EUR/USD edges higher toward 1.1770 as dovish Fed outlook boosts euro

EUR/USD inched higher toward the 1.1770 area, finding modest support as the U.S. dollar struggled to extend its recent rally. Rising expectations of a more dovish Federal Reserve stance have capped further gains in the greenback. Meanwhile, the European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged at its policy meeting on Thursday, as widely expected.

The EUR/USD pair edged higher toward the 1.1770 area during Asian trading on Friday, as the U.S. dollar eased amid growing speculation that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates at its March policy meeting. The pair attracted modest buying interest as expectations for Fed easing gained traction.

At the time of writing, the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, was down 0.1% at around 97.85, although it remained close to Thursday’s weekly high of 97.98.

According to the CME FedWatch tool, the probability of a 25-basis-point rate cut—taking the fed funds rate to a 3.25%–3.50% range—at the March meeting has risen to 22.7%, from just 9.4% on Wednesday. Dovish Fed expectations have strengthened following a string of labor market indicators pointing to softer demand. December JOLTS data showed job openings fell to 6.542 million, well below estimates of 7.2 million and the prior 6.928 million. Meanwhile, ADP data released on Wednesday showed private sector payrolls rose by only 22,000 in January, down from 37,000 in December.

On the other hand, the euro remained broadly pressured despite the European Central Bank’s policy decision on Thursday. The ECB left interest rates unchanged, as expected, and played down the recent dip in eurozone inflation, reaffirming that inflation is likely to stabilize around its 2% target over the medium term. The central bank also cautioned about an uncertain geopolitical backdrop.

Sources: Sagar Dua