US Dollar: Is This the Long-Awaited Recovery or a Temporary Bounce?

There was plenty of data and US-based event risk this past week to suggest to the casual observer that the dollar was running on its own fundamental strength; but experienced fundamental traders should notice something was amiss. Though there were particularly hawkish comments from voting Fed member Kocherlakota, a better-than-expected non-farm payrolls report and a strong manufacturing activity survey; these developments don’t tap into the larger fundamental drivers behind the greenback. Typically, the catalysts that can lead to meaningful dollar (bull) trends are: broad risk appetite; interest rate speculation and relative growth (return) potential. Yet, all three of these have offered only modest support to the greenback recently. Fueling a dollar rally in their absence though is an unfamiliar motivator – aggressive euro selling. Will this indirect strength keep the dollar buoyant? Will one of the usual themes step in to keep the currency’s momentum? Regardless of what takes up the dollar’s call; the market seems to be far more aware its positive features.