The euro has recorded losses in the Tuesday session. Currently, EUR/USD is trading at 1.1566, down 0.37% on the day. The pair remains under pressure, and has dropped to its lowest level since mid-July. On the release front, German Industrial Production plunged 1.6%, a sharper drop than the forecast of -0.7%. Eurozone consumer spending numbers were mixed. Retail PMI slowed to 51.1, down from 52.3 in the previous reading. Retail Sales rebounded with a gain of 0.7%, edging above the forecast of 0.6%. In the US, today’s highlight JOLTS Job Openings, which is expected to soften to 5.98 million. As well, Fed Chair Janet Yellen will deliver remarks at an event in Washington.
Eurozone retail sales reports were mixed on Tuesday. Retail PMI came in at 51.1 in October, pointing to muted expansion in the retail sector. There was much better news from September retail sales, as gain of 0.7% came after two straight declines, and was the strongest gain since February. The markets are hoping for strong euorozone consumer spending in the fourth quarter, given the robust German economy and stronger economic conditions in the eurozone.
Donald Trump suffered a humiliating defeat with his health care proposal, and the President has now set his sights on tax reform. Trump wants Congress to pass legislation overhauling the tax code before the end of the year, but that will be a tall order, as most Democrats have come out against the proposal, and not all Republicans are on board. The bill would cut corporate taxes from 35% to 20%, but predictably, Democrat and Republican lawmakers are at odds as to whether the bill will lower taxes for the middle class. Expectations that Trump will cut taxes has been the catalyst for a stock market rally over the past year, and if the bill does become law, the US dollar will likely gain ground.
