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El Salvadors Cecot: What we know about the notorious mega prison where Trump is sending alleged Venezuelan gang members

The index focuses on trade and the strength of the U.S. dollar against specific currencies. It less on inflation or devaluation, which is measured in alternative metrics like the Big Mac Index. Indeed, as the methodology behind the DXY Index has only been updated once – when the euro arrived in 1999 – some argue this composition is not accurate to the current state of the world. The price development of the U.S. dollar affects many things, including commodity prices in general. These figures indicate slowing consumer spending, raising concerns over economic momentum. With inflation still a key factor in the Fed’s decision-making, the weaker retail sales data has intensified speculation over potential rate cuts, which could weigh on the USD by lowering yield expectations.

Gold Price Forecast: Rally Slows as Overbought Risks Emerge

The constituents of the foreign currency basket were altered only once when several European currencies were subsumed by the euro in early 1999. “We are executing to the letter a regiment to which you will submit from this moment on, where prison security personnel will be treated with absolute respect! ” one officer shouts at the visibly disturbed inmates in a video shared by the Salvadoran government. Officers held their heads down to waist-level as they escorted them to the facility in shackles. The new inmates were then forced to kneel while prison guards shaved their hair and shouted commands. It is now home to some of the country’s most hardened criminals, including mass murderers and gang members billed as the “worst of the worst” and is notorious for the spartan conditions in which they are kept.

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Trading financial products carries a high risk to your capital, particularly when engaging in leveraged transactions such as CFDs. It is important to note that between 74-89% of retail investors lose money when trading CFDs. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and it is crucial that you fully comprehend the risks involved. Prior to making any decisions, carefully assess your financial situation and determine whether you can afford the potential risk of losing your money. However, it is important to note that the US dollar plays a pivotal role as a safe haven currency and an increase in economic or geopolitical tensions could see the currency strengthen.

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  • The euro holds the most weight versus the dollar in the index, making up about 57.6 per cent of the weighting, followed by the yen with around 13.6 per cent.
  • It is likely that the currencies in the index will change again, as the index adapts to better represent those countries that the U.S. buys from and sells to most.
  • An index value of 120 suggests that the U.S. dollar has appreciated 20% versus the basket of currencies over a particular time period.

The index calculation is simply the weighted average of the U.S. dollar exchange rate against these currencies, normalized by an indexing factor (which is ~50.1435). The exponent figures following the currency pairs are the weightings (see above). These financial products currently trade on the ICE Futures exchange, formerly known as the New York Board of Trade. Traders and investors can use them to hedge general currency moves or to speculate. An index value of 120 suggests that the U.S. dollar metatrader web has appreciated 20% versus the basket of currencies over a particular time period.

Meanwhile, analysts at Bank of America recently said they see a risk of outflows from the US dollar and into the euro and emerging market currencies due to November’s strong equity performance and weak bond returns. The index is widely used by traders, investors, and policymakers to gauge the dollar’s performance in response to economic trends, geopolitical events, and monetary policy decisions. A rising DXY indicates a strengthening dollar, while a declining DXY reflects a weaker dollar. The DXY Index is often used by traders to monitor the value of the USD in comparison to a basket of select currencies in a single transaction. It also allows them to hedge their bets against any risks with respect to the dollar. The euro holds the most weight versus the dollar in the index, making up about 57.6 per cent of the weighting, followed by the yen with around 13.6 per cent.

The US Dollar (USD) is the official currency of the United States of America, and the ‘de facto’ currency of a significant number of other countries where it is found in circulation alongside local notes. It is the most heavily traded currency in the world, accounting for over 88% of all global foreign exchange turnover, or an average of $6.6 trillion in transactions per day, according to data from 2022. Following the second world war, the USD took over from the British Pound as the world’s reserve currency. For most of its history, the US Dollar was backed by Gold, until the Bretton Woods Agreement in 1971 when the Gold Standard went away. At that 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.

