Here is what you need to know on Tuesday, January 28:
Following Monday’s choppy action, the US Dollar gathers strength against its rivals early Tuesday as markets assess US President Donald Trump’s latest comments on tariffs. Later in the day, December Durable Goods Orders and the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index data for January will be featured in the US economic calendar.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said late Monday that he is pushing for universal tariffs on imports to start at 2.5% and rise gradually, per the Financial Times. While speaking with reporters on Air Force One early Tuesday, President Trump responded to these remarks and said that he wants tariffs “much bigger than 2.5%,” adding that he hasn’t yet decided on the level. Following this comment, the US Dollar Index gained traction and was last seen rising toward 108.00, gaining more than 0.4% on the day.
US Dollar PRICE Today
The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies today. US Dollar was the strongest against the Japanese Yen.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 0.47% | 0.39% | 0.73% | 0.16% | 0.55% | 0.49% | 0.42% | |
| EUR | -0.47% | -0.08% | 0.26% | -0.30% | 0.08% | 0.03% | -0.05% | |
| GBP | -0.39% | 0.08% | 0.35% | -0.23% | 0.13% | 0.09% | 0.03% | |
| JPY | -0.73% | -0.26% | -0.35% | -0.58% | -0.20% | -0.27% | -0.33% | |
| CAD | -0.16% | 0.30% | 0.23% | 0.58% | 0.39% | 0.32% | 0.25% | |
| AUD | -0.55% | -0.08% | -0.13% | 0.20% | -0.39% | -0.06% | -0.12% | |
| NZD | -0.49% | -0.03% | -0.09% | 0.27% | -0.32% | 0.06% | -0.07% | |
| CHF | -0.42% | 0.05% | -0.03% | 0.33% | -0.25% | 0.12% | 0.07% |
The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the US Dollar from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent USD (base)/JPY (quote).
EUR/USD touched its highest level since mid-December above 1.0530 on Monday but erased a large portion of its daily gains to close marginally higher. The pair stays under bearish pressure and trades below 1.0450 in the European morning.
After closing the third consecutive trading day in positive territory on Monday, GBP/USD loses its traction and drops below 1.2450 to begin the European session on Tuesday.
USD/JPY declined nearly 1% on Monday but erased nearly all of these losses on Tuesday. The pair was last seen trading decisively higher on the day above 155.70. In the early trading hours of the Asian session on Wednesday, the Bank of Japan will polish its Policy Meeting Minutes.
AUD/USD stays on the back foot in the European morning and trades near 0.6250. Fourth-quarter Consumer Price Index (CPI) data from Australia will be watched closely by market participants early Wednesday.
Gold turned south following the previous week’s rally and lost more than 1% on Monday. XAU/USD holds its ground early Wednesday but trades below $2,750.
Risk sentiment FAQs
In the world of financial jargon the two widely used terms “risk-on” and “risk off” refer to the level of risk that investors are willing to stomach during the period referenced. In a “risk-on” market, investors are optimistic about the future and more willing to buy risky assets. In a “risk-off” market investors start to ‘play it safe’ because they are worried about the future, and therefore buy less risky assets that are more certain of bringing a return, even if it is relatively modest.
Typically, during periods of “risk-on”, stock markets will rise, most commodities – except Gold – will also gain in value, since they benefit from a positive growth outlook. The currencies of nations that are heavy commodity exporters strengthen because of increased demand, and Cryptocurrencies rise. In a “risk-off” market, Bonds go up – especially major government Bonds – Gold shines, and safe-haven currencies such as the Japanese Yen, Swiss Franc and US Dollar all benefit.
The Australian Dollar (AUD), the Canadian Dollar (CAD), the New Zealand Dollar (NZD) and minor FX like the Ruble (RUB) and the South African Rand (ZAR), all tend to rise in markets that are “risk-on”. This is because the economies of these currencies are heavily reliant on commodity exports for growth, and commodities tend to rise in price during risk-on periods. This is because investors foresee greater demand for raw materials in the future due to heightened economic activity.
The major currencies that tend to rise during periods of “risk-off” are the US Dollar (USD), the Japanese Yen (JPY) and the Swiss Franc (CHF). The US Dollar, because it is the world’s reserve currency, and because in times of crisis investors buy US government debt, which is seen as safe because the largest economy in the world is unlikely to default. The Yen, from increased demand for Japanese government bonds, because a high proportion are held by domestic investors who are unlikely to dump them – even in a crisis. The Swiss Franc, because strict Swiss banking laws offer investors enhanced capital protection.