Euro in a mixed mode after US CPI data, eyes stronger direction signals
The Euro fell in immediate reaction to US inflation data which showed higher than expected values in January, erasing all pre-data gains, when the pair peaked at 1.0803, the highest since Feb 3, in short-lived action.
Although inflation values were above expectations in January, overall picture shows that price pressures continue to ease, being in a steady decline from June’s multi-decade high at 9.1%.
This eases pressure on Fed, leaving space for moderate action in coming months after several jumbo hikes last year pushed the borrowing cost to 4.5%/4.75% range, the highest in more than a decade.
However, inflation is still over three times above the central bank’s target and labor market is tight that keeps traders cautious and still favoring dollar.
Signals from technical studies on daily chart are mixed, as momentum is negative, stochastic is heading north, while moving averages are in mixed setup, suggesting that the near-term action is lacking direction and looking for stronger signals.
Pivotal supports at 1.0695/79 (55DMA / Fibo 23.6% of 0.9535/1.1032 rally) so far hold and guard more significant support at 1.0611 (top of rising thick daily cloud) which tracks and =underpins the action since early November.
At the upside, recent peaks at 1.0800 zone (also Fibo 38.2% of 1.1032/1.0655) mark initial barriers, ahead of converged daily Tenkan-sen / Kijun-sen / 50% retracement (1.0844).
Break of either side would generate fresh direction signal.
Res: 1.0744; 1.0800; 1.0844; 1.0884
Sup: 1.0695; 1.0655; 1.0611; 1.0483