TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Euro under pressure as US-EU trade deal fails to impress

Rae Wee (Reuters)
Singapore
Tue, July 29, 2025 Published on Jul. 29, 2025 Published on 2025-07-29T10:14:25+07:00

Change text size

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
A woman holds euro banknotes in this illustration taken May 30, 2022. A woman holds euro banknotes in this illustration taken May 30, 2022. (Reuters/Dado Ruvic)

T

he euro struggled to recoup its steep losses on Tuesday as investors sobered up to the fact that terms of the trade deal between the US and the European Union favored the former and hardly lifted the economic outlook of the bloc.

France, on Monday, called the framework trade agreement a "dark day" for Europe, saying the bloc had caved in to US President Donald Trump with an unbalanced deal that slapped a headline 15 percent tariff on EU goods.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said his economy would suffer "significant" damage due to the agreed tariffs.

The euro slid 1.3 percent in the previous session, its sharpest one-day percentage fall in over two months, on worries about growth and as euro-area government bond yields fell.

The common currency last traded 0.07 percent higher at $1.1594.

"It hasn't taken long for markets to conclude that this relatively good news is still, in absolute terms, bad news as far as the near term implications for euro zone growth are concerned," said Ray Attrill, head of FX research at National Australia Bank.

Prospects

Every Monday

With exclusive interviews and in-depth coverage of the region's most pressing business issues, "Prospects" is the go-to source for staying ahead of the curve in Indonesia's rapidly evolving business landscape.

By registering, you agree with The Jakarta Post's

Thank You

for signing up our newsletter!

Please check your email for your newsletter subscription.

View More Newsletter

"The deal has been roundly condemned by France while others - including German Chancellor Merz, are playing up the negative consequences for exporters, and with that, economic growth."

The slide in the euro in turn boosted the dollar, which jumped 1 percent against a basket of currencies overnight.

The dollar held on to gains on Tuesday and knocked sterling to a two-month low of $1.3349. The yen edged marginally higher to 148.49 per dollar.

The dollar index steadied at 98.67.

"While the US dollar's strength [...] may reflect the perception that the new US-EU deal is lopsided in favor of the US, the US dollar's strength may also reflect a feeling that the US is re-engaging with the EU and with its major allies," said Thierry Wizman, global FX and rates strategist at Macquarie Group.

Still, Trump said on Monday most trading partners that do not negotiate separate trade deals would soon face tariffs of 15 percent to 20 percent on their exports to the United States, well above the broad 10 percent tariff he set in April.

Elsewhere, the Australian dollar eased 0.05 percent to $0.6518, while the New Zealand dollar was little changed at $0.5972.

The offshore yuan was little changed at 7.1813 per dollar.

Top US and Chinese economic officials met in Stockholm on Monday for more than five hours of talks aimed at resolving long-standing economic disputes at the center of a trade war between the world's top two economies, seeking to extend a truce by three months.

Apart from trade negotiations, focus this week is also on rate decisions from the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan (BOJ).

Both central banks are expected to stand pat on rates, but traders will watch subsequent comments to gauge the timing of their next moves.

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Share options

Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!

Change text size options

Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small, medium, or large—find what’s most comfortable for you.

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Continue in the app

Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.