Canadian dollar posts biggest monthly decline since February
The Canadian dollar strengthens slightly against the US dollar in August despite concerns about China's economy and a decline in commodity-linked currencies.
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Posted 8/31/2023, 7:41:00 PM
reuters.com
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The US dollar remains strong against major peers and the yen, as Treasury yields rise amid expectations of high US interest rates for a longer period, while China's central bank sets a stronger-than-expected daily midpoint for the yuan to counter mounting pressure on the currency.
The US Dollar strengthens as several BRIC countries express support for the currency, while Fed officials remain quiet on rate cuts, and geopolitical tensions boost the Greenback during US trading hours.
The weakening of the U.S. dollar could benefit companies that export products and services, while importers may have to pay more for the goods they bring in, leading them to hold off on purchases. However, a more stable dollar can benefit both importers and exporters.
China's recent sale of its US Treasurys is a reflection of economic weakness and an attempt to prop up its weakening currency, not a sign of strength, according to Carson Group.
In August, the USD strengthened against major currencies, with the dollar index up 2.28%, EURUSD down 1.83%, USDJPY up 2.83%, GBPUSD down 1.96%, USDCAD up 3.25%, and AUDUSD down 4.64%. Meanwhile, major global stock indices experienced declines, led by Hong Kong's Hang Seng index and China's Shanghai composite index.
The US Dollar performed well against major currencies, with the British Pound, Euro, and Canadian Dollar underperforming, while the Chinese Yuan and Australian Dollar fared better; the Federal Reserve's indication of a higher terminal rate and potential further borrowing cost increases contributed to the market sentiment, leading to lower US equity markets; upcoming economic data includes consumer confidence, inflation gauges from key European countries, and manufacturing PMI gauges from China.
The US Dollar experienced a significant decline due to weak economic data and increased risk appetite, while the Euro and British Pound strengthened. The Australian Dollar and New Zealand Dollar also performed well, and gold and cryptocurrencