The US dollar index rose over 0.4% to above 99.1 on Friday following the release of the latest US jobs report, which showed 139,000 jobs added in May—slightly surpassing economists’ expectations of 126,000.
DXY strengthens after payrolls numbers
The better-than-expected headline number offered a short-term boost to the greenback, reinforcing investor confidence in the relative strength of the US labor market. However, some of that optimism was tempered by downward revisions to April’s figures and broader signs of cooling economic momentum, which continue to weigh on longer-term sentiment.
The data comes at a pivotal moment, as recent indicators—including weakening consumer confidence, slower manufacturing activity, and softening retail sales—suggest the US economy is entering a more cautious phase. While the labor market remains resilient, questions linger over whether the Federal Reserve will continue to hold interest rates steady or consider cuts if downside risks from trade tensions and fiscal uncertainty intensify.
Geopolitical effects on market sentiment
At the same time, geopolitical and corporate developments also played a role in shaping market sentiment. Tensions between President Trump and Elon Musk appeared to ease following reports of a private call in which the two discussed supply chain resilience and clean energy investment. Their detente helped stabilize market expectations around regulatory risk for major US firms. Meanwhile, the long-awaited meeting between US and Chinese trade officials is now expected to take place within the next seven days, offering a glimmer of hope that a new round of negotiations could lead to a de-escalation in tariff hostilities.
Despite Friday’s rally, the dollar is still on track for a small weekly loss, as global investors continue to weigh the currency’s safe-haven appeal against a backdrop of rising economic headwinds and shifting monetary policy expectations. Traders will likely be watching upcoming inflation data and Fed communications closely for further clues on the dollar’s trajectory in the weeks ahead.
