U.S. Dollar Steady Ahead of CPIs

 | Nov 10, 2022 05:11AM ET

Today, the US dollar declined slightly but remained above the significant level of 110.00. However, everything can change after this afternoon’s inflation reading. Most economists predict that the latest inflation figure will be as high as 0.6-0.7%. This is the highest since July this year and 50% higher than the previous month. As a result, the yearly inflation rate may remain above 8%, which is a big worry for the Federal Reserve.

The Midterms have also been a focal point for investors this week, as the party that wins the House controls the national budget. The outcome of the elections is not yet known, but currently, Republicans are in the lead, and most economists believe they will take the majority of the votes. If Republicans hold the House, it will be harder for the White House to push through policies. According to economists, this could lead to a lower supply of the US dollar.

On the other hand, the US stock market did not take advantage of the weaker US dollar. Instead, it declined significantly after many investors exited the market. The Nasdaq and S&P 500 declined by over 2% during yesterday’s session. Most analysts believe this is due to today’s CPI figure and comments made yesterday by members of the FOMC.

As mentioned above, inflation is expected to remain resilient and high. At the same time, members of the FOMC advised that inflation is still 400% higher than their target and that it is “completely premature” to speak about a pivot. So, most economists expect serious rate hikes in December, possibly 75 basis points if the CPI figure is above 0.6%. A higher inflation figure could potentially significantly pressure the stock market as we edge closer to the end of the earning season.

Looking outside of the US, the cryptocurrency market is attempting to bounce back, with some investors buying the dip and others refusing to sell. The price of Bitcoin increased by just under 5% during this morning’s Asian Session. However, the price is still down 22% from 5-days ago. At the beginning of the week, the CEO of Binance, Mr. Zhao, confirmed that the company is pulling out of the investment agreement.