**U.S. Dollar Index Declines Amid Iran Conflict Concerns**
On Tuesday, the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY00) fell by 0.11% due to fears that ongoing conflict in Iran could escalate energy prices and impact the economy. Despite this, U.S. capital goods orders for February increased by 0.6%, surpassing expectations of 0.5%. The market is closely monitoring diplomatic developments ahead of President Trump’s 8 PM EST deadline, with reports indicating U.S. airstrikes on Iranian military targets.
In economic indicators, February consumer credit rose by $9.484 billion, below forecasts of $10.250 billion. The Eurozone faced challenges as the Sentix investor confidence index dropped to -19.2, a two-and-a-half-year low. Conversely, the Eurozone’s March S&P composite PMI was slightly revised up to 50.7. Amid rising crude oil prices hitting a four-week high, the yen also declined as Japanese household spending fell unexpectedly.
In commodities, gold prices remain stable despite pressure from higher energy costs, with significant central bank buying noted. China’s PBOC purchased 160,000 troy ounces of gold in March, the highest monthly total in 11 months.
