Saturday, February 4, 2012

FOREXYARD: Forex News Blog

FOREXYARD: Forex News Blog

Link to Forex Trading Education : Forex Trading Blog by FOREXYARD

USD Rallies Following Non-Farm Payrolls

Posted: 03 Feb 2012 08:09 AM PST

printprofile

The USD posted gains across the board on Friday, following the release of a better than expected US Non-Farm Payrolls figure. The US added 243K jobs in January, a significantly better number than the forecasted 150K. The positive jobs report resulted in the US Unemployment Rate dropping 0.2% to 8.3%, its lowest level in three years.

Following the release of the employment figure, the dollar rallied against virtually all of its currency rivals, including the euro and Japanese yen. The EUR/USD dropped as low as 1.3065, before staging an upward correction. The USD/JPY shot up over 50 pips, reaching as high as 76.72. The bullish dollar temporarily eased fears that the Bank of Japan (BOJ) would soon intervene to limit yen growth.

Whether or not the dollar is able to maintain its bullish momentum next week, is largely dependant on euro-zone news. Specifically, investors will be closely watching Greece to see if that country can successfully come to a debt swap agreement with its investors. Additionally, rumors that Portugal could be on its way to defaulting on its debt have weighed down on the common currency. Should any positive euro-zone announcements be released next week, investors may shift their assets toward riskier currencies and give the euro a boost.

Negative Euro-Zone News Gives USD Temporary Boost

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 11:33 AM PST

printprofile

Fresh concerns regarding Greece's debt negotiations sent investors to safe-haven assets during the beginning of today’s trading session. The news resulted in the US dollar recouping some of its recent losses against the euro. The EUR/USD dropped to the 1.3085 level before staging a correction during the evening session. The greenback was not as fortunate against other riskier currencies. The AUD/USD range traded for much of the day, maintaining its recent bullish trend around the 1.0725 level.

Turning to tomorrow, traders can expect significant volatility in the marketplace as the US Non-Farm Employment Change figure is set to be released. Wednesday's ADP Non-Farm figure, which is widely considered an accurate predictor of today's news, came in below expectations and resulted in some bearish movement for the US dollar.

At the moment, analysts are predicting that the US added 150K jobs in January. Should the final figure come in significantly below that number, the greenback may extend its losses. At the same time, traders will want to note that the employment statistic is notoriously difficult to predict. A better than expected figure is entirely possible, and could result in dollar gains ahead of markets closing for the weekend.

No comments:

Post a Comment