- U.S. ISM Non-Manufacturing Survey to Narrow for Second Straight Month to 59.0 from 59.5 in February.
- EUR/USD[1] Continues to Consolidate Within the March Range, Relative Strength Index (RSI) Clings to Bullish Formation.
Trading the News: U.S. ISM Non-Manufacturing
Another downtick in the ISM Non-Manufacturing survey may spark a rebound in EUR/USD as it undermines expectations for four Fed rate-hikes in 2018.
Signs of waning business confidence may drag on the greenback as it limits the Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) scope to extend the hiking-cycle, and the central bank may stick to the sidelines at the next meeting in May as ‘recent data suggest that growth rates of household spending and business fixed investment have moderated from their strong fourth-quarter readings.’ In turn, Chairman Jerome Powell and Co may continue to forecast a neutral Fed Funds rate of 2.75% to 3.00% especially as the central bank struggles to achieve the 2% target for inflation.
Nevertheless, an above-forecast print may keep EUR/USD under pressure as it encourages the FOMC[2] to further normalize monetary policy, and the central bank may adopt a more hawkish tone over the coming months as ‘inflation on a 12-month basis is expected to move up in coming months and to stabilize around the Committee's 2 percent objective over the medium term.’
Impact that the ISM Non-Manufacturing survey had on EUR/USD during the previous print
|
Period |
Data Released |
Estimate |
Actual |
Pips Change (1 Hour post event ) |
Pips Change (End of Day post event) |
|
FEB 2018 |
03/05/2018 15:00:00 GMT |
59.0 |
59.5 |
-3 |
+12 |
February 2018 U.S. ISM Non-Manufacturing
EUR/USD 5-Minute Chart
The ISM Non-Manufacturing survey slipped to 59.5 from 59.9 in January, with the weakness larger driven by a decline in the Employment component as the index tumbled to 55.0 from 61.6 during the same period. A deeper look at the report showed the gauge for New Orders climbing to 64.8 in February from 62.7 the month prior, with the index for New Export Orders also advancing to 59.5 from 58.0.
The mixed developments sparked a mixed reaction, with EUR/USD pulling back towards 1.2310, but the move was short-lived as the pair ended the day at 1.2336. Interested in having a broader discussion on current market themes? Sign up and join DailyFX Currency Analyst David Song LIVE[3] for an opportunity to discuss potential trade setups!
EUR/USD Daily Chart
Near-term outlook for
