empty
11.06.2024 01:00 AM
The dollar may change direction

The US labor market data for May turned out to be significantly unexpected – nonfarm Payrolls in the US rose 272,000 in May (forecast was +185,000), average hourly earnings rose by 0.4% (previous month +0.2%), and the labor force decreased by 250,000. As a result, yields surged, and the dollar firmly strengthened against all major world currencies.

The data was both unexpected and overly contradictory. Strong job growth was recorded alongside a decline in labor force participation and a rise in unemployment. In addition, both ISM reports showed a decrease in employment, which is very strange in itself and suggests either errors in calculations or data manipulation ahead of the upcoming US presidential elections.

The data indicates that the US labor market remains resilient despite all the Federal Reserve's efforts. The threat of renewed inflationary pressure remains high. The non-farm payrolls contradict other indicators that show a slowdown in the US economy.

The CFTC report brought no surprises – the total long position on the US dollar against major world currencies decreased by $4 billion to $10.6 billion for the reporting week.

This image is no longer relevant

Long positions have been declining for six consecutive weeks, and there are no signs that investors might start buying the dollar again anytime soon. Investors did not expect such strong non-farm payrolls, and now much depends on the inflation report due on Wednesday, right before the Federal Reserve meeting.

The Fed is expected to leave interest rates unchanged. As of Thursday, markets were assessing an 80% probability of the first rate cut in September, but after the non-farm payrolls report, expectations for the first rate cut shifted to November, with the probability now estimated at around 45%. This makes the outlook for the dollar significantly more hawkish.

Last week there was another unexpected report – the ISM for the services sector. The ISM index rose from 49.4 to 53.8, which clearly contradicts the emerging picture of a slowing US economy. In fact, the May PMI and ISM indices showed a weakening balance of industrial orders and inventories, and the number of job vacancies signaled a decline in labor demand. Growth in bank lending has stabilized below pre-pandemic levels, as tight monetary policy continues to have a negative impact.

As of Thursday, markets saw no signs of an overheating US economy, but the ISM services sector report and the non-farm payrolls have significantly altered forecasts. Now we need to wait for Wednesday to see both the inflation dynamics and any changes in the Fed's forecasts. Two opposite scenarios are possible here. If inflation shows high resilience, considering the strong ISM and labor market data, the market will inevitably conclude that the economy is overheating, and the dollar will maintain higher yields, continuing its purchases. However, if inflation shows a minor decline, which is quite logical given that the price components in both ISM reports showed a decrease, the non-farm payrolls will be seen as a one-off spike that does not affect the overall picture, and the dollar will start getting weaker again.

Kuvat Raharjo,
Analytical expert of InstaForex
© 2007-2025
Select timeframe
5
min
15
min
30
min
1
hour
4
hours
1
day
1
week
Earn on cryptocurrency rate changes with InstaForex
Download MetaTrader 4 and open your first trade
  • Grand Choice
    Contest by
    InstaForex
    InstaForex always strives to help you
    fulfill your biggest dreams.
    JOIN CONTEST

Recommended Stories

AUD/JPY. Analysis and Forecast

The current technical and fundamental setup for the AUD/JPY pair points to short-term pressure from the Japanese yen. However, fundamental factors favoring the Australian dollar help maintain the pair's upside

Irina Yanina 11:28 2025-05-14 UTC+2

USD/JPY. Analysis and Forecast

At the moment, the Japanese yen is showing positive momentum against the U.S. dollar for the second consecutive day.The key factor supporting the Japanese currency has been hawkish comments from

Irina Yanina 11:28 2025-05-14 UTC+2

The Market Is Changing the Rules of the Game

Don't go against the crowd. According to Goldman Sachs and the Federal Reserve, individual investors held $35 trillion worth of U.S. stocks at the end of 2024, equivalent to 38%

Marek Petkovich 09:32 2025-05-14 UTC+2

What to Pay Attention to on May 14? A Breakdown of Fundamental Events for Beginners

There are very few macroeconomic events scheduled for Wednesday. The only item of note is the second estimate of Germany's Business Activity Index for April. Second estimates typically

Paolo Greco 06:11 2025-05-14 UTC+2

GBP/USD Overview – May 14: Only the Trade Deal Matters

On Tuesday, the GBP/USD currency pair also ended what could only be called disgrace — its decline. On Monday, the U.S. dollar strengthened quite well following a successful first round

Paolo Greco 03:52 2025-05-14 UTC+2

EUR/USD Overview – May 14: The Music Didn't Last Long

The EUR/USD currency pair experienced upward movement for most of Tuesday. One gets used to good news quickly, and the market expected further strengthening of the U.S. dollar. We anticipated

Paolo Greco 03:52 2025-05-14 UTC+2

EUR/USD. And Then They Woke Up: Market Euphoria Over the U.S.-China Trade Truce Fades

The currency market's initial euphoria following the announcement of a temporary trade truce between the U.S. and China has now faded. The early optimism has given way to the sobering

Irina Manzenko 01:23 2025-05-14 UTC+2

Inflation Does the Dollar a Bearish Disservice

One of the few indicators the market occasionally pays attention to is U.S. inflation. After Donald Trump introduced trade tariffs, economists immediately started discussing rising inflation. This conclusion is logical

Chin Zhao 01:14 2025-05-14 UTC+2

The Euro Prepares for Retaliation

Man proposes, God disposes. After the White House imposed strict tariffs on America's Independence Day, there was much discussion about rising inflation and a slowing U.S. economy. However, instead

Marek Petkovich 00:18 2025-05-14 UTC+2

USD/CHF. Analysis and Forecast

The USD/CHF pair is pulling back from the monthly high reached yesterday. This retreat is driven by a technical correction following a strong upward move. The U.S. Dollar Index, which

Irina Yanina 18:30 2025-05-13 UTC+2
Can't speak right now?
Ask your question in the chat.
Widget callback
 

Dear visitor,

Your IP address shows that you are currently located in the USA. If you are a resident of the United States, you are prohibited from using the services of InstaFintech Group including online trading, online transfers, deposit/withdrawal of funds, etc.

If you think you are seeing this message by mistake and your location is not the US, kindly proceed to the website. Otherwise, you must leave the website in order to comply with government restrictions.

Why does your IP address show your location as the USA?

  • - you are using a VPN provided by a hosting company based in the United States;
  • - your IP does not have proper WHOIS records;
  • - an error occurred in the WHOIS geolocation database.

Please confirm whether you are a US resident or not by clicking the relevant button below. If you choose the wrong option, being a US resident, you will not be able to open an account with InstaForex anyway.

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by this message.