The US dollar fell against most major currencies on Thursday, with the USDX down by another 0.10%. This marks its fourth daily decline this week, with the dollar hovering around four-month lows ahead of key nonfarm payrolls data, which is set to provide more cues on interest rates.
Elsewhere, the ECB reduced interest rates again, now setting the deposit rate at 2.5%, aiming to support a slowing economy and manage declining inflation. However, the bank expressed significant concern about future inflation risks, particularly from trade tensions and rising defense expenditures, raising the possibility of a pause in their easing cycle.
Thursday saw Wall Street's negative sentiment persist, with all three major stock indices closing with substantial losses. This downturn was likely influenced by uncertainty surrounding U.S. trade policy, as well as a general decline in stocks and risk currencies, although the bond market's intense selloff eased. Focus for financial markets later in the day will be on the U.S. nonfarm payrolls report, followed by a speech from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, which could provide more clarity on the outlook for rates in the world's biggest economy. In corporate news Deutsche Post, Miniso and Air France KLM will publish their quarterly earnings reports
On the cryptos front, U.S. President Trump signed an executive order establishing a strategic Bitcoin reserve. This reserve, announced a day before a White House meeting with cryptocurrency industry leaders, will be funded by Bitcoin seized through federal asset forfeiture, as confirmed by White House crypto czar David Sacks. Despite this turn of events, the two main cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, Bitcoin and Ethereum ended Thursday’s session lower by 0.75% and 1.74% respectively. Crypto traders could be watching closely for Friday’s White House crypto summit. To foster cryptocurrency growth and provide the industry with much-desired legitimacy, the president's 'crypto czar' David Sacks has convened a meeting of key figures in the space, including founders, CEOs, investors, and Trump working group members.
Friday's U.S. Nonfarm Payrolls report for February is expected to reveal 160,000 new jobs (up from 143,000). This report could provide crucial insights into the health of the U.S. economy. While the labor market has been robust, any indication of a slowdown could significantly impact market sentiment. Some price action could also be observed upon the release of the unemployment rate and consumer credit numbers from the U.S.