Forex Major Currencies Outlook (July 23, 2015)

Data from the US has been stronger than expected, with existing home sales picking up from 5.32M to 5.49M. Up ahead, the US is set to print its initial jobless claims and CB leading index. The initial jobless claims report could show a fall from 281K to 279K, which is good for hiring trends, while the CB leading index is expected to post a 0.1% uptick.

EUR

The euro gave up ground to some of its forex counterparts ahead of the Greek parliament’s meeting on austerity measures. The shared currency had a bit of a relief rally when the legislation was passed, putting Greece closer to securing more bailout funds. The Spanish jobless rate is up for release today and a fall from 23.8% to 22.8% is eyed for the second quarter, which might be positive for the euro.

GBP

The pound was able to advance against most of its peers when the BOE minutes showed that the central bank was feeling more optimistic about their economic prospects. However, policymakers still voted unanimously to keep asset purchases and interest rates unchanged for the time being. UK retail sales data is due today and a 0.4% gain is eyed, stronger than the previous 0.2% uptick in May.

CHF

The franc moved mostly sideways in recent trading sessions due to the lack of top-tier events in Switzerland. Today’s schedule is still empty, which suggests that the franc could take its cue from risk sentiment and euro price trends.

JPY

The yen was able to rake in some gains against its rivals when risk appetite turned sour in the financial markets. Earlier today, Japan printed a wider trade deficit of 0.25 trillion JPY compared to the previous 0.18 trillion JPY but this wasn’t enough to derail the yen’s rally. No other reports are due from Japan today.

Commodity Currencies (AUD, NZD, CAD)

The RBNZ cut interest rates from 3.25% to 3.00% in this week’s rate statement, citing that some further easing might be likely. However, the Kiwi wasn’t sold off so heavily since the central bank was notably less dovish than expected. In Australia, the quarterly NAB business confidence index climbed from 0 to 4, reflecting a pickup in optimism for Q2. Canada is set to print its retail sales report later today and a 0.4% uptick in headline consumer spending and a 0.7% increase in core retail sales is eyed.

By Kate Curtis from Trader's Way