EUR/USD – Euro Steady as German Retail Sales Matches Forecast, Eurozone CPI Next

The euro has edged upwards in the Friday session, as EUR/USD trades at 1.0890. The week wraps up with a host of events in the eurozone and US, so traders should be prepared for some movement from the pair. In the eurozone, German Retail Sales dropped to 0.1%, matching the estimate. Later in the day, the eurozone releases CPI Flash Estimate, with an estimate of 1.8%. The US will publish Advance GDP, with a forecast of 1.3%. As well, the UoM Consumer Sentiment report is expected to improve to 98.1 points.

The euro dipped on Thursday after the ECB policy meeting, as the rate statement and comments from Mario Draghi were more dovish than the markets would have liked. Draghi stated that policymakers did not discuss tightening monetary policy. The current ultra-loose policy, which includes interest rates at 0.00% and a quantitative easing program of EUR 60 billion/mth, has been in place since 2008. Draghi acknowledged more favorable economic conditions, noting the eurozone economy had improved and downside risks had decreased. There had been speculation that the ECB might taper or bring forward its asset-purchase program, which runs until December. The ECB holds its next meeting in June, and the markets will again be looking for some tightening from the ECB.

The French presidential election may be in the daily headlines, but the euro has not showed significant movement this week. Voters will be back at the ballot boxes next Sunday, and the markets have priced in a victory by Emmanuel Macron over Marie Le Pen. A major reason for the market’s calmness is that opinion polls before the first round were fairly accurate, and correctly forecast that Macron would win 24% of the vote and Le Pen 22%, with both advancing to the May 7 runoff. The markets are thus relying on the polls for the second round, which show Macron with a comfortable lead of 60-40. Le Pen is a heavy underdog, compounded by the fact that some candidates from the first round as well as former President Francois Hollande have publicly called for voters to support Macron. Still, a strong showing by Le Pen on Sunday would show that her strident anti-EU stance has wide popularity, and this could sour investor sentiment and send the euro downwards.

ECB Leaves Rates, Guidance Unchanged

One of President Trump’s most important campaign platforms was overhauling the US tax code. Trump finally announced his long-awaited tax plan on Wednesday. The proposal calls for sharp reductions for both individuals and corporations. The plan calls for three tax brackets for individuals – 10%, 25% and 35%. The corporate sector would also see significant tax relief, with the corporate tax rate dropping from 35% to 15%, and the tax on multinationals’ overseas profits lowered from 35% to 10%. However, any tax reform proposals from the White House will require a stamp of approval from Congress, so Trump’s proposal should be viewed as a blueprint that is a long way off from becoming law. Trump’s proposal was short on details, although government officials are praising it as one of the largest tax cuts and broadest overhauls of the tax system in history. There hasn’t been much reaction to the Trump tax plan from the currency markets.

Mnuchin and Cohn Present Trump Tax Proposal

EUR/USD Fundamentals

Friday (April 28)

• 1:30 French Flash GDP. Estimate 0.4%. Actual 0.3%
• 2:00 German Retail Sales. Estimate 0.1%. Actual 0.1%
• 2:00 German Import Prices. Estimate 0.3%. Actual -0.5%
• 2:45 French Consumer Spending. Estimate 0.6%. Actual -0.4%
• 2:45 French Preliminary CPI. Estimate 0.2%. Actual 0.1%
• 3:00 Spanish Flash GDP. Estimate 0.7%. Actual 0.8%
• 4:00 Eurozone M3 Money Supply. Estimate 4.7%
• 4:00 Eurozone Private Loans. Estimate 2.4%
• 5:00 Eurozone CPI Flash Estimate. Estimate 1.8%
• 5:00 Eurozone Core CPI Flash Estimate. Estimate 1.0%
• 5:00 Italian Preliminary CPI. Estimate 0.2%
• 8:30 US Advance GDP. Estimate 1.3%
• 8:30 US Advance GDP. Estimate 2.0%
• 8:30 US Employment Cost Index. Estimate 0.6%
• 9:45 US Chicago PMI. Estimate 56.9
• 10:00 US Revised UoM Consumer Sentiment. Estimate 98.1
• 10:00 US Revised UoM Inflation Expectations
• 13:15 US FOMC Member Lael Brainard Speech
• 14:30 US FOMC Patrick Harker Speech

*All release times are EST

*Key events are in bold

EUR/USD for Friday, April 28, 2017

EUR/USD April 28 at 4:20 EST

Open: 1.0865 High: 1.0897 Low: 1.0855 Close: 1.0886

EUR/USD Technical

EUR/USD was flat in the Asian session and has edged higher in European trade

• 1.0873 was tested earlier in the day and remains a weak support level
• 1.0985 is the next line of resistance

Further levels in both directions:

• Below: 1.0873, 1.0708, 1.0616 and 1.0506
• Above: 1.0985, 1.1122 and 1.1242
• Current range: 1.0873 to 1.0985

OANDA’s Open Positions Ratio

EUR/USD ratio is unchanged in the Friday session. Currently, short positions have a majority (63%), indicative of EUR/USD reversing directions and moving lower.

This article is for general information purposes only. It is not investment advice or a solution to buy or sell securities. Opinions are the authors; not necessarily that of OANDA Corporation or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. Leveraged trading is high risk and not suitable for all. You could lose all of your deposited funds.