What is the US Dollar Index & Why is it Important?

Continue reading to find out exactly how the US Dollar Index is calculated, how you can trade this index, and why it is so important for forex traders to monitor. The US Dollar Index is a measure of the value of the dollar against six other major currencies. The information and publications are not meant to etoro x5 leverage be, and do not constitute, financial, investment, trading, or other types of advice or recommendations supplied or endorsed by TradingView. As always, it is central to make use of sound risk and money management before entering a trade to ensure your account is able to withstand losing trades along the way.

These articles shall not be treated as a trading advice or call to action. The authors of the articles or RoboForex company shall not be held liable for the results of the trades arising from relying upon trading recommendations and reviews contained herein. Now that we know what the basket of currencies is composed of, let’s get back to that “geometric weighted average” part. ICE operates 13 regulated exchanges, including ICE futures and OTC exchanges in the US, Canada, Europe, and Singapore.

1. The American dollar is highly liquid and responds to global market trends as well as what is happening in the US economy, providing great opportunities for traders.
2. President Richard Nixon decided to temporarily suspend the gold standard, at which point other countries were able to choose any exchange agreement other than the price of gold.
3. It provides insights into the strength or weakness of the US dollar in global markets.
4. Similarly, if the index is currently 80, falling 20 from its initial value, that implies that it has depreciated 20%.
5. As an outcome, the US Dollar arrangements long and well-established tendencies that professional traders are intelligent to take benefit of.
6. By understanding the fundamentals of the USDX, traders can make informed decisions and enhance their trading strategies.

Set stop-loss orders to limit potential losses and use appropriate position sizing based on your risk appetite. Prior to the introduction of the euro in 1999, the US Dollar Index included the West German mark, the French franc, the Italian lira, the Dutch guilder and the Belgian franc. The only time the components of the index have been changed since 1973 was when these currencies were replaced by the euro. The DXY is calculated using a geometric mean, which means that changes in the value of one currency have a proportional effect on the overall index. For example, if the euro were to appreciate by 1%, and the other five currencies remained constant, the DXY would decrease by approximately 0.6%.

WHY TRADE THE US DOLLAR INDEX?

The US Dollar Index was started by the Federal Reserve in 1973 and has been managed by ICE Futures US since 1985. One of the main uses of the DXY is as a gauge of the strength of the US dollar. When the index is rising, it suggests that the US dollar is gaining value relative to other currencies. Conversely, when the index is falling, it suggests that the US dollar is losing value. Because the USDX is so heavily influenced by the euro, traders have looked for a more “balanced” dollar index. This makes the USDX a pretty good tool for measuring the U.S. dollar’s global strength.

Approval of the downtrend happens when the market trades to a lower low after making a lower high. At this point, only trades in the track of the trend should be considered. This is principally central when using an indicator for the reason that an indicator has no idea of the trend and may make available weak signals if not filtered with the trend’s direction. The US Dollar Index has a base value of 100, with values since then relative to this base.

We’re also a community of traders that support each other on our daily trading journey. This is why the ICE U.S. Dollar Index (USDX) futures contract is considered the leading benchmark for the international value of the U.S. dollar and the world’s most widely recognized traded currency index. Additionally, it is prudent to keep individual trades to a maximum of 1% of the trading account. This is a simple way to ensure that only high probability trades are entered into and has the added benefit of absorbing losses along the way without jeopardising the trading account. An index value of 120 suggests that the U.S. dollar has appreciated 20% versus the basket of currencies over the time period in question. Simply put, if the USDX goes up, that means the U.S. dollar is gaining strength or value when compared to the other currencies.

