Is US Dollar dominance cracking or just wobbling?

It’s been a curious week for the world’s most-watched currency. The US dollar has put on a bit of a show - gaining ground thanks to upbeat consumer confidence and a wobbling yen. But beneath the headlines, there’s a growing sense that all is not entirely well in the kingdom of greenbacks.

From tariff tensions to ballooning US debt, and with even Christine Lagarde casually suggesting the euro could step up, the dollar’s dominance isn’t quite as unshakeable as it once seemed. So, are we looking at the start of a slow erosion in the dollar’s global clout, or is this just another blip in a long run of resilience?

Let’s unpack what’s really driving the moves and where the cracks might be forming.

Dollar rally: Short-term strength, long-term questions

The dollar’s rally this week was more due to relative weakness elsewhere than to fireworks from the US economy. The Japanese yen slipped under pressure after a sharp fall in long-dated Japanese government bond yields, a move tied to speculation that Japan’s Ministry of Finance might scale back the issuance of super-long bonds. 

That drop in yields spooked yen bulls and offered a bit of breathing space for the greenback.

Add to that a better-than-expected reading on US consumer confidence in May, and the dollar had just enough fuel for a short-term lift. But there’s more than a little uncertainty brewing beneath the surface.

Kashkari keeps it cool

While some traders clutched onto the consumer confidence figures as a sign of economic momentum, the Federal Reserve remains cautious. Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari threw cold water on any hawkish excitement, suggesting rates should stay put until there’s clarity on how rising tariffs might impact inflation.

Kashkari warned against “looking through” supply-side price shocks, a nod to the messy, unpredictable ripple effects that trade policy can have on prices. His tone was measured, but the message was clear: there’s still a lot that could go sideways.

The potential Euro alternative

The euro didn’t have such a good week. French inflation fell to its lowest level since December 2020, weighing on the common currency and giving the dollar another relative advantage.

That said, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde added a provocative note to the conversation. Speaking earlier this week, she floated the idea that the euro could become a credible alternative to the dollar if, and it’s a big if, the EU strengthens its financial and security framework.

It was more vision than verdict, but still, the fact that the conversation is happening hints at signs of shifting sands in global finance.

Trade tensions take centre stage

On the trade front, President Trump backed away from threatening to slap 50% tariffs on EU imports next month, a move that calmed markets and lifted risk sentiment. Still, the underlying concern hasn’t gone away.

Both investors and policymakers are aware that escalating tariffs, whether with the EU, China, or elsewhere, could drag on growth and stir up inflation. The Fed’s caution reflects that, and it’s why many in the market remain hesitant to price in rate cuts too early, even with inflation seemingly under control for now.

Government debt and economic growth

Then there’s the elephant in the room: US government debt. A new spending and tax bill is crawling through Congress, expected to add trillions to the country’s already weighty balance sheet. While some analysts think it might slightly improve the deficit-to-GDP ratio, few are confident it puts the US on a sustainable fiscal path.

Unsurprisingly, no one’s thrilled. Conservatives think the cuts didn’t go far enough; progressives think they went too far in the wrong places. Markets, for now, are holding their nerve - but the longer-term consequences of persistent deficit spending are hard to ignore.

USDJPY outlook: Cracks in the crown, or some wear and tear?

So, is dollar supremacy under threat? In the short term, not really. The dollar remains the world’s go-to currency, especially in times of volatility. But the chorus of caution is growing louder - from central bankers, fiscal hawks, and geopolitical analysts alike.

The real risk may not be an abrupt dethroning but a slow erosion. As global players like the EU work to strengthen their institutions and as the US grapples with mounting debt and political division, the dollar’s dominance may become less absolute.

At the time of writing, the USDJPY pair is seeing an uptick as the dollar rebounds. The rebound happening within a sell zone suggests that it could be curtailed. However, the volume bars tell a story of strong bullish pressure being countered by weaker sell pressure, hinting at a potential further uptick.

If we see a further uptick, the price could encounter resistance walls at the $145.40 and $148.00 price levels. On the other hand, should we see a slump, prices could be held at the $142.20 support floor.

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