The EUR/USD pair has been hovering near a critical psychological level of 1.0000, sparking debates among traders about whether the U.S. dollar's strength could push the euro below parity. Current market dynamics suggest that a break below this level is plausible, with a potential target of 0.9889.
Historical Context: Why Did EUR/USD Fall Below 1.00 in September 2022?
The last time EUR/USD fell below parity was in September 2022, driven by several key factors:
Aggressive Federal Reserve Rate Hikes: The Federal Reserve was highly hawkish in 2022, implementing aggressive rate hikes to combat inflation. This strengthened the U.S. dollar significantly against other currencies, including the euro.
Eurozone Energy Crisis: The Eurozone faced an energy crisis due to reduced natural gas supplies following geopolitical tensions with Russia. This created economic uncertainty, weakening the euro.
Recession Fears in Europe: Concerns about a potential recession in the Eurozone further pressured the euro, as investors shifted their focus to the relative safety of the U.S. dollar.
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Key Technical Levels:
Resistance at 1.0090: The pair is currently facing strong resistance at 1.0090, where sellers have consistently stepped in to cap bullish attempts. This level aligns with a key supply zone, suggesting heavy sell-side liquidity.
Support at 1.0000: The psychological level of 1.0000 acts as a critical support zone. A break below this level could lead to accelerated selling pressure.
Next Target: 0.9889: If the support at 1.0000 is breached, the pair could decline toward 0.9889, marking the next major support level from the previous price action.
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Factors Driving the Dollar’s Strength Today:
U.S. Economic Resilience: ]Strong economic data from the U.S., such as better-than-expected GDP growth and employment numbers, continues to support the dollar’s strength.
Federal Reserve’s Hawkish Stance: The Federal Reserve’s commitment to keeping interest rates high to combat inflation has been a major driver of USD appreciation.
Eurozone Weakness: On the other hand, weaker economic performance in the Eurozone, coupled with uncertainty around energy markets, has kept the euro under pressure.