Foreign Exchange Market Update

March 27, 2026

United States (U.S.) Consumer Sentiment Deteriorates More in March

Consumer sentiment in the U.S. deteriorated further in March. Consumer sentiment index for March was down to 53.3 from a preliminary reading of 55.5. With the bigger downward revision, the consumer sentiment index is well below February's final reading of 56.6. More modest decrease by the current economic conditions index, which dipped to 55.8 in March from 56.6 in February. 03/27/2026 - 10:31:00 (RTTNews)

Spain Inflation Climbs to 21-month High

Euro traded at 1.1545 against USD at 9:00 AM PST

Spain's consumer price inflation accelerated less in March to the highest level in nearly two years. The consumer price index (CPI) rose 3.3% year-on-year in March, faster than February's stable increase of 2.3%. Moreover, this was the highest inflation rate since June 2024, when prices had risen 3.4%.

The upward trend in inflation was mainly due to the rise in prices of fuels and lubricants for personal vehicles. The slowdown in the decrease in electricity costs, along with the increase in heating oil prices, also contributed to the rise in overall inflation. Excluding unprocessed food and energy products, core inflation held steady at 2.7%. Every month, consumer prices rose 1.0% versus a 0.4% gain in February.

The EU measure of inflation, the harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP), also grew at a faster pace of 3.3% annually in March, following a 2.5% increase in the prior month. Further, this was also the highest inflation rate since June 2024. Monthly, the HICP rose 1.5%. 03/27/2026 - 06:40:00 (RTTNews)

United Kingdom (U.K.) Retail Sales Fall 0.4% in February

British Pounds traded at 1.3328 against USD at 9:00 AM PST

U.K. retail sales decreased for the first time in three months in February, though at a slower pace. The seasonally adjusted retail sales volume posted a monthly fall of 0.4% in February, reversing a 2.0% growth in January, which was the strongest growth since May 2024. The rate of increase in January was revised from 1.8%.

Supermarkets' sales volumes fell following a rise in January. Non-store retailers' volumes also declined in February, with retailers suggesting that consumers brought forward their spending to January 2026 to maximize discounting during the period. Excluding automotive fuel, total retail also declined 0.4% in February after a revised 2.2% increase in the prior month.

Every year, retail sales growth moderated to 2.5% in February from 4.8% in January. Sales have been rising since June last year. 03/27/2026 - 04:02:00 (RTTNews)