Fresh selling seen in Euro after French data miss. French GDP growth slowed to 0.3% qoq in Q1, down from prior quarter’s 0.7% qoq and missed expectation of 0.4% qoq. Annual rate decelerated to 2.1% yoy, down from 2.6% yoy, and missed expectation of 2.3% yoy.
The title of this report ECB: Wondering Rather than Worrying summed up yesterday’s ECB press conference rather well. And with French GDP miss, dovish expectation on next week’s Eurozone GDP release could pile up. We’ll see if the coming data clear up the picture for ECB so that policymakers don’t need to wonder any more, but start to worry.
For now, EUR/USD is on course for 1.2 handle. Selling in EUR/USD also spill over to other pairs and lifted the USD. USD/CHF takes out 0.99 and would now be heading back to 1.000. GBP/USD breaks yesterday’s low at 1.3894, just ahead of UK GDP data, an hour away.
