The dollar gained sharply against most of its major peers on Wednesday, with the dollar index (USDX) adding another 0.45% to its value and hitting 10-week highs versus the yen while the euro fell to its lowest since Aug. 13. Investors seem increasingly assured that the Federal Reserve will adopt less aggressive monetary stimulus, given the recent meeting minutes, which underscored the central bank's priority of maintaining a robust labor market.
The primary focus of attention is now on the forthcoming release of key inflation data (CPI), which is anticipated to indicate that core U.S. inflation held steady at an annual rate of 3.2%, according to a consensus forecast from Reuters. In addition, Fed officials stated that they were less concerned now about resurgent inflation and more focused on the labor market.
The market is currently expecting a 25-basis point rate cut by the Federal Reserve in November, with an 81.2% probability according to the CME's FedWatch tool. The probability of interest rates remaining unchanged stands at 18.8%.
Market sentiment on Wall Street experienced a positive reversal on Wednesday, with major U.S. indices exhibiting significant gains as investors continue to analyze indications regarding interest rate policy from the Federal Reserve, in anticipation of the forthcoming release of inflation data later in the day.
In corporate developments, Alphabet's stock declined by 2% following news of the U.S. Department of Justice's consideration of potential sanctions against its parent company, Google, subsequent to a landmark antitrust case that determined the group's culpability in abusing its dominant market position. Meanwhile, Tesla Inc. registered a 1% decrease in its stock price as the electric vehicle manufacturer prepared to commence its highly anticipated robotaxi event on Wednesday.
On the energy front, the two primary oil benchmarks, WTI and Brent, experienced a significant decline on Wednesday, primarily attributed to a larger-than-anticipated increase in U.S. crude inventories. These developments overshadowed concerns regarding supply disruptions arising from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Investors are bracing for market swings upon the release of U.S. Jobless Claims and CPI data, as a strong labor market is making it harder to bring inflation down to 2%. Earnings from Tilray and Delta Airlines will also be in focus.