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Value

US Dollar Index

The dollar measured against a basket of major currencies.

Trust model

Institution

What is a trust model? →

The dollar's value rests on trust in US institutions — its central bank, its courts, and its financial markets — more than on any physical backing. Because it's the default currency for global trade and reserves, that institutional trust extends well beyond US borders.

What supports value

  • Reserve currency status

    The dollar is the primary currency for global trade invoicing, commodity pricing, and central bank reserves, which creates continuous structural demand for it.

  • Deep, liquid financial markets

    US Treasury and money markets are the deepest and most liquid in the world, making the dollar easy to hold and move at scale.

  • Federal Reserve credibility

    Decades of the Fed managing inflation and acting as a lender of last resort underpin confidence in dollar-denominated assets.

  • Legal and institutional stability

    US courts, property rights, and rule of law give holders of dollar assets a predictable legal environment.

What could change the thesis

  • Fiscal and debt trajectory

    Rising federal debt and deficits raise long-run questions about debt sustainability and future currency debasement.

  • De-dollarisation efforts

    Some countries are actively working to reduce reliance on the dollar for trade settlement and reserves, though this has been slow-moving so far.

  • Monetary policy shifts

    Fed rate decisions and balance-sheet policy directly change the relative attractiveness of holding dollars versus other currencies.

  • Political and institutional risk

    Debt-ceiling standoffs or threats to Fed independence can raise questions about the predictability of US policy.

Key drivers to watch

Federal Reserve interest rate policy
US inflation and growth data
Global risk sentiment (safe-haven flows)
Relative strength of other major central banks

Why is US Dollar Index moving?

Rules-based

01 — What changed (evidence)

  • Price
    US Dollar Index is -0.02% on the 3M timeframe.
  • Indicator
    Price vs long-term average reads neutral (weight 24%).
  • Indicator
    EMA 20 vs EMA 50 reads neutral (weight 22%).
  • Indicator
    MACD momentum reads bullish (weight 18%).
  • Indicator
    RSI (14) reads neutral (weight 14%).
  • Indicator
    Bollinger position reads bullish (weight 10%).
  • Indicator
    Market structure reads bullish (weight 12%).
  • Indicator
    Volatility regime is low (Volatility is compressed relative to normal. Quiet markets tend to precede expansion, so this is a setup for a breakout rather than a reason to expect continued calm.).
  • News
    Fed holds rates steady but trims 2026 cut projections to two
  • News
    Dollar slips as eurozone PMIs beat expectations
  • News
    US core CPI cools to slowest annual pace in three years

02 — Interpretation

US Dollar Index is trading at 102.685, -0.02% over the last 24 hours. Across the last 3 months, the market is leaning bullish, with 3 of 6 signals pointing the same way — a confidence reading of 47 out of 100. The level that matters on the downside is 102.515; on the upside it is 102.828. Between those two, the market is doing nothing informative and there is no edge in forcing a position. Volatility is compressed relative to normal. Quiet markets tend to precede expansion, so this is a setup for a breakout rather than a reason to expect continued calm. What would change this read: a decisive close outside that range on convincing volume, or a scheduled event that reprices the underlying story — Fed policy and global growth spreads are what actually drive US Dollar Index, and no amount of chart reading substitutes for knowing what is on the calendar.

03 — What the evidence currently suggests

US Dollar Index is marginally bullish on this timeframe

04 — What could invalidate this view

  • A move back below 102.515 would void this idea
  • Reclaiming 102.828 would void this idea

Generated Sep 11, 09:46 PM. Educational, not financial advice.

Market conditions

Indices
DXY

US Dollar Index

The dollar measured against a basket of major currencies.

102.685-0.02%

Price · last 3 months

Simulated

Market trend

Bullish

47/100 confidence

US Dollar Index is marginally bullish on this timeframe.

Confidence measures how much the indicators agree with each other. It is not a probability that a trade will be profitable.

Signals behind this

  • Price vs long-term averageneutral
  • EMA 20 vs EMA 50neutral
  • MACD momentumbullish
  • RSI (14)neutral
  • Bollinger positionbullish
  • Market structurebullish

Key levels

  • 102.828+0.14%
  • 103.442+0.74%
  • 103.774+1.06%
Price102.685
  • 102.515-0.16%
  • 101.452-1.20%
  • 101.249-1.40%

5.3%annualised · low

Volatility is compressed relative to normal. Quiet markets tend to precede expansion, so this is a setup for a breakout rather than a reason to expect continued calm.

How this developed

Major moves, trend changes, level breaks and news for this window, newest first.

  • Fed holds rates steady but trims 2026 cut projections to two

    News

    The Federal Reserve left its policy rate unchanged and the updated dot plot now shows two cuts this year instead of three. The statement kept the language on inflation being 'somewhat elevated' and the Chair pushed back on questions about an earlier start to easing.

    3h ago

  • Dollar slips as eurozone PMIs beat expectations

    News

    Composite PMI for the bloc came in above consensus, with the services component driving the beat and manufacturing stabilising just under the expansion line. The euro rallied through the session high on the release.

    7h ago

  • US core CPI cools to slowest annual pace in three years

    News

    Core inflation excluding food and energy rose less than forecast on the month, with shelter finally decelerating and core services ex-housing flat. Headline was in line.

    1d ago

  • Treasury yields climb after soft long-bond auction

    News

    A 30-year auction tailed against the when-issued level with weak indirect participation, pushing yields higher across the curve into the close.

    2d ago

  • Closed above 102.828

    Level break

    That price is one of today's key levels — this is when price last closed on the other side of it.

