Euro breaks below 1.01 – is parity next?

Euro nearing parity with dollar

It continues to be a miserable July for EUR/USD, which has declined 3.12%. The euro continues to deliver fresh 20-year lows, dropping to 1.0071 late in the Asian session. The euro has since recovered most of today’s losses, but the psychologically-important parity line is getting closer by the day, as the euro continues to stumble. On the economic front, US nonfarm payrolls outperformed, with a reading of 381 thousand, well above the consensus of 240 thousand.

The ECB released the minutes of its June meeting on Thursday, with investors hunting for clues about the lift-off hike at the July meeting. The minutes didn’t provide any new insights, which could be a disappointment but shouldn’t really be all that surprising. The July 2^1st meeting will be live, with a modest 25bp increase being the most likely scenario, with another rate hike to follow in September. Still, the ECB has not shut the door on a larger hike at the upcoming meeting, and we have recently seen higher-than-expected moves by the Federal Reserve and other central banks.

Lagarde & Co. will be keeping a close eye on next week’s inflation reports out of Germany and France, the two largest economies in the eurozone. If inflation remains unchanged or dips lower, it will provide ammunition for the doves who are content with a 25bp move. Conversely, a rise in inflation will put pressure on the ECB to respond with a 50bp increase.

Another factor in the rate decision could be the exchange rate. A weak euro is attractive for exports but also contributes to inflation.  The euro hasn’t been at parity with the US dollar since 2002, and some ECB members may feel that the central bank’s credibility is on the line if the euro continues to slide and falls below parity.

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EUR/USD Technical

• EUR/USD tested support at 1.0124 and 1.0075 in the Asian session
•  There is resistance at 1.0221 and 1.0324

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