pair is in the 1.39 area in anticipation of US inflation data

On Wednesday, the GBP/USD pair is trading with no definite direction in the 1.3900 area. Over the past two weeks, the pound has shown a downward correction, but investors continue to believe in the «bullish» outlook for the asset with a return to the level of 1.40.

This optimism was fueled by news that the UK authorities have decided to ease quarantine measures. Since Monday, for example, schools have started operating in the country. Additional support for the sterling was provided by yesterday's report on retail sales, which showed an indicator growth of 9.5% against expectations of an increase of 7.0%.

Today you should pay attention to the report on consumer inflation for February in the United States. Analysts expect inflation to rise by 0.4%. Such values are clearly not enough for the FRS to somehow change the monetary policy, but they are quite enough to put pressure on the US dollar.

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EUR/USD. March 11, 2021 | The dollar is under pressure from the inflation report

On Thursday, the EUR/USD pair began to recover after falling the day before to the level of 1.1830. The current quote for the pair is 1.1965. The euro is growing for the third session in a row amid growing interest in risky assets.

An additional factor strengthening the pair was yesterday's statistics on inflation in the US. The report showed quite strong growth on an annualized basis (+1.7%), but if we consider the indicator of core inflation excluding food and energy prices, the growth remains very small. Such inflationary pressure will not be able to influence the Fed's rate decision, so Treasury yields began to decline, which led to a weakening of the dollar.

An additional negative factor for the American currency was also the report on the state of the budget, which showed an increase in the budget deficit to $ 311 billion from the previous value of $ 163 billion. And, of course, the completion of the discussion of the $ 1.9 trillion fiscal stimulus program is also exerting strong pressure on the dollar exchange rate today. The day before, the bill was approved in Congress and sent for signature to the President, who is expected to sign the law on Friday, March 12.

Today the ECB will meet to decide on interest rates. If the regulator calls for the continuation of the stimulus program, the EUR/USD buyers will have a stronger chance of testing 1.20.
 

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EUR/USD. March 12, 2021 | Euro sank after ECB meeting

The euro slipped somewhat after the ECB's decision to keep the rate at zero. The current quote for the EUR/USD pair is 1.1933. The European regulator managed to surprise the markets by announcing plans to significantly increase the rate of asset repurchases in the next quarter. The reason for this decision was the recent rise in government bond yields and fears about a possible jump in inflation in the coming months.

The ECB also raised its GDP and inflation forecasts for 2020 and 2021. This year, the economy is expected to grow by 4% and inflation by 1.5%. Experts note that until the eurozone economy shows a stable recovery, the euro will continue to lag behind its main foreign exchange competitors.

The US Federal Reserve will hold its meeting next week, during which updated economic forecasts will also be presented. Yesterday, the United States published good data on applications for unemployment benefits (712 thousand against the forecast of 725 thousand). 

Today you should pay attention to statistics on producer prices and consumer sentiment from the University of Michigan. We are also monitoring the further fate of the US fiscal assistance package: it is expected that today President Joe Biden will finally sign the corresponding bill.
 

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GBP/USD. March 15, 2021 | The pair fluctuates weakly near the 1.3900 level

«Bears» for the GBP/USD pair failed to gain a foothold below 1.3860 and the pound began to gradually recover at the beginning of a new trading week. The current quotation of the asset is 1.3915.

Prior to that, the pair's decline was driven by disappointing UK GDP data. The indicator decreased by 9.2% (y/y) and 2.9% (m/m). Moreover, manufacturing output fell 2.3% in January.

The economic calendar for today is absolutely empty, so the trading day promises to be calm. It is also worth noting that investors took a neutral position, expecting a reaction to the injection of $ 1.9 trillion in fiscal stimulus into the US economy and the outcome of the two-day Fed meeting. In light of a serious rise in inflationary expectations (the University of Michigan believes that inflation may rise to 3.1%), the American regulator may nevertheless tighten its monetary policy.
 

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Brent. March 16, 2021 | Oil continues to decline

Brent crude oil continues to decline during the trading session on Tuesday, trading just below $68 a barrel. Previously, quotes were growing steadily amid hopes for a faster recovery in global economic growth due to the gradual lifting of quarantine restrictions in many regions of the world. However, investors are still worried about the emergence of new strains of coronavirus in Europe, and Italy has even announced the restoration of a partial lockdown in the country.

Despite the local correction, «black gold» retains the potential for further growth. On the side of buyers is strong statistics from China – the largest consumer of oil. Industrial production jumped 35.1% in January-February compared to the same period last year, according to Monday's data. Analysts had expected a more modest gain of 30.5%.

Market participants even assume that oil prices will be able to reach the level of $80 per barrel in the second quarter, after many quarantine measures are lifted and economic activity is restored. Experts predict that global oil demand will rebound by about 6 million barrels a day from last year, after falling by 8.7 million barrels a day in 2020. For the period 2021-2023 demand is projected to grow at more than 9 million barrels per day – the fastest pace since the 1970s.

