Dollar Slips on Weakness in US Consumer Confidence
The US Jan S&P CoreLogic composite-20 home price index rose +4.67% y/y, below expectations of +4.80% y/y but the fastest pace of increase in 5 months.
US Feb new home sales rose +1.8% m/m to 676,000, weaker than expectations of 680,000.
The Conference Board's US Mar consumer confidence index fell -7.2 to a 4-year low of 92.9, weaker than expectations of 94.0.
The US Mar Richmond Fed manufacturing survey of current conditions fell -10 to -4, weaker than expectations of 1.
Fed Governor Kugler said she is "paying close attention to the acceleration of price increases and higher inflation expectations, especially given the recent bout of inflation in the past few years," and she supports holding interest rates steady for "some time."
This week's attention will focus on Wednesday's report on Feb capital goods new orders nondefense ex-aircraft and parts (expected +0.2% m/m). On Thursday, Q4 GDP is expected to be unrevised at +2.3% (q/q annualized), and Mar pending home sales are expected +1.0% m/m. On Friday, Feb personal spending is expected +0.5% m/m, and Feb personal income is expected +0.4% m/m. Also, the Feb core PCE price index, the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, is expected +0.3% m/m and +2.7% y/y. Finally, on Friday, the revised Mar University of Michigan consumer sentiment index is expected to remain unchanged at 57.9.
The markets are discounting the chances at 16% for a -25 bp rate cut after the May 6-7 FOMC meeting.
EUR/USD (^EURUSD) today is up by +0.04%. The euro recovered from a 2-1/2 week low today and is slightly higher. The euro garnered support today after the German Mar IFO business climate survey rose to an 8-month high. Also, hawkish comments today from ECB Governing Council members Kazimir and Muller boosted the euro when they said they could not rule out a pause to the ECB's interest rate cuts.
Eurozone Feb new car registrations fell -3.4% y/y to 854,000 units, the largest decline in 5 months.
The German Mar IFO business climate survey rose +1.4 to an 8-month high of 86.7, right on expectations.
ECB Governing Council member Kazimir said the ECB "is already now in the neutral rate zone," and he can't rule out a pause in interest rate cuts.
ECB Governing Council member Muller said he "can't rule out a pause in the ECB's rate cutting," and any further rate cuts will depend on the nature of the tariffs that the US is due to announce soon.
Swaps are discounting the chances at 67% for a -25 bp rate cut by the ECB at the April 17 policy meeting.
USD/JPY (^USDJPY) today is down by -0.56%. The yen recovered from a 3-week low against the dollar today and is moderately higher. Higher Japanese government bond yields have strengthened the yen's interest rate differentials and are supporting the yen after the 10-year JGB bond yield climbed to a 16-year high today of 1.587%. Also, strength in stocks has curbed safe-haven demand for the yen. Gains in the yen are limited today due to higher T-note yields.
April gold (GCJ2 5) today is up +25.80 (+0.86%), and May silver (SIK2 5) is up +0.855 (+2.59%). Precious metals today are moderately higher. Today's weaker dollar is a supportive factor for metals. Precious metals also have support on hopes that US reciprocal tariffs scheduled for April 2 would be more targeted than previously expected, which eases concerns about inflation and could allow the Fed to keep cutting interest rates, a dovish factor for precious metal. Today's slump in US March consumer confidence to a 4-year low is a dovish factor for Fed policy and bullish for precious metals. Ramped-up geopolitical risks in the Middle East are also boosting safe-haven demand for precious metals as Israel continues airstrikes across Gaza, ending a two-month ceasefire with Hamas, and as the US continues to launch strikes on Yemen's Houthi rebels. In addition, fund buying of gold supports prices after long gold positions in ETFs rose to a 17-month high last Friday.
Hawkish central bank comments today are bearish for precious metals. Fed Governor Kugler said she supports holding interest rates steady for "some time." Also, ECB Governing Council members Kazimir and Muller said they cannot rule out a pause on the ECB's interest rate cuts.
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