US Dollar fails at 82

Since the late spring of last year, the US Dollar has been the recipient of a fair amount of "safe haven" flows, mainly in response to the woes afflicting Europe and by consequence, the Euro. We have said repeatedly that the US Dollar rally was not based on any desire to own the Dollar out of bullish economic fundamentals but rather out of fears concerning the viability of the Euro.

What this translates to is that any news or developments that seem to lessen the severity of the European sovereign debt situation, whether through concerted Central Bank action or from any other front, will send money flowing right back out of the Dollar and back into the Euro. Note that the last two weeks, particularly this week after the FOMC just cut the legs out from under the Dollar for as far out as the eye can see ( 2 years), the Dollar has seen very heavy selling which has confirmed the level near 82 as significant chart resistance. The Dollar failed here last week and has not as of yet been able to regain its footing.

When you couple the FOMC statement this week with today's release of the abysmal 1.7% US GDP reading for 2011, is it any wonder that the Dollar is sinking like a lead brick.

If it fails to bounce here near 79, it looks like it has a clear shot back down towards 77.