USD Overview (18 January 2021)

Last week, USD strengthened against all major currencies.

The Retail Sales m/m data released last Friday indicated the third straight month of decline in consumer spending in December as COVID-19 restrictions were reimposed.

• Core Retail Sales m/m (Actual: -1.4%, Forecast: -0.1%, Previous: -1.3% revised from -0.9%)
  
• Retail Sales m/m (Actual: -0.7%, Forecast: 0.0%, Previous: -1.4% revised from -1.1%)
  

The Preliminary UoM Consumer Sentiment data (Actual: 79.2, Forecast: 79.5, Previous: 80.7 revised from 81.4) released last Friday indicated a decline in the sentiment of surveyed consumers on the U.S. economic conditions.

U.S. banks will be closed today in observance of Martin Luther King Day. Expect lower trading volatility and volume during the U.S. market session.