However, such a strong Dollar caused problems for US exporters, who found that their goods were no longer as competitive internationally. As a result, the US government took action to make the currency more competitive with five countries agreeing to manipulate the Dollar in the forex markets as part of the ‘Plaza Accord’. The US Dollar index rises when the USD rises relative to a basket of the above-mentioned currencies and vice versa. As one can see from the index structure, the Euro and other European currencies have the upper hand here. If you’ve traded stocks, you’re probably familiar with all the indices available such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), NASDAQ Composite Index, Russell 2000, S&P 500, Wilshire 5000, and the Nimbus 2001. The lowest point in the smile reflects a weaker US Dollar as a result of strained fundamentals.

How to trade DXY CFDs

The US Dollar is the world’s reserve currency, which means that it is widely traded and attracts interest from traders all around the globe. It is also an ideal currency to gain exposure to the forex market as it appeared on one side of 88% of forex trades in April 2016, according to the 2016 BIS Triennial Central Bank Survey. The Dollar Index measures the performance, or value, of the US Dollar versus a basket of foreign currencies. These are trading partners to the US and include the Euro, Japanese Yen, British Pound, Canadian Dollar, Swedish Krona and Swiss Franc.

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It’s very similar to how the stock indices work in that it provides a general indication of the value of a basket of securities. When investors become risk averse they exness company review will often turn to “safe havens” such as gold, or in this case, the US Dollar. ICE provides live feeds for Dow Futures that appear on Bloomberg.com and CNN Money.

It is now maintained by ICE Data Indices, a subsidiary of the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE). The US Dollar Index was originally created by the U.S. central bank in 1973 to provide an external bilateral trade-weighted average value of the Greenback. This was triggered by the end of the gold standard and the floating of currency exchange rates. The USD is the world’s reserve currency, which means that it is broadly traded and charms interest from traders internationally.

More tips to trade the US Dollar Index

In the chart below, it is pure to realize the long periods where a trend has established itself. This is characterized by periods of higher highs and higher lows (the upward-sloping green line) and long periods of lower highs and lower lows (the coinjar reviews downward-sloping red line). Meanwhile, it is an index, the USD index purposes in the same way as the FTSE 100 or NYSE but, instead of being a barometer for the health of the equity market, it expresses the relative strength of the US Dollar.

It reached its all-time high of nearly 165 in February 1985, during a period of US dollar strength, and its all-time low of nearly 70 in March 2008, during the global financial crisis. Traditionally seen as a safe-haven asset, the U.S. dollar tends to appreciate during times of market turbulence or crisis. Investors closely monitor the DXY to gauge its response to geopolitical events or economic uncertainties, providing valuable clues about market sentiment and the perceived stability of the U.S. currency.

An overvaluation of the USD led to concerns over the exchange rates and their link to the way in which gold was priced. President Richard Nixon decided to temporarily suspend the gold standard, at which point other countries were able to choose any exchange agreement other than the price of gold. In 1973, many foreign governments chose to let their currency rates float, putting an end to the agreement. The U.S. dollar index (USDX) is a measure of the value of the U.S. dollar relative to a basket of foreign currencies. Federal Reserve in 1973 after the dissolution of the Bretton Woods Agreement.

DXY: The Bull Case Gathers Momentum for the U.S. Dollar Index

It was established shortly after the Bretton Woods Agreement was dissolved. As part of the agreement, participating countries settled their balances in U.S. dollars (which was used as the reserve currency), while the USD was fully convertible to gold at a rate of $35/ounce. Dollar Index as it allows them to monitor the value of the Greenback compared to a basket of major currencies. If a trader is convinced the US Dollar will appreciate across the board, it might be simpler to place a single trade betting on a rising US Dollar Index instead of having to manage multiple forex positions. Some market participants also use the US Dollar Index for hedging purposes. Find out more on how to trade indices to benefit from the USDX price movement.

The index is maintained and issued by Intercontinental Exchange Inc (ICE) and is calculated every 15 seconds. Buying 100 shares of UUP means the trader expects the dollar to outperform the six constituent currencies. This can be due to changing inflation figures, trade, as well as a multitude of political factors. The dollar index is often used as the benchmark performance indicator for the US economy, alongside the S&P 500.