Credit Agricole has expressed a neutral outlook on EUR/USD into the year-end, believing that investors' optimism regarding the Euro (or pessimism regarding the USD) could be premature or misplaced. Here are the four reasons outlined by the bank:
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Uncertain Timing of Fed Dovish Pivot: The Federal Reserve's shift to a more dovish stance remains uncertain, and this ambiguity could keep the USD supported in the coming months. Until there's a clear signal from the Fed, the strength in the USD may continue.
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Peak Fed Followed by Peak ECB: If the Fed reaches its peak, it should soon be followed by the European Central Bank (ECB) doing the same. This would cap any significant widening in the EUR/USD rate spread, limiting the potential upside for the EUR/USD pair.
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Potential US Economic Downturn in Q4 2023: Credit Agricole raises the concern that a U.S. economic downturn in the fourth quarter of 2023 could contribute to global cyclical headwinds. This situation could further complicate the currency dynamics between the EUR and USD.
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Temporary Eurozone Growth Outperformance: Any outperformance of Eurozone growth relative to the US might be only temporary. If this occurs, the momentary strength in the EUR could soon fizzle out, keeping the EUR/USD pair within a range.
Summary: Based on these considerations, Credit Agricole expects the EUR/USD pair to remain range-bound between 1.09 and 1.12 for the foreseeable future. The bank's analysis emphasizes the uncertainties and complexities in both the US and Eurozone monetary policy and economic outlooks, leading to a cautious stance on the currency pair.