    3d ago

  • Closed below 101.452

    Level break

    That price is one of today's key levels — this is when price last closed on the other side of it.

    23d ago

  • Dropped 0.97% in one bar

    Price move

    A genuinely large move for this market, not just a large-looking percentage — it moved 1.6× its typical daily range (0.62%).

    Aug 11

  • Closed below 102.515

    Level break

    That price is one of today's key levels — this is when price last closed on the other side of it.

    Aug 11

  • Closed above 102.828

    Level break

    That price is one of today's key levels — this is when price last closed on the other side of it.

    Aug 6

  • Dropped 0.88% in one bar

    Price move

    A genuinely large move for this market, not just a large-looking percentage — it moved 1.5× its typical daily range (0.58%).

    Aug 5

  • Closed above 103.774

    Level break

    That price is one of today's key levels — this is when price last closed on the other side of it.

    Aug 2

  • Closed above 103.442

    Level break

    That price is one of today's key levels — this is when price last closed on the other side of it.

    Aug 1

  • Closed above 103.442

    Level break

    That price is one of today's key levels — this is when price last closed on the other side of it.

    Jul 27

  • Closed above 103.442

    Level break

    That price is one of today's key levels — this is when price last closed on the other side of it.

    Jul 23

  • Jumped 0.76% in one bar

    Price move

    A genuinely large move for this market, not just a large-looking percentage — it moved 1.3× its typical daily range (0.59%).

    Jul 7

  • Closed above 103.774

    Level break

    That price is one of today's key levels — this is when price last closed on the other side of it.

    Jun 30

  • Closed above 103.774

    Level break

    That price is one of today's key levels — this is when price last closed on the other side of it.

    Jun 28

Summary

Writing

Technical indicators

Computed from 90 bars over the last 3 months.

102.358 / 102.614

bearish

The 20-period average has crossed below the 50-period average — sellers have had the upper hand and rallies have been sold into.

53.4

neutral

At 53 momentum is in the normal band — neither stretched nor exhausted, so RSI is not arguing for a reversal in either direction.

0.09315

bullish

MACD is above its signal line, so short-term momentum is running ahead of the medium-term trend. Momentum is currently working for buyers.

Not published

neutral

The data source for US Dollar Index publishes prices but not traded volume, so there is no participation figure to read. That is a gap in the data, not a quiet market — treat any conclusion that would depend on volume as unsupported here.

0.567 (0.55%)

neutral

The market has been moving about 0.567 per bar, or 0.55% of price. This is the number position sizing and stop placement should be built around — a stop tighter than this will be hit by ordinary noise.

Two ways this could go

Both paths are shown with equal weight. Neither is a prediction.

Potential bullish scenario

Trigger
A daily close above 102.828 on above-average volume
If it fires
103.442 as the next area where sellers have previously stepped in
Invalidation
A move back below 102.515 would void this idea

If buyers can absorb the supply sitting at 102.828 and hold above it into a close, the path of least resistance opens toward 103.442. The broader trend already supports this, so it would be continuation rather than a reversal. Given the market is moving roughly 0.567 per bar, allow at least that much room before treating a wick through the level as a real breakout.

Potential bearish scenario

Trigger
Losing 102.515 and failing to reclaim it
If it fires
101.452, the next level where buyers previously defended
Invalidation
Reclaiming 102.828 would void this idea

If 102.515 gives way and the market cannot recover it quickly, the next obvious area of interest is 101.452. This runs against the prevailing trend, so it would most likely need a catalyst rather than developing on its own. With volatility contained, expect the move to develop over several bars rather than in one impulse.

Trading risks

  • This analysis reads price history. It cannot anticipate news, and markets reprice on news faster than any indicator updates.
  • Indicators disagree with each other on this timeframe, which historically means choppy conditions and a higher rate of false signals.
  • Index moves are increasingly driven by a handful of megacap names, so concentration risk is higher than the diversification implies.
  • Overnight gaps between the cash close and the next open can jump straight through a stop.

Key events to watch

  • Megacap earnings, which drive a disproportionate share of index moves
  • Federal Reserve policy decisions and the projection materials
  • Monthly inflation and labour market data

What actually drives US Dollar Index: Fed policy, global growth spreads, haven flows.

Latest market news

Market Wire
bearish · high impact

Fed holds rates steady but trims 2026 cut projections to two

30-second summary

The Federal Reserve left its policy rate unchanged and the updated dot plot now shows two cuts this year instead of three. The statement kept the language on inflation being 'somewhat elevated' and the Chair pushed back on questions about an earlier start to easing.

FX Report
bullish · moderate impact

Dollar slips as eurozone PMIs beat expectations

30-second summary

Composite PMI for the bloc came in above consensus, with the services component driving the beat and manufacturing stabilising just under the expansion line. The euro rallied through the session high on the release.

Macro Brief
bullish · high impact

US core CPI cools to slowest annual pace in three years

30-second summary

Core inflation excluding food and energy rose less than forecast on the month, with shelter finally decelerating and core services ex-housing flat. Headline was in line.

Macro Brief
bearish · moderate impact

Treasury yields climb after soft long-bond auction

30-second summary

A 30-year auction tailed against the when-issued level with weak indirect participation, pushing yields higher across the curve into the close.

This analysis is educational and should not be considered financial advice. It is generated from historical price data and can be wrong. Markets reprice on news faster than any indicator updates. Never risk money you cannot afford to lose.

Generated Sep 11, 09:46 PM · No live source is configured for this market, so prices are simulated and do not represent real quotes.