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EUR/USD. March 17, 2021 | Dollar at 1.19 in anticipation of the results of the Fed meeting

On Wednesday, EUR/USD continues to trade at 1.1900 in anticipation of the results of the US Federal Reserve meeting, which will be announced tonight.

Yesterday's economic statistics put pressure on the dollar. Retail sales in February decreased by 3.0% m/m against the previous growth by 7.6% m/m (revised value). The forecast assumed a decline of only 0.5%. Analysts note that sales have deteriorated amid cold weather in the States this year.

The volume of industrial production in the US in February fell by 2.2% m/m against expectations of growth by 0.4% m/m and the previous rise by 1.1% m/m. This was also the result of an abnormally cold and snowy winter.

Today all traders' attention is focused on the decision of the US Federal Reserve on the rate and further course of monetary policy. The rate is likely to remain at zero, and the main interest is the press conference of the head of the FRS. The tone of J. Powell's comments may become a little more aggressive than before, however, one should not expect signals of a softening of the policy.

The economic calendar for today is practically empty, so trading will be held in a calm manner near the level of 1.19, until the announcement of the results of the Federal Reserve meeting.

GBP/USD. March 17, 2021 | Market participants awaiting the results of the US Federal Reserve meeting

The focus of traders this week is the meetings of the US and UK central banks. The US Federal Reserve will announce the results of its meeting tonight: analysts predict that the regulator will leave the current parameters of monetary policy unchanged, while raising the assessment of economic growth, as well as, possibly, inflation.

Based on the results of the December meeting, the leaders of the FRS predicted that the target inflation rate of 2% would be achieved no earlier than 2023. However, now the regulator may revise its forecasts towards accelerating inflation, given the recent macroeconomic data. And this will undoubtedly be a positive factor for the US dollar.

As for the Bank of England, which will meet on Thursday, economists believe that the Central Bank will continue to take a wait-and-see attitude and will keep its policy unchanged. Despite the fact that the yield on UK government bonds rose sharply amid expectations of a faster economic recovery and higher inflation. Moreover, yesterday the head of the Bank of England Andrew Bailey said that the bank will continue to buy bonds this year, despite the fact that «inflation will remain below the target of 2%.»

The current quote for the GBP/USD pair is 1.3900. The RSI indicator is growing weakly from the neutral zone, which signals further moderate strengthening of the pound sterling during the day, until the announcement of the results of the US Federal Reserve meeting.
 

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EUR/USD. March 18, 2021 | The results of the Fed meeting put pressure on the dollar

On Thursday morning, the euro continues to rise to the 1.20 area. The current quote for the EUR/USD pair is 1.1986. Yesterday there was a meeting of the US Federal Reserve System, as a result of which the American currency significantly weakened, having lost control over the level of 1.19.

As market participants expected, the regulator kept the base rate at the level of 0-0.25% per annum. The Fed also made it clear that it does not intend to raise interest rates throughout 2023, despite the rapid recovery of the American economy.

The central bank also improved its forecast for US GDP: now the regulator predicts economic growth by 6.5% in 2021, not 4.2%. Moreover, inflation is expected to exceed the Fed's 2% target this year at 2.4%.

Today you should pay attention to the macro statistics on the US labor market. Analysts expect that the number of initial claims for unemployment benefits fell by 12 thousand from the previous week, to 700 thousand. If the forecast is confirmed, the US dollar will have an incentive to recover from yesterday's drawdown.
 

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EUR/USD. March 19, 2021 | The dollar is back under the 1.1900 level

On Friday, the dollar returned to the 1.19 level, having recouped most of the losses incurred following the FOMC meeting. The American regulator said that it does not intend to raise interest rates until 2023, however, the recovery of the dollar and the growth of government bond yields indicate that market participants are still guided by an optimistic economic scenario.

The dollar was also supported by an increase in the manufacturing activity index (according to the Philadelphia Fed report), which also underpins the improved economic forecasts of the central bank. The index rose from 23.3 to 51.8 points, reaching a maximum of the last 48 years.

At the same time, the euro is under pressure from the worsening situation with the coronavirus in Europe. Many countries are returning to lockdowns, others are in no hurry to remove restrictions. The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, believes that all this is due to a decrease in the rate of vaccination against the background of refusal of the AstraZeneca vaccine due to possible severe side effects.

The economic calendar is empty for today. The current quote for the EUR/USD pair is 1.1880. The RSI indicator weakly declines from the neutral zone, which signals further moderate strengthening of the dollar.

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GBP/USD. March 22, 2021 | Sterling moderately grows at the beginning of the week

At the end of last trading week, the pound sterling fell to the 1.3800 area. On Monday, the pair is trying to win back losses, rising to 1.3850.

The latest macroeconomic data from the UK turned out to be rather weak, so the pound is unlikely to strengthen significantly. The pound made some attempts to grow after the announcement of the results of the meeting of the Bank of England last Thursday. The regulator decided to keep the base interest rate at 0.1%, and the volume of redemption of assets from the market – at 895 billion pounds.
 
The central bank also noted that if the inflation forecast deteriorates, the monetary policy committee is ready to take any necessary additional actions. However, no tightening of monetary policy is expected until there is confidence in achieving a robust 2% inflation target.

