This morning, the United States dollar (USD) regained ground during the early European trading session on Monday (February 24, 2025), despite lingering concerns regarding a potential slowdown in the American economy which may impact the dollar’s performance in tonight’s trades.
GOLD
The price of Gold (XAUUSD) experienced an increase at the onset of the European session, peaking at US$ 2,948.76 per troy ounce after falling to US$ 2,921.25 earlier in the morning. Gold is approaching its all-time high of US$ 2,954.82 per troy ounce, which was reached last Thursday.
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The rise in Gold values is a reaction to indications of an economic slowdown in the US. Recent data from S&P Global released on Friday revealed a contraction in the US services sector for the first time in over two years, sparking worries about future economic growth in the US.
The services sector is a crucial component of the US economy, accounting for more than 70% of economic growth and 80% of total employment. This contraction is likely to have considerable repercussions, prompting market players to seek Gold as a safe haven asset.
OIL
Oil prices (CLS10) also saw an uptick at the beginning of the European trading session, reaching US$ 70.65 per troy ounce, representing an increase of US$ 0.43 compared to the closing of last Friday’s trades.
The rise in oil prices may be attributed to short covering after a sharp decline last Friday that took prices to a two-month low.
Concerns about a potential economic slowdown in the US have contributed to downward pressure on oil prices. Additionally, the possibility of a resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict suggests a potential decrease in US demand and an increase in supply from Russia, further impacting oil prices significantly.
EURUSD
The EURUSD pair reversed direction after reaching a one-month high of 1.05283 this morning. This currency pair is now trading close to the daily low of 1.04589.
Profit-taking appears to have influenced the EURUSD’s reversal. Furthermore, economic data released from Germany this afternoon indicated a business climate index of 85.2 for this month, lower than the Trading Central forecast of 85.5 but slightly higher than January’s figure of 85.1.
Despite this, the sentiment surrounding EURUSD remains positive following the victory of the conservative CDU/CSU coalition, which will likely continue to influence EURUSD movements in tonight’s trading session.
GBPUSD
Similar to EURUSD, the GBPUSD pair has also been affected by profit-taking after rising to 1.26902 earlier this morning, marking its highest level since December 18.
Positive data from the UK released recently surpassed expectations, leading markets to speculate that the Bank of England (BoE) may maintain interest rates for a longer period. This positive sentiment has driven GBPUSD to its highest level in over two months, which will likely continue to influence its movement tonight.
USDJPY
The USDJPY pair rebounded from an 11-week low at the start of the European session, reaching a daily high of 149.668. This movement indicates that the US dollar may be recovering due to technical factors, although weak US economic data continues to exert negative sentiment.
On the other hand, the yen remains strong as it approaches the end of Japan’s fiscal year in March, prompting many companies and institutional investors to repatriate funds and assets from overseas, thus strengthening the yen’s value.
Additionally, Japan’s robust economy opens up possibilities for the Bank of Japan (BoJ) to raise interest rates again in the near future, suggesting that USDJPY may experience renewed downward pressure in tonight’s trading session.
Nasdaq
The Nasdaq index rose to 21,811 at the beginning of the European trading session, recovering from a sharp drop of 475 index points last Friday. The contraction in the US services sector, alongside declining consumer sentiment, has dealt a blow to the Nasdaq.
Moreover, the potential for a trade war remains significant, adding to the uncertainty surrounding future economic conditions. Consequently, the Nasdaq’s rebound appears fragile, and there is a potential for it to face further pressure in tonight’s trades.
