Dollar holds firm as French fiscal woes keep euro on back foot

The U.S. dollar began the week with a solid performance, stabilizing near a 17-month high on Monday. Traders were analyzing the diminishing chances of a Federal Reserve rate increase this month, following weak U.S. employment figures, while fiscal issues in France weakened the euro. The euro remained at $1.1246, hovering near its lowest point since May 2025, as it experienced four successive weekly declines.

The euro's decline was due to France's high debt levels and political uncertainty leading up to the upcoming election. The British pound was trading at $1.3241, and the Japanese yen was worth 157.69 per U.S. dollar in early Asian market hours. This made the dollar index, which gauges the U.S. currency against six major currencies, sit at 101.97.

The dollar's strength is primarily due to the increase in Treasury yields, which has made U.S. assets more attractive, and the global selling of debt, which has increased demand for safe-haven currencies like the U.S. dollar. Matthew Ryan, head of market strategy at Ebury, noted that elevated Treasury yield volatility is likely to continue putting pressure on carry trades, cyclical currencies, and the euro, with traditional havens like the Swiss franc and the U.S. dollar remaining supported.