【中金外汇 · 周报】市场料在年末维持平稳

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the article indicates that the US dollar index has returned to around 98, with market liquidity significantly weakened during the Christmas week, despite the US Q3 GDP data exceeding expectations. Concerns about the US labor market persist, supporting high expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts [1][18] - Non-US currencies experienced overall appreciation last week, with significant gains in commodity currencies such as the Australian dollar (up 1.57%), New Zealand dollar (up 1.37%), Norwegian krone (up 1.34%), and Canadian dollar (up 0.95%). The British pound rose by 0.88%, while the euro saw a modest increase of about 0.5% [1] - The Japanese yen reversed previous losses after the Bank of Japan's dovish rate hike in December, ultimately appreciating by 0.75% last week. The Chinese yuan also accelerated its appreciation, with the offshore rate briefly surpassing 7.0 due to a weak dollar and increased year-end settlement demand [1][10] Group 2 - Looking ahead, the market is expected to remain relatively stable during the last three trading days of 2025, with liquidity likely to remain weak due to many traders being on holiday. Attention will be focused on the Chinese yuan exchange rate, which may face upward pressure as year-end settlement pressures are released [2] - The prediction range for USD/CNY is set between 7.00 and 7.03. Last week, the yuan maintained a moderate appreciation trend, although the pace of appreciation was limited by the steady exchange rate policy [3][10] - The yuan's appreciation is supported by seasonal factors, but the central bank's steady exchange rate policy has constrained the rate of appreciation. The central bank's recent signals emphasize the need to prevent excessive fluctuations in the exchange rate [11][16] Group 3 - The euro experienced a rise early last week but faced resistance around 1.18, ultimately closing with a weekly gain of about 0.5%. The market's focus on the Federal Reserve's dovish expectations may continue to influence the euro's performance [17] - Concerns about the US labor market persist, with Q3 GDP growth recorded at 4.3%, surpassing expectations. However, weekly unemployment claims data indicates a weakening employment growth momentum, maintaining high expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts [18] - The European Central Bank (ECB) is perceived to have ended its current rate cut cycle, as indicated by the OIS market, which reflects a relatively calm European market during the Christmas holiday [21]