Today the macroeconomic calendar is empty. In the coming days, data on business activity, employment, inflation and retail sales in the UK will be released. Experts expect the numbers to strengthen as mass vaccinations boost confidence and economic activity.

EUR/USD. March 22, 2021 | The euro is trying to close above 1.19

The main currency pair is trading slightly above the 1.1900 level on Monday. The euro is trying to regain the losses of the last week, but this is not happening very confidently. The fact is that the US dollar remains quite stable after the comments and decisions of the FRS following the March meeting. Moreover, the yield on US government bonds continues to rise, which provides fundamental support to the greenback.

The rise in bond yields came after the announcement that the Fed had not extended the benefits for second-tier banks introduced last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The mechanism was introduced to stimulate bank lending; now, according to the Fed, there is no obvious need for it.

The euro, in turn, is under pressure due to the suspension of Covid vaccinations in Europe with the drug company AstraZeneca. Investors fear that against the background of this, the terms of lockdowns in some European countries will be extended, and this is a certain negative for the European currency.

Today the macroeconomic calendar is completely empty. Attention can only be attracted by the speech of the head of the US Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell. However, market participants are unlikely to learn something new, since the head of the regulator has repeatedly commented on the prospects for the Fed's monetary policy.

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EUR/USD. March 23, 2021 | The euro continues to decline from the level of 1.19

The euro continues to be under pressure against the dollar, settling below the 1.1900 level. The current quote for the EUR/USD pair is 1.1875. Recently, the main driver of fluctuations in the US dollar has been the movement of the yield on US government bonds: when it grows, the dollar also begins to rally.

An additional important factor supporting the dollar is the optimism about a quick recovery of the American economy, including taking into account additional stimulus.

At the same time, the eurozone is mired in a crisis, which puts significant pressure on the euro rate. The fact is that Europe is lagging behind the United States in terms of vaccination of the population, and an increasing number of countries are again tightening or extending quarantine restrictions. As a result, the economic indicators of the eurozone are showing a decline, and the ECB is forced to remain cautious in all its steps and actions.

This week is scheduled to publish data on business activity in the euro area and the result of the IFO survey in Germany. Analysts predict that new releases could disappoint the markets once again. Today the economic calendar is almost empty, so the pair will continue to decline slightly in anticipation of new drivers.
 

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EUR/USD. March 25, 2021 | Euro fell to the level of 1.1800

The EUR/USD pair continues to be in the clutches of «bears»: the current quotation of the euro is 1.1800.

The strengthening of the dollar is again helped by the rise in the yield of US bonds. In addition, the worsening epidemiological situation in the euro area continues to negatively impact the single currency.

Today we should pay attention to the final data on US GDP for the fourth quarter. These statistics should confirm preliminary estimates that showed a slowdown in the rate of economic decline from -2.8% to -2.4%. Therefore, these statistics are unlikely to have any impact on the market. But the report on the number of applications for unemployment benefits, the total number of which should once again be reduced, can provide significant support to the dollar. In this case, we expect a further decline in the European currency below the level of 1.18.

EUR/USD. March 24, 2021 | «Bears» are approaching the 1.1800 level

During the trading session on Wednesday, the euro continues to decline. The current quote for the EUR/USD pair is 1.1825.

The pressure on the European currency is exerted by the prospect of a worsening economic situation in the eurozone countries amid the development of the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Many countries in the region are resuming restrictive measures. Including Germany, the largest economy in Europe, where a new quarantine was introduced until April 18. France and Italy are also under severe restrictions that delay the recovery of the entire European region.

The situation is aggravated by the problems with the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is being phased out by an increasing number of EU countries.

Additional pressure on the euro is exerted by the widespread strengthening of the dollar in the market. Greenback is growing after the speeches of D. Powell and D. Yellen in Congress, who said they expect a strong recovery in the US economy this year thanks to successful vaccinations. 

The head of the FRS also noted that he does not expect an unwanted acceleration of inflation after the adoption of the stimulus package, adding that the regulator has all the necessary tools to curb the excessive rise in price pressure. Against this background, the dollar index approached the maximum level in the last 4 months.

[KostiaForexMart]

GBP/USD. March 26, 2021 | The sterling returned to the 1.38 level

The British currency continues to win back losses in pairing with the dollar, rising almost closely to the level of 1.3800.

The main support for the pound sterling was provided by economic reports from the UK. In particular, retail sales rose 2.1% in February after falling 8.2% a month earlier, in line with market participants' expectations. The indicator on an annualized basis was -3.7% against the forecast of -3.5%. The basic index of retail sales in monthly terms amounted to 2.4%, in annual terms – minus 1.1%, which turned out to be better than the experts' forecasts.

An additional positive for the sterling was the comments of the chief economist of the Bank of England and member of the Monetary Policy Committee Andy Haldane, who said that the UK economy will show a very rapid recovery.

However, the US dollar also feels quite stable. Yesterday's GDP and labor market data showed that America's economy is recovering and unemployment is gradually declining.