Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Dollar gains as central banks take central stage

Published 30/01/2023, 12:24 pm
Updated 31/01/2023, 07:24 am
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: U.S. Dollar banknotes are seen in this illustration taken July 17, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: U.S. Dollar banknotes are seen in this illustration taken July 17, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

By Karen Brettell

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar rose on Monday, a day before the Federal Reserve was due to begin a two-day policy meeting, while the euro was boosted by unexpectedly high inflation data before the European Central Bank meets on Thursday.

The U.S. central bank is widely expected to hike interest rates by an additional 25 basis points this week, and investors will be watching for any new indications on how many more rate increases are likely.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell is in a "difficult position" because "they're going to raise rates 25 basis points and yet he's going to have to argue against the easing of financial conditions,” said Marc Chandler, chief market strategist at Bannockburn Global Forex in New York.

Fed funds futures traders are pricing for the Fed's benchmark rate to peak at 4.94% in June, up from 4.33% now, and then for the central bank to cut it to 4.53% by December. This contrasts with comments from Fed officials, who have said that they will need to keep rates in restrictive territory for a period of time in order to bring down inflation.

The disparity comes in part as traders speculate that a weakening economy, and possible recession, will cause the Fed to pivot to a more dovish policy.

The dollar index has weakened to 102.27 from a 20-year high of 114.78 on Sept. 28 as investors price in the likelihood that the Fed is nearing the end of its tightening cycle. But it has been largely rangebound for the past few weeks as it hits technical support against major currencies including the euro.

The question now is "does the dollar bounce or is this a nesting pattern before the next leg down," Chandler said.

Stronger economic momentum may be needed in order to boost the greenback, strategists at TD Securities said in a report, adding that "a catalyst for reversal will need to come from much stronger data."

"EUR has front-run growth conditions (which have invariably improved) but markets may need something more to fade," they said.

The euro fell 0.22% to $1.0844, erasing earlier gains after Spain's consumer prices rose 5.8% on a year-on-year basis in January, the first increase in six months.

"Today's data will underline expectations for a 50-basis-point hike from the ECB on Thursday and also signal that rates will be moved further up," said Niels Christensen, chief analyst at Nordea.

The dollar rose 0.57% against the Japanese yen to 130.53.

A panel of academics and business executives on Monday urged the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to make its 2% inflation target a long-term goal instead of one that must be met as soon as possible, in light of the rising cost of prolonged monetary easing.

The Australian dollar fell 0.75% to $0.7056 but was on track for a monthly gain of around 3.5% after Australia's inflation rate shot to a 33-year high last quarter, causing traders to ramp up bets that the Reserve Bank of Australia will have to tighten interest rates further.

Sterling dipped 0.43% to $1.2345 ahead of the Bank of England's meeting on Thursday. The BoE and ECB are both expected to raise rates by 50 basis points each this week.

========================================================

Currency bid prices at 2:45PM (1945 GMT)

Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid

Previous Change

Session

Dollar index 102.2700 101.8900 +0.38% -1.179% +102.3100 +101.6500

Euro/Dollar $1.0844 $1.0868 -0.22% +1.20% +$1.0914 +$1.0840

Dollar/Yen 130.5250 129.8000 +0.57% -0.43% +130.5550 +129.2000

Euro/Yen 141.54 141.11 +0.30% +0.88% +141.9700 +140.5600

Dollar/Swiss 0.9254 0.9215 +0.42% +0.08% +0.9254 +0.9184

Sterling/Dollar $1.2345 $1.2400 -0.43% +2.09% +$1.2416 +$1.2340

Dollar/Canadian 1.3379 1.3311 +0.51% -1.25% +1.3383 +1.3300

Aussie/Dollar $0.7056 $0.7110 -0.75% +3.52% +$0.7120 +$0.7054

Euro/Swiss 1.0033 1.0010 +0.23% +1.39% +1.0061 +1.0006

Euro/Sterling 0.8781 0.8770 +0.13% -0.71% +0.8803 +0.8763

NZ $0.6469 $0.6494 -0.38% +1.89% +$0.6508 +$0.6465

Dollar/Dollar

Dollar/Norway 9.9735 9.8805 +1.07% +1.76% +9.9815 +9.8675

Euro/Norway 10.8148 10.7336 +0.76% +3.06% +10.8278 +10.7134

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: U.S. Dollar banknotes are seen in this illustration taken July 17, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Dollar/Sweden 10.4023 10.3058 +0.94% -0.05% +10.4074 +10.2939

Euro/Sweden 11.2817 11.1769 +0.94% +1.18% +11.2969 +11.1930

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.