Retail Sales Data Strengthens the US Dollar Ahead of the FOMC

An upbeat US retail sales data released on Friday pushed the US dollar higher and served to allay market concerns about the state of US...

Arslan Butt•Monday, June 17, 2019•1 min read

An upbeat US retail sales data released on Friday pushed the US dollar higher and served to allay market concerns about the state of the US economy. The US dollar index, DXY, is trading near a two-week high on Monday, at around 97.50 at the time of writing.

On Friday, the dollar index touched a high of 97.583 following the release of the retail sales data, a significant change from the 2.5 month low of 96.459 that it touched on the release of US NFP data during the previous week. This week’s focus will remain on the Fed’s policy meeting due on Wednesday.

While markets are not expecting a rate cut to be announced in this meeting, they are waiting for clarity on possible rate cuts in the near future over concerns of weakening inflation and other economic data from the US in recent times.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR See More

Arslan Butt

Index & Commodity Analyst

Arslan Butt serves as the Lead Commodities and Indices Analyst, bringing a wealth of expertise to the field. With an MBA in Behavioral Finance and active progress towards a Ph.D., Arslan possesses a deep understanding of market dynamics. His professional journey includes a significant role as a senior analyst at a leading brokerage firm, complementing his extensive experience as a market analyst and day trader. Adept in educating others, Arslan has a commendable track record as an instructor and public speaker. His incisive analyses, particularly within the realms of cryptocurrency and forex markets, are showcased across esteemed financial publications such as ForexCrunch, InsideBitcoins, and EconomyWatch, solidifying his reputation in the financial community.