empty
25.02.2025 12:21 AM
The Euro Has Become a Victim

It has been a while since EUR/USD experienced such a rapid shift from being a strong performer to a weak one. Investors initially believed that Friedrich Merz, who won the elections, would work wonders and pull the German economy out of its recession. As a result, the exchange rate for this key currency pair rose to two-month highs. However, once it became apparent that this optimism was misplaced, the euro fell sharply.

Multiple factors, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the energy crisis, slowing GDP growth in China, and rising protectionism in the U.S., have transformed Germany from the engine of European growth into one of the weakest economies in the region. The recession projected for 2023-2024, along with the failure of GDP to return to pre-pandemic levels, has significant implications. In this context, the poor performance of the ruling party, Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats, which is their worst outcome since World War II, seems almost inevitable.

Dynamics of the German economy

This image is no longer relevant

Investors viewed Friedrich Merz as a strong leader capable of improving the economy and standing up to Donald Trump. However, as the leader of the Christian Democratic Union, he is not a magician. Without the backing of a solid coalition, he cannot effectively implement fiscal measures, and Germany urgently needs to increase its defense spending. The only viable option is to issue more bonds, something Merz has previously criticized.

Excessive optimism has made the euro vulnerable. Nevertheless, things started off positively. German business confidence in the economy increased, and business activity surged, allowing the European Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) to remain stable even as the French index fell to its lowest level in 18 months. Additionally, the expectations index from IFO also showed promising results.

IFO Expectations and Current Conditions indices

This image is no longer relevant

The initial faith in Friedrich Merz was strong, but the excitement surrounding the CDU's success quickly dissipated when it became clear that forming a coalition would not be straightforward. The euro had briefly surged above $1.05 multiple times in the past week, but it ultimately couldn't maintain that level and fell back down. If the market doesn't move in the expected direction, does it tend to shift the opposite way?

The results of the German parliamentary elections helped prevent a collapse of the euro, even amidst the worst daily performance of the S&P 500 since mid-December. Typically, a drop in US stock indices indicates a decline in global risk appetite and tends to bolster a safe haven currency like the US dollar. However, that wasn't the case this time.

This image is no longer relevant

What once supported the EUR/USD exchange rate now seems capable of undermining it. Friedrich Merz's struggle to quickly form a coalition contributed to the major currency pair falling to 1.0300.

From a technical perspective, the daily chart of EUR/USD shows a pin bar formation with a long upper shadow. The bulls' inability to generate upward momentum and the pair's return to its fair value range suggest a lack of strength. Furthermore, if the euro falls below $1.0455 and $1.0445, it could signal a selling opportunity.

Marek Petkovich,
Analytical expert of InstaForex
© 2007-2025
Select timeframe
5
min
15
min
30
min
1
hour
4
hours
1
day
1
week
Earn on cryptocurrency rate changes with InstaForex
Download MetaTrader 4 and open your first trade
  • Grand Choice
    Contest by
    InstaForex
    InstaForex always strives to help you
    fulfill your biggest dreams.
    JOIN CONTEST

Recommended Stories

The Market Invites a "Fools' Rally"

104%! Who's next? The stakes in the U.S.–China trade war are skyrocketing, causing the S&P 500 to slide deeper and deeper. And this came right after a strong opening

Marek Petkovich 10:36 2025-04-09 UTC+2

What to Pay Attention to on April 8? A Breakdown of Fundamental Events for Beginners

Once again, no macroeconomic events are scheduled for Wednesday. However, the market is paying little attention to traditional macroeconomic indicators, so standard economic reports are unnecessary. The market is entirely

Paolo Greco 06:57 2025-04-09 UTC+2

GBP/USD Overview. April 9. Disinformation, Rumors, Fakes, and Opinions

The GBP/USD currency pair traded relatively calmly on Tuesday, but Monday brought a full-on whirlwind to the markets. For several days now, we've been using terms like "storm," "chaos,"

Paolo Greco 02:55 2025-04-09 UTC+2

EUR/USD Overview. April 9. The American Circus

The EUR/USD currency pair traded much more calmly on Tuesday. That's no surprise—the market has already reacted to all the news about tariffs and counter-tariffs, and the actual implementation date

Paolo Greco 02:55 2025-04-09 UTC+2

NZD/USD. Analysis and Forecast

The NZD/USD pair is attempting to regain positive momentum, supported by renewed US dollar selling. However, given the underlying fundamentals, bullish traders are advised to proceed with caution. Investors appear

Irina Yanina 19:45 2025-04-08 UTC+2

Market gives away its secret

The world is a stage, and people are its actors. Tragicomedies happen every day in financial markets, but what happened at the start of the second week of April

Marek Petkovich 11:49 2025-04-08 UTC+2

Will Tomorrow Be Better Than Yesterday? (There is a risk of renewed decline in AUD/USD and gold prices)

It's easy to stay optimistic and hope that decision-makers act according to your wishes. Why does this occur? And why can it be a trap for investors? The market sell-off

Pati Gani 09:25 2025-04-08 UTC+2

What to Pay Attention to on April 8? A Breakdown of Fundamental Events for Beginners

There are no macroeconomic events scheduled for Tuesday. However, the current market environment is hardly affected by the macroeconomic background. At this moment, the market has no use for standard

Paolo Greco 07:35 2025-04-08 UTC+2

GBP/USD Overview. April 8. Now It's the Pound Plunging into the Abyss

The GBP/USD currency pair continued its near-crash-like decline throughout Monday. Can anyone even explain, in hindsight, what's happening in the markets right now? There are no questions regarding the drop

Paolo Greco 06:07 2025-04-08 UTC+2

EUR/USD Overview. April 8. 2025 – The Year of Trade Wars

The EUR/USD currency pair traded with notable volatility on Monday. Particularly for a so-called "boring Monday," with no significant events scheduled. Yet yesterday was anything but boring—many experts have already

Paolo Greco 06:07 2025-04-08 UTC+2
Can't speak right now?
Ask your question in the chat.
Widget callback
 

Dear visitor,

Your IP address shows that you are currently located in the USA. If you are a resident of the United States, you are prohibited from using the services of InstaFintech Group including online trading, online transfers, deposit/withdrawal of funds, etc.

If you think you are seeing this message by mistake and your location is not the US, kindly proceed to the website. Otherwise, you must leave the website in order to comply with government restrictions.

Why does your IP address show your location as the USA?

  • - you are using a VPN provided by a hosting company based in the United States;
  • - your IP does not have proper WHOIS records;
  • - an error occurred in the WHOIS geolocation database.

Please confirm whether you are a US resident or not by clicking the relevant button below. If you choose the wrong option, being a US resident, you will not be able to open an account with InstaForex anyway.

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by this message.