USD Under Pressure Amid Trade Threats and Softer Fed Expectations
ACY Securities - Jasper Osita
- Rising yields are no longer protecting the dollar, as fiscal concerns dominate the macro narrative.
- Trade tensions and dovish Fed tones have softened the dollar’s edge despite resilient bond markets.
- This week’s Core PCE and FOMC minutes will decide if the dollar bounces—or breaks lower.
The U.S. dollar is at a technical and fundamental crossroads. While Treasury yields are firm, the greenback is losing ground as markets question U.S. fiscal health, inflation trajectory, and monetary policy resolve. With four high-impact events in focus—Durable Goods, GDP revision, FOMC minutes, and Core PCE—this week offers the catalyst for resolution.
Fiscal Tensions Mount on $3.8T Bill
The House passed a massive tax-and-spend bill last week, igniting concerns over long-term U.S. fiscal sustainability.
- Budget bloat → long-term debt fears
- Dollar sold despite yield strength
- Yield strength now has a negative undertone
US10Y showing climb above 4.65% with annotations on spike dates. Despite rising yields, the dollar declined—suggesting the market now sees Treasury selling as a sign of risk, not growth.
Trump Tariff Threats Spark Volatility — but Dollar Fails to Gain
While Trump’s renewed tariff threats rattled sentiment, the USD didn’t benefit. Instead, global equities rallied on news that the EU tariff decision would be delayed until July. This shows risk-on positioning is outpacing safe-haven flows, even during geopolitical stress.
- Trump’s recent threat of 50% tariffs on EU auto imports and 25% levies on Apple products made in China briefly shook markets—but the U.S. dollar failed to react in its traditional safe-haven role.
- Risk assets quickly rebounded after the White House extended the tariff decision deadline to July 9, reinforcing the view that investors no longer see the dollar as a go-to during trade volatility.
Trump’s Longstanding Stance: A Strong Dollar Hurts U.S. Trade
Trump has consistently argued that a strong dollar puts the U.S. at a disadvantage in global trade. During his presidency, he frequently criticized the Federal Reserve for raising interest rates and allowing the dollar to strengthen—stating in 2019 that the dollar was "too strong" and that it hurt U.S. exports. He publicly urged the Fed to lower interest rates and even suggested the U.S. should "match" other countries engaging in currency devaluation.
In the current campaign cycle, Trump continues to signal a protectionist and export-driven economic agenda. For that reason, markets may preemptively price in a policy bias toward a weaker dollar under renewed Trump influence—even without direct currency intervention.
Why Trump Prefers a Weaker Dollar (Historically & Politically):
- Improves U.S. export competitiveness by making American goods cheaper abroad
- Reduces trade deficit, aligning with Trump’s focus on "fair trade"
- Puts pressure on trading partners like China and the EU
- Lowers the cost of servicing U.S. debt in real terms (a side effect)
“I want a strong dollar, but I want a dollar that does great for our country, not a dollar that's so strong that it makes it prohibitive for us to do business with other nations.”
— Donald J. Trump
Bias Hint: Structurally Bearish USD over the medium-term if Trump rhetoric escalates or policy influence returns.
Fed’s Tone Softens: Waller Opens the Door to Cuts
- Fed Governor Waller hinted at rate cut potential if inflation slows, weakening the “high-for-longer” thesis.
- With Core PCE in focus, any miss could confirm dovish repricing and weigh on the dollar.
Upcoming Key U.S. Data Releases (May 27–31)
| Date | Event | Forecast | Dollar Implication |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 27 | Durable Goods Orders | –8.0% | Miss = confirms growth risk → USD lower |
| May 29 | Q1 GDP (2nd Estimate) | –0.3% | Sharp downgrade = bearish pressure |
| May 29 | FOMC Minutes | — | Dovish = adds to USD decline; hawkish = may slow slide |
| May 30 | Core PCE (YoY Apr) | 2.8% | <2.7% = bearish; >3% = rally trigger |
| May 30 | Spending & Income | +0.2% / +0.3% | Weak = confirms slowdown fears |
U.S. Dollar Technical Chart - Support Level Under Pressure
Key Observations:
- Rejection Zone: Price rejected the Fair Value Gap (FVG) from the 101.50–101.97 region, confirming bearish intent.
- Structural Break: The break below 100.086 has opened the door for downside continuation.
- Next Support Level: Price is approaching the 99.17 swing low; below that lies a critical support at 97.68 (April low).
Technical Bias: Bearish
- As long as DXY remains below the FVG and the 100.08 gets respected, the structure favors continued downside toward 98.00.
- Downside pressure would increase as Dollar heads near the all-time low of 2025 at 97.685.
FX Pair Outlook – May 26, 2025
| Pair | Bias | Technical Narrative (Based on Daily Chart) |
|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | ✅ Bullish | Broke out of the 1.13 with sustained bullish move. |
| GBP/USD | ✅ Bullish | Strong breakout above 1.3400 after prolonged range. Closed last week with a strong bullish displacement. |
| AUD/USD | ✅ Bullish | Clean breakout above long consolidation range could trigger strong upside. Structure favors continuation toward 0.6600. |
| NZD/USD | ✅ Bullish | Sustained bullish move after breaking out of the range. 0.603 can be a target for continued upside. |
| USD/CAD | ❌ Bearish | Sharp rejection from FVG. Clean break below 1.3750. Support at 1.3600. Below that opens more downside. Overall, CAD is weighing USD down. |
| USD/CHF | ❌ Bearish | Holding below broken FVG support. Eyes on 0.8100 next. Bearish unless reclaimed above 0.8350. With USD weakness, downside is more likely. |
| USD/JPY | ❌ Bearish | Break of 142.353 could send the gopher to more downside until 140.00. |
Why Risk Focus Separates Traders From Gamblers
“Amateurs focus on rewards. Professionals focus on risk.”
— Jack Schwager, Market Wizards
One of the most defining traits of consistently profitable traders isn’t how much they make—it’s how well they manage what they can lose. As Jack Schwager notes, professionals don't chase wins blindly. They obsess over how much they’re willing to risk, how often they’re wrong, and how to survive long enough to capitalize when their edge plays out.
Focusing on risk reframes your entire mindset:
- You stop over-leveraging on “perfect” setups.
- You accept losing trades as a cost of doing business.
- You begin thinking in terms of probabilities, not predictions.
In essence, risk management isn’t just a safety net—it’s your offensive strategy for long-term survival.
Actionable Approach: “Risk-First” Routine for the Week
- Start Every Trade Plan With Risk, Not Reward
- Before thinking about TP (Take Profit), define your stop-loss size and invalidation point.
- Know how much capital you're willing to lose before you calculate what you could gain.
- Use a Fixed % Risk Model
- Stick to 0.5–1% per trade max risk, especially during high-impact news week (Core PCE, GDP, FOMC).
- Don’t increase size just because you’re “confident”—size based on probability, not emotion.
- Set Risk-Based Weekly Boundaries
- Predefine a weekly loss cap (e.g., 3%). If hit, pause until next week. This protects your equity and mindset.
- Log Wins & Losses Based on Risk Units (R)
- Stop measuring by dollar amounts. Log trades as +1R, –1R, +2R, etc. This focuses your process over results.
By thinking like a risk manager first, you give yourself the permission to trade freely and professionally—with structure, patience, and clarity.
Check Out Our Market Education
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