ForexLive European FX news wrap: Dollar stays sluggish in quiet trading

Headlines:

• Latest inflation data points to worries that the BOJ is running out of time
• ECB’s Centeno: Interest rate reduction process is about to begin
• Fed’s Kashkari: No hurry to cut interest rates
• Fed would have benefited from earlier decision to taper, end QE in 2021 – Bowman
• Germany April wholesale price index +0.4% vs +0.2% m/m prior
• UK May CBI retailing reported sales 8 vs -44 prior
• China president Xi urges promoting high-quality and sufficient employment conditions
• Are precious metals set for a stronger bounce this week?

Markets:

• CHF leads, USD lags on the day
• European equities lower; S&P 500 futures up 0.1%
• US 10-year yields down 0.6 bps to 4.466%
• Gold down 0.2% to $2,345.41
• WTI crude up 1.4% to $78.84
• Bitcoin down 2.0% to $68,242

It was a quiet session for major currencies with the dollar keeping marginally lower on the day.

The euro and the franc gained slightly, with EUR/USD moving back up to retest the April high of 1.0885. But offers and large option expiries at 1.0900 is keeping a lid on things for now. Meanwhile, USD/CHF moved back down by 0.4% to test the 0.9100 mark.

Besides that, the aussie and kiwi are also just a touch higher but nothing to really shout about. AUD/USD is up 0.2% to 0.6667 as it continues to recoup losses from last week.

In the equities space, stocks were more optimistic early on with S&P 500 futures moving up by 0.3%. But as we look towards US trading now, we’re seeing those gains pared back to just 0.1%. In Europe, major indices also opened higher but are now trading lower as the risk optimism is tempered with slightly.

As for commodities, gold and silver are getting a bit of a check back following yesterday’s gains. It isn’t much but it speaks to some mixed flows on the day even with the dollar looking sluggish still.

US traders will be back from the long weekend and will have to contend with month-end flows before more key US data later in the week.

This article was written by Justin Low at www.forexlive.com.