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

A New Problem Rises for America – The Debt Ceiling (Expecting #SPX and #NDX to Resume Their Decline After a Likely Short-Term Recovery)

The confrontation between the U.S. and the EU has entered a new phase. The U.S. president is taking a hardline approach toward Europe, effectively following a "tit for tat" strategy

Pati Gani 14:06 2025-03-14 UTC+2

USD/JPY: Analysis and Forecast

The Japanese yen is losing ground today. Positive news on U.S.-Canada trade negotiations and reports that Democrats have secured enough votes to prevent a U.S. government shutdown are improving global

Irina Yanina 13:33 2025-03-14 UTC+2

XAU/USD: Analysis and Forecast

Gold is consolidating after reaching a new all-time high. Concerns over U.S. President Donald Trump's aggressive trade policy and its impact on the global economy continue to drive demand

Irina Yanina 10:08 2025-03-14 UTC+2

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

There are few macroeconomic events scheduled for Friday, and none of them are significant. The UK will release reports on GDP and industrial production, but strong figures are not expected

Paolo Greco 07:05 2025-03-14 UTC+2

GBP/USD Pair Overview – March 14: The Last Day of the Week as a Mere Formality

On Thursday, the GBP/USD currency pair also began a slight downward correction. While the pound did not depreciate significantly, explaining why it rose for two weeks is difficult. Of course

Paolo Greco 02:39 2025-03-14 UTC+2

EUR/USD Pair Overview – March 14: Maybe That's Enough?

The EUR/USD currency pair finally began to decline on Thursday, but once again, this movement was not linked to macroeconomic factors or fundamental events. It wasn't even related to Donald

Paolo Greco 02:39 2025-03-14 UTC+2

EUR/USD: A Southern Impulse That Should Not Be Trusted

On Thursday, the EUR/USD pair reached a three-day low of 1.0823 but did not break into the 1.07 range, as the downward momentum gradually faded. The EUR/USD pair is currently

Irina Manzenko 23:55 2025-03-13 UTC+2

Euro Faces a Potential Coup d'Etat

The Green Party responded to Friedrich Merz's call for a coalition between the CDU and the Social Democrats, aimed at abolishing the fiscal brake, with a strong rebuttal: "We don't

Marek Petkovich 23:45 2025-03-13 UTC+2

Euro Faces Some Challenges

The European currency has encountered some difficulties in its upward movement following yesterday's speech by the European Central Bank (ECB) President. "The eurozone economy is facing exceptional shocks caused

Jakub Novak 10:39 2025-03-13 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.