Dollar Climbs on Better-Than-Expected US Economic News

Economic Indicators - The dollar index (DXY00) increased by +0.17%, reaching a 4-week high, driven by positive US economic news [1] - US job cuts in December fell by -8.3% year-over-year to 35,553, marking a 17-month low, indicating a supportive factor for the labor market [2] - Weekly initial unemployment claims rose by +8,000 to 208,000, which was better than the expected 212,000, suggesting a stronger labor market [3] - Q3 non-farm productivity rose by +4.9%, close to the expected +5.0%, representing the largest increase in 2 years [3] - Q3 unit labor costs fell by -1.9%, a larger decline than the expected -0.1% [3] - The US trade deficit unexpectedly shrank to -$29.4 billion, significantly better than the expected widening to -$58.7 billion, marking the smallest deficit in 16 years [3] Market Expectations - Markets are currently pricing in a 12% chance of a -25 basis point rate cut at the FOMC's next meeting on January 27-28 [4] - The Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates by about -50 basis points in 2026, while the Bank of Japan is anticipated to raise rates by +25 basis points in the same year [4] Dollar Dynamics - The dollar is under pressure due to the Fed's liquidity boost, having started to purchase $40 billion a month in T-bills since mid-December [5] - Concerns regarding President Trump's potential appointment of a dovish Fed Chair are also bearish for the dollar, with Kevin Hassett being the most likely candidate [5] Eurozone Impact - The EUR/USD pair fell to a 4-week low, down by -0.03%, influenced by the strength of the dollar and unexpected declines in Eurozone economic confidence [6] - Easing producer price pressures in the Eurozone, following the steepest decline in 13 months, are seen as dovish for ECB policy, further weighing on the euro [6]