PepsiCo Inc. (PEP) reported its Q2 earnings results before the opening bell on Wall Street on Tuesday. The US beverage and food company reported revenue of $20.225 billion for the quarter vs. analyst forecast of $19.513 billion. Earnings per share also reported above analyst expectations at $1.86 per share vs. $1.74 per share estimate. ''We are pleased with our results for the second quarter as our business momentum continued despite ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical volatility and higher levels of inflation across our markets,'' Chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta commented on the latest results following the announcement. ''Our results are indicative of our highly dedicated employees, the strength and resilience of our categories, agile supply chain and go-to-market systems and strong marketplace execution.
Our performance also gives us confidence that our investments to become an even Faster, even Stronger, and even Better organization by winning with pep+ are working. Given our year-to-date performance, we now expect our full-year organic revenue to increase 10 percent (previously 8 percent) and we continue to expect core constant currency earnings per share to increase 8 percent,'' Laguarta concluded. PepsiCo (PEP) chart The latest results did not have a huge impact on the shares price, the stock was down by 0.57% at $169.34 per share on Tuesday.
Here is how the stock has performed in the past year: 1 Month +9.71% 3 Month -1.17% Year-to-date -1.40% 1 Year +11.98% PepsiCo price targets Deutsche Bank $178 Barclays $183 JP Morgan $185 UBS $182 Wells Fargo $172 Credit Suisse $168 Morgan Stanley $198 PepsiCo Inc. is the 36 th largest company in the world with a market cap of $236.89 billion. You can trade PepsiCo Inc. (PEP) and many other stocks from the NYSE, NASDAQ, HKEX and the ASX with GO Markets as a Share CFD. Sources: PepsiCo Inc., TradingView, MarketWatch, Benzinga, CompaniesMarketCap
By
Klavs Valters
Account Manager, GO Markets London.
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2025 has seen a material decline in the fortunes of the greenback. A technical structure breakdown early in the year was followed by a breach of the 200-day moving average (MA) at the end of Q1. The index then entered correction territory, printing a three-year low at the end of Q2.
Since then, we have seen attempts to build a technical base, including a re-test of the end-of-June lows in mid-September. However, buying pressure has not been strong enough to push price back above the technically critical and psychologically important 100 level.
What the levels suggest from here
As things stand, the index remains more than 10% lower for 2025. On this technical view, the index may revisit the 96 area. However, technical levels can fail and outcomes depend on multiple factors.
US dollar index
Source: TradingView
The key question for 2026
The key question remains: are we likely to see further losses in the early part of next year and beyond, or will current support hold?
We cannot assess the US dollar in isolation and any outlook is shaped by internal and global factors, not least its relative strength versus other major currencies. Many of these drivers are interrelated, but four potential headwinds stand out for any US dollar recovery. Collectively, they may keep downside pressure in play.
Four headwinds for any US dollar recovery
1. The US dollar as a safe-haven trade
One scenario where US dollar support has historically been evident is during major global events, slowdowns and market shocks. However, the more muted response of the US dollar during risk-off episodes this year suggests a shift away from the historical norm, with fewer sustained US dollar rallies.
Instead, throughout 2025, some investors appearedto favour gold, and at other times, FX and even equities, rather than into the US dollar. If this change in behaviour persists through 2026, it could make recovery harder, even if global economic pressure builds over the year ahead.
2. US versus global trade
Trade policy is harder to measure objectively, and outcomes can be difficult to predict. That said, trade battles driven by tariffs on US imports are often viewed as an additional potential drag on the US dollar.
The impact may be twofold if additional strain is placed on the US economy through:
a slowdown in global trade volumes as impacted countries seek alternative trade relationships, with supply chain distortions that may not favour US growth
pressure on US corporate profit margins as tariffs lift costs for importers
3. Removal of quantitative tightening
The Fed formally halted its balance sheet reduction, quantitative tightening (QT), as of 1 December 2025, ending a program that shrank assets by roughly US$2.4 trillion since mid-2022.
Traditionally, ending QT is seen as marginally negative for the US dollar because it stops the withdrawal of liquidity, can ease global funding conditions, and may reduce the scarcity that can support dollar demand. Put simply, more dollars in the system can soften the currency’s support at the margin, although outcomes have varied historically and often depend on broader financial conditions.
4. Interest rate differential
Interest rate differential (IRD) is likely to be a primary driver of US dollar strength, or otherwise, in the months ahead. The latest FOMC meeting delivered the expected 0.25% cut, with attention on guidance for what may come next.
Even after a softer-than-expected CPI print, markets have been reluctant to price aggressive near-term easing. At the time of writing, less than a 20% chance of a January cut is priced in, and it may be March before we see the next move.
The Fed is balancing sticky inflation against a jobs market under pressure, with the headline rate back at levels last seen in 2012. The practical takeaway is that a more accommodative stance may add to downward pressure on the US dollar.
Current expectations imply around two rate cuts through 2026, with the potential for further easing beyond that, broadly consistent with the median projections shown in the chart below. These are forecasts rather than guarantees, and they can shift as economic data and policy guidance evolve.
Source: US Federal Reserve, Summart of Economic Projections