Forex: US Dollar Index keeps pushing higher, around 81.15/20

The US Dollar Index, which tracks the greenback against its major rivals, intensifies its intraday upside after the FOMC minutes have surprised investors with a hawkish tone.

The FOMC members hinted at the likeliness of higher risks derived from further easing, arguing at the same time that the US economy is growing at a moderate pace.

“A key take away is that the Fed's views about the exit strategy are still evolving and it is a mistake to read into the Jan minutes a clarity or decisiveness. Next month's FOMC minutes will be more important as the Fed will evaluate the impact of the long-term asset purchases”, explained Marc Chandler, analyst at Brown Brothers Harriman.

At the moment, the index is up 0.76% at 81.16 and according to tradingcentral.com the next resistance levels lie at 81.45, 81.70 and 82.00; while supports lie at 80.42, 80.23 and 80.04