USD

The US dollar got a boost from a relatively upbeat FOMC statement even though CPI and retail sales figures fell short of estimates prior to the announcement.

The Fed reiterated its plan to hike rates three times this year and Yellen even hinted that tightening could carry on until 2018. More details on their balance sheet reinvestment plans were also shared while growth and jobs forecasts were upgraded. Building permits, housing starts, and UoM consumer sentiment data are due today. 

EUR

The euro gave back some of its recent gains when medium-tier reports from its top economies turned out weaker than expected. French final CPI was flat while the trade surplus narrowed to 19.6 billion EUR instead of widening to 22.4 billion EUR. Final CPI readings are due today and downgrades could mean more weakness for the shared currency. 

GBP

The pound popped higher after the BOE statement surprised with a 3-5 vote to keep rates on hold. A couple of hawkish members joined Forbes in calling for tightening as rising inflationary pressures needed to be kept in check. Prior to this, UK retail sales posted a surprise 1.2% slump as consumers are having trouble keeping up with higher prices of goods. There are no major reports due from the UK economy today. 

CHF

The franc was mostly weaker against its peers after the SNB decision as policymakers highlighted the need to keep the franc weak. Their statement also noted that they’re willing to intervene in the market since the currency is significantly overvalued. There are no reports due from the Swiss economy today. 

JPY

The yen gave up ground as traders moved their holdings back to the dollar after the FOMC decision. The BOJ statement is coming up next and jawboning from this central bank could reinforce yen weakness. Other than that, market sentiment and US bond yields could continue to influence yen price action. 

Commodity Currencies (AUD, NZD, CAD)

The Kiwi gave up some ground to its peers when the Q1 GDP missed expectations of a 0.7% growth figure and came in a 0.5%. In Australia, the employment change reading beat forecasts at 9.7K and came in at 42K while the unemployment rate improved from 5.7% to 5.5%. There are no other major reports lined up from the comdoll economies from here. 

By Kate Curtis from Trader’s Way