Euro Ends September Under Pressure
2026-09-30 07:03
By
Joana Ferreira
1 min. read
The euro ended September near $1.135, close to its lowest level since May 2025, after falling more than 2% against the US dollar, the sharpest monthly decline in 14 months.
It also marked a third consecutive quarterly decline, as markets expected the ECB to tighten more slowly than the Fed.
Markets are pricing in further ECB rate hikes over the coming year, with the next move potentially coming in December alongside updated economic projections, while the Fed faces a near 45% chance of another hike as early as October.
Meanwhile, inflation in Europe’s largest economies accelerated in September, driven largely by fuel, although ECB President Christine Lagarde said the recent surge had yet to generate significant second-round effects, pointing to a measured policy response.
Weak eurozone growth, seen at just 0.9% this year, could also limit aggressive tightening, while political uncertainty ahead of elections in France, Spain and Italy next year continued to weigh on the currency.