Next week's forecast: Markets remain focused on inflation

Another positive week in which the Dollar recovered the zone beyond the 104.00 barrier, advancing modestly in weekly terms against the backdrop of the mixed behavior of US yields and the words of the Fed supporting a stance of long-term Fed tightening.

Better-than-expected NFP data provided support to the Dollar at the end of the week. The RCM/TIPP Economic Optimism Index will be released on April 9, followed by the inflation rate, wholesale inventories, and FOMC minutes, all scheduled for April 10. Producer prices will be released the next day, and preliminary Michigan consumer sentiment will close the week on April 12.

The EUR/USD pair managed to recover the zone above 1.0800, mainly thanks to the weakness of the Dollar and the risk appetite trends in the first part of the week. German trade balance results will be published on April 8, followed by the ECB meeting on April 11 and the final German inflation rate on April 12.

GBP/USD finished Friday's session on the defensive, and came under pressure in the second half of the week from the late rebound in the Dollar. On the UK agenda will be the BRC retail sales release on 9 April, ahead of readings on GDP, balance of trade, construction output and industrial and manufacturing output, which will be released on 12 April.

USD/JPY maintained its consolidation range below the 152.00 zone once again last week, still amid persistent fears of intervention in the foreign exchange market. The Eco Watchers survey will be published on April 8 and consumer confidence on April 9. Additionally, figures for bank loans and output prices will be released on April 10, while foreign bond investment and final industrial production will be released on April 11 and 12, respectively.

In a fairly volatile week, the AUD/USD pair revisited the area above 0.6600, although towards the end of the week it lost some bullish momentum. Home loans will be released on 8 April, ahead of the Westpac consumer confidence index on 9 April. In addition, on April 11, consumers' inflation expectations will be known.

Anticipating Economic Outlook: Voices on the Horizon

• BoE's Breeden speaks on April 8.
• The Fed's Kashkari will speak on April 9.
• The Fed's Goolsbee will speak on April 10.
• The Fed's Williams, Collins and Bostic will speak on April 11 along with the BoE's Greene.
• Greene of the BoE, Bostic and Daly of the Fed will intervene on April 12.

Central banks: Upcoming meetings to define monetary policy

• BSP meets on April 8 (unch)
• RBNZ and BoT meet April 10 (no changes).
• The ECB will decide on rates on April 11 (no changes).
• The Bank of Korea meets on April 12 (no changes).