October 15, 2025

EUR/USD Surges Above 1.1600 After Powell’s Neutral-Dovish Remarks

Overview

EUR/USD moved above 1.1600 on renewed dollar softness amid broad USD weakness after Fed Chair Jerome Powell emphasized a meeting-by-meeting approach and highlighted a low-hiring/low-firing trend in the labor market. The move comes amid mixed Fed messaging — Boston Fed’s Susan Collins struck a slightly hawkish note — and escalating US-China tensions that are supporting safe-haven flows and FX volatility.

Primary drivers

Powell’s tone: Markets interpreted Powell’s comments as neutral-to-dovish, lowering near-term expectations for aggressive tightening and weakening the USD; his remarks echoed themes seen in Powell’s dovish tilt, which helped safe-haven and commodity moves.

Fed divergence risk: Regional Fed officials including Susan Collins have reiterated that inflation remains top of mind. Divergent messaging — or stronger-than-expected US data — could quickly revive the USD and reverse EUR gains. Past episodes of repricing after policy notes are documented in our FOMC minutes volatility coverage.

Geopolitical backdrop: Escalating US-China rhetoric and measures (port fees, trade threats) increase risk-off sensitivity and commodity/FX volatility. That backdrop can both support safe-haven assets and create episodic USD strength, complicating directional trades.

Technical outlook: EUR/USD

Short-term technicals point to bullish momentum while price stays above 1.1600. Key levels to monitor:

Immediate resistance: 1.1650–1.1700. A decisive break and close above 1.1700 would open targets at 1.1800–1.1830.

Support levels: 1.1600 (near-term pivot), then 1.1550. Failure to hold 1.1550 could expose lower supports at 1.1500 and 1.1391.

Scenario planning: If USD weakness persists on softer US business data and dovish Fed signals, the euro has room to climb to the 1.18 area. Conversely, hawkish surprises from regional Fed speakers or robust US labor/inflation prints could trigger a quick reversal back below 1.1600.

Trading implications and practical setups

Retail traders and intraday desks can consider the following tactics while monitoring macro flow and Fed communications:

Trend-following: Consider momentum-based long exposure above 1.1700 with layered entries and a stop placed below 1.1650. Use position sizing to limit risk to a pre-determined percentage of capital.

Range/mean-reversion: If price stalls in the 1.1650–1.1700 band, look for short-term pullbacks to 1.1600–1.1550 for tactical bounce trades, with tight stops in case sellers regain control.

Volatility plays: US-China escalation can create spikes — traders may use smaller, time-limited positions or options hedges to manage event risk.

Tools and automation: For disciplined execution, automated strategies and algorithmic signal monitoring can help capture trending moves or manage stops during volatile windows. Consider testing a trade assistant or a dedicated forex trading bot to implement pre-defined entries, scaling and risk rules. Automated trading can be especially useful when market-moving headlines arrive outside regular trading hours.

Risk management checklist

- Monitor Fed speaker calendar and US macro prints (employment, CPI, PMI) ahead of positions. - Use stops sized to account for intraday FX volatility and avoid oversized exposure into geopolitical headlines. - Consider correlation risk (e.g., USD strength with rising gold/XAUUSD or safe-haven flows) and hedge multi-asset exposure where appropriate.

What traders should watch next

- Price action around 1.1650–1.1700 for confirmation of a bullish breakout. - Incoming US economic releases and any follow-up Fed comments that could shift the policy narrative. - Escalation in US-China trade rhetoric or measures that could create episodic risk-off moves and USD strength.

Conclusion

EUR/USD’s move above 1.1600 reflects a delicate mix of Powell’s neutral-to-dovish tone, lingering Fed policy divergence and geopolitical risk that favors volatility. Traders should combine macro awareness with disciplined technical entries and strict risk controls. Whether you favour trend-following or tactical range plays, automation can help enforce rules and act quickly on shifting conditions. For traders looking to automate execution or backtest EUR/USD strategies, explore PlayOnBit’s tools such as the trade assistant and the forex trading bot. These solutions support disciplined forex trading, and can also integrate with broader crypto trading or portfolio management approaches.

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