Abstract:The US Dollar Index (DXY) remains steady near 98.00, supported by a mix of technical recovery and external currency weakness. While markets await definitive signals on the Fed's 2026 cutting cycle, technical breakdowns in major peers are driving price action.

The US Dollar Index (DXY) remains steady near 98.00, supported by a mix of technical recovery and external currency weakness. While markets await definitive signals on the Fed's 2026 cutting cycle, technical breakdowns in major peers are driving price action.
EUR/USD: Channel Breakdown
The Euro continues to struggle, trading around 1.1760 and marking its fourth consecutive session of losses.
NZD/USD: Bearish Continuation
The New Zealand Dollar remains subdued below 0.5850, trading near 0.5830. The Kiwi is failing to capitalize on any risk-on sentiment, weighed down by localized economic softness and a broad US Dollar recovery. Immediate support lies at the 0.5800 handle; a failure to hold this level could accelerate selling pressure from algorithmic trend-followers.

The divergence between Federal Reserve guidance and market pricing is widening as traders position for 2026, setting the stage for significant volatility in the US Dollar. While the Fed’s latest dot plot conservatively suggests a single 25-basis-point rate cut in 2026, major financial institutions—including Goldman Sachs and Citi—are pricing in a more aggressive easing cycle of 50 to 75 basis points.

The market capitalization of the six largest US banks surged by approximately $600 billion in 2025, driven by a dual tailwind of financial deregulation and a resurgence in investment banking. This rally has widened the valuation divergence between American lenders and their European counterparts, reinforcing a theme of US financial exceptionalism that continues to influence global capital flows.

Global diplomatic tensions spiked on Wednesday as a coalition of 14 nations—including the UK, France, Germany, and Japan—issued a rare joint statement condemning Israel's approval of new settlements in the West Bank. The diplomatic rift comes at a critical juncture, threatening to derail the fragile ceasefire negotiations in Gaza.

US equities touched fresh record highs on Christmas Eve, driven by a resilient "Santa Rally" narrative, yet digging beneath the surface reveals a stark divergence between asset prices and the real economy. While the S&P 500 breached the 6,900 resistance level, fresh data indicates US consumer confidence has crumbled to a five-month low, complicating the Federal Reserve’s policy path heading into 2026.