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Euro: Growth worries cap upside against US Dollar.

May 21, 2026

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Rabobank’s Senior FX Strategist Jane Foley highlights that weak French and German PMI data have undermined Eurozone growth expectations and led markets to question how much the European Central Bank (ECB) can still tighten. Foley now sees risk of only one 25 bps ECB hike this year, arguing that slower Eurozone growth and energy-related headwinds will limit EUR/USD gains, keeping the pair below 1.20 in 2024.

Weak Eurozone data weighs on Euro

“The EUR reacted poorly to this morning’s shockingly poor French PMI release, with EUR/USD briefly dipping back below the 1.16 level. The preliminary data for May showed a sharp drop in the composite number to 43.5 from 47.6 the previous month, with weakness evident in both the manufacturing and the services sectors. The composite number, which is a 66-month low, would usually be associated with recession.”

“The data have caused the market to question whether the ECB needs to hike rates as much as has been expected to rein back demand in the face of the supply shock. This week’s releases of softer than expected UK and Australian labour data have had a similar impact on short-dated interest rates in their respective markets. Currently the market is priced for just over 50 bps of ECB policy tightening on a 6-month view.”

“In Rabo’s view, there is risk of just one 25 bps rate hike from the ECB this year. Further paring back of ECB rate hike expectations would undermine the value of the EUR.”

“In our view, any absence of positive news regarding a peace deal in the Iran war could still bring dips to the EUR/USD 1.15 area in the weeks ahead, with the USD likely to benefit from safe haven flows. Assuming a gradually reopening of the Strait of Hormuz in the month ahead, we expect EUR/USD to edge higher. However, faced with slower growth in the Eurozone, we do not expect a move to EUR/USD1.20 this year.”