A few macroeconomic factors have a significant impact on the US Dollar Index price. These include, among others, inflation and deflation in the US dollar and foreign currencies included in the comparable basket, as well as economic growth and recessions in the respective countries. Beyond economic data, geopolitical risks remain a major driver of USD performance. On Tuesday, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin agreed to pause strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure for 30 days, but Putin refused a broader ceasefire, keeping tensions elevated. The index shown here – often referred to with the code DXY, or USDX – measures the value of the U.S. dollar compared to a basket of six other foreign currencies. This basket includes the euro, the Swiss franc, the Japanese yen, the Canadian dollar, the British pound, and the Swedish króna.

Bukele has admitted that some innocent people have been detained by mistake but says several thousand of them have already been released. He argues that the tough measures have been necessary to transform the country from being dubbed the “murder capital of the world” to what he now considers one of the safest on Earth. The government insists the crackdown has made the country safer, but critics say it has violated people’s rights and resulted in countless cases of wrongful detentions.

The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. The index is also available to investors indirectly as part of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and mutual funds. The index has only been updated once, in 1999, when the newly-created euro replaced the German mark, French franc, Italian lira, Dutch guilder, and Belgian franc. Thomas J Catalano is a CFP and Registered Investment Adviser with the state of South Carolina, where he launched his own financial advisory firm in 2018. Thomas’ experience gives him expertise in a variety of areas including investments, retirement, insurance, and financial planning.

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  • This basket includes the euro, the Swiss franc, the Japanese yen, the Canadian dollar, the British pound, and the Swedish króna.
  • The Dollar Index (DXY) is trading around $103.47, holding steady with a slight upward bias.
  • The new inmates were then forced to kneel while prison guards shaved their hair and shouted commands.
  • The U.S. dollar index is a measure of the value of the U.S. dollar relative to a basket of foreign currencies.

At this moment of writing the weighting is 57.6% Euro, 13.6% Yen, 11.9% GBP, 9.1% CAD, 4.2% SEK and 3.6% CHF. The Dollar Index (DXY) is trading around $103.47, holding steady with a slight upward bias. The pivot point at $103.21 is a critical level—staying above it suggests potential upside momentum, while a drop below could accelerate losses toward $102.47 and $101.84. In extreme situations, the Federal Reserve can also print more Dollars and enact quantitative easing (QE). QE is the process by which the Fed substantially increases the flow of credit in a stuck financial system.

That happened in 1999 when the newly-created euro replaced several European currencies previously in the index, such as Germany’s predecessor currency, the deutschmark. As such we may earn a commision when you make a purchase after following a link from how to avoid slippage in forex our website. The 50-day EMA at $103.55 is acting as a near-term resistance, while the 200-day EMA at $104.67 signals a broader trend ceiling. If DXY breaks above $104.07, the next resistance at $104.87 comes into focus, but failure to hold current levels could invite renewed selling pressure.

The USDX can provide investors and consumers with insight into the relative strength of the dollar and how it might affect prices for goods and services as well as demand for imports and exports. In terms of strategy, the Dollar Index is widely used to hedge risk in the currency markets or to take a position in the US Dollar without having the risk exposure of a single currency pair. The US Dollar index is an average weighted index of a basket of currencies which gives the end result as the percieved rate of the US Dollar.

In the years since then, the U.S. dollar index has been relatively range bound, fluctuating between 90 and 110. The six currencies included in the USDX are often referred to as America’s most significant trading partners. Solana meme coin generator Pumpfun announced on Thursday the launch of its own native axitrader review decentralized exchange (DEX), PumpSwap, to facilitate the trading of meme coins and other SOL-based crypto tokens. The US Dollar Index was introduced by the US Federal Reserve in 1973 after the dismantling of the Bretton Woods Agreement.

The money will help sustain El Salvador’s penitentiary system, which currently costs $200 million a year. Rafael Romo reports on Venezuela’s notorious gang that’s victimized thousands of people across Latin America, and now operating in the U.S. El Salvador’s Cecot mega-prison was notorious long before the Trump administration’s recent decision to deport hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members there.

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