Forex: Euro rises significantly – robust economic data

The euro gained noticeably on Thursday and rose above $ 1.22. In the afternoon, the common currency sometimes cost up to $ 1.2243. This was the highest level since early January. The euro is currently at $ 1.2222. That night it was still well below the $ 1.22 mark.

The euro continues to soar against the franc and continues to climb. It is currently trading at CHF 1.1047 after 1.1030 in the morning and 1.1027 the night before. The dollar is currently trading at CHF 0.9033.

The economic sentiment in the Eurozone surprisingly brightened significantly in February. The Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) collected by the EU Commission rose significantly more than expected. In Italy, too, companies and consumers were more confident despite the ongoing corona crisis. In Germany, consumer sentiment also brightened.

The US dollar, the world’s reserve currency, fell in the face of growing confidence in all major currencies. The dollar index, which compares the US currency to other major currencies, fell to its lowest level since early 2021.

The economic data from the USA published in the afternoon were also robust. The US economy grew slightly faster than previously known in the fourth quarter, while initial jobless claims fell more sharply than expected last week. Orders for durable goods increased significantly in January. The US data hardly moved the foreign exchange market.

For other major currencies, the ECB set the reference rates for one euro at 0.86408 (0.86030) British pounds and 129.73 (128.69) Japanese yen.
The troy ounce of gold (31.1 grams) was trading at $ 1,775 in London that afternoon. That was about $ 30 less than the day before.