empty
13.03.2025 12:14 PM
U.S. Inflation Brings Relief to the Fed but Not to the Markets

The euro and pound showed little reaction to news that consumer prices in the U.S. grew at their slowest pace in four months in February—a welcome sign for American households, which remain concerned that Trump's trade policies could drive up costs.

According to the data, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 0.2%, following a sharp 0.5% increase in January. Core prices, which exclude volatile food and energy categories, also rose by 0.2%.

This image is no longer relevant

The slowdown in price growth was partially due to declining prices for cars and gasoline. Economists, however, expect that the escalation of the trade war will lead to rising prices for various goods—from food to clothing—in the coming months, testing the resilience of consumers and the economy.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that almost half of the CPI increase came from housing, though the pace of growth slowed compared to the previous month. Airfares dropped by 4%, marking the biggest decline since June, while new car prices and gasoline costs also decreased. Food prices, on the other hand, remained largely unchanged after a strong rise in January.

In his address to Congress last week, U.S. President Donald Trump downplayed concerns about rising prices due to tariffs, describing them as a minor inconvenience that the country should be able to overcome. However, uncertainty over trade policies and retaliatory measures from other countries have led to sharp stock market declines and renewed fears of a recession.

Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve remains patient, maintaining a wait-and-see approach until there is greater clarity on inflation trends and the administration's actions. Fed officials have repeatedly emphasized this stance in interviews. It is expected that the Fed will keep interest rates unchanged at next week's meeting, which limited the upside potential for risk assets like the euro and pound on Monday.

The combination of easing inflationary pressure and increasing risks of economic slowdown suggests that the Fed is approaching a point where it will need to resume cutting interest rates. However, that moment has not arrived yet.

Some economists analyzed this inflation report as an early indicator of Trump's tariffs' impact—which began last month with duties on all Chinese imports and have since expanded to include certain Mexican and Canadian goods. However, core goods prices rose only 0.2%, while categories such as furniture, toys, and televisions remained unchanged.

EUR/USD Technical Outlook

At the moment, EUR/USD buyers need to break through the 1.0930 level to target a test of 1.0970. From there, an advance toward 1.1010 is possible, but without strong support from institutional traders, this will be difficult. The ultimate target is 1.1050.

In the event of a decline, significant buying interest is expected around 1.0870. If no major buyers emerge at this level, a further drop toward 1.0840 or even 1.0800 could be possible before considering long positions.

GBP/USD Technical Outlook

For GBP/USD bulls, breaking the nearest resistance at 1.2960 is key to targeting 1.3010, beyond which further gains will be challenging. The main upside target is 1.3040.

If the pair falls, bears will attempt to regain control at 1.2940. A break below this range would deliver a serious blow to bullish positions, driving GBP/USD toward 1.2915 with the potential for a further drop to 1.2875.

Jakub Novak,
Analytical expert of InstaForex
© 2007-2025
Select timeframe
5
min
15
min
30
min
1
hour
4
hours
1
day
1
week
Earn on cryptocurrency rate changes with InstaForex
Download MetaTrader 4 and open your first trade
  • Grand Choice
    Contest by
    InstaForex
    InstaForex always strives to help you
    fulfill your biggest dreams.
    JOIN CONTEST

Recommended Stories

EUR/USD: The Dollar Falls Out of Favor Again

The euro/dollar pair has been climbing for two days, mirroring a general decline in the U.S. dollar. Having briefly regained strength, the greenback is now under pressure again: the U.S

Irina Manzenko 18:07 2025-05-14 UTC+2

AUD/JPY. Analysis and Forecast

The current technical and fundamental setup for the AUD/JPY pair points to short-term pressure from the Japanese yen. However, fundamental factors favoring the Australian dollar help maintain the pair's upside

Irina Yanina 11:28 2025-05-14 UTC+2

USD/JPY. Analysis and Forecast

At the moment, the Japanese yen is showing positive momentum against the U.S. dollar for the second consecutive day.The key factor supporting the Japanese currency has been hawkish comments from

Irina Yanina 11:28 2025-05-14 UTC+2

The Market Is Changing the Rules of the Game

Don't go against the crowd. According to Goldman Sachs and the Federal Reserve, individual investors held $35 trillion worth of U.S. stocks at the end of 2024, equivalent to 38%

Marek Petkovich 09:32 2025-05-14 UTC+2

What to Pay Attention to on May 14? A Breakdown of Fundamental Events for Beginners

There are very few macroeconomic events scheduled for Wednesday. The only item of note is the second estimate of Germany's Business Activity Index for April. Second estimates typically

Paolo Greco 06:11 2025-05-14 UTC+2

GBP/USD Overview – May 14: Only the Trade Deal Matters

On Tuesday, the GBP/USD currency pair also ended what could only be called disgrace — its decline. On Monday, the U.S. dollar strengthened quite well following a successful first round

Paolo Greco 03:52 2025-05-14 UTC+2

EUR/USD Overview – May 14: The Music Didn't Last Long

The EUR/USD currency pair experienced upward movement for most of Tuesday. One gets used to good news quickly, and the market expected further strengthening of the U.S. dollar. We anticipated

Paolo Greco 03:52 2025-05-14 UTC+2

EUR/USD. And Then They Woke Up: Market Euphoria Over the U.S.-China Trade Truce Fades

The currency market's initial euphoria following the announcement of a temporary trade truce between the U.S. and China has now faded. The early optimism has given way to the sobering

Irina Manzenko 01:23 2025-05-14 UTC+2

Inflation Does the Dollar a Bearish Disservice

One of the few indicators the market occasionally pays attention to is U.S. inflation. After Donald Trump introduced trade tariffs, economists immediately started discussing rising inflation. This conclusion is logical

Chin Zhao 01:14 2025-05-14 UTC+2

The Euro Prepares for Retaliation

Man proposes, God disposes. After the White House imposed strict tariffs on America's Independence Day, there was much discussion about rising inflation and a slowing U.S. economy. However, instead

Marek Petkovich 00:18 2025-05-14 UTC+2
Can't speak right now?
Ask your question in the chat.
Widget callback
 

Dear visitor,

Your IP address shows that you are currently located in the USA. If you are a resident of the United States, you are prohibited from using the services of InstaFintech Group including online trading, online transfers, deposit/withdrawal of funds, etc.

If you think you are seeing this message by mistake and your location is not the US, kindly proceed to the website. Otherwise, you must leave the website in order to comply with government restrictions.

Why does your IP address show your location as the USA?

  • - you are using a VPN provided by a hosting company based in the United States;
  • - your IP does not have proper WHOIS records;
  • - an error occurred in the WHOIS geolocation database.

Please confirm whether you are a US resident or not by clicking the relevant button below. If you choose the wrong option, being a US resident, you will not be able to open an account with InstaForex anyway.

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by this message.