The euro held steady at $1.15 by the end of March, poised for a monthly decline of over 2% against the US dollar. Traders offloaded riskier assets as concerns mounted over the economic fallout from the escalating Middle East conflict, with reports suggesting thousands of US troops were preparing for a potential ground operation, despite Washington’s insistence that diplomatic talks with Iran were progressing. Investors also turned their attention to a wave of key economic data due this week, including March inflation flash estimates from Europe’s major economies. Market sentiment has shifted sharply on ECB policy, with traders now pricing in at least two interest rate hikes this year and a growing possibility of a third, abandoning earlier expectations of a 40% chance of a rate cut in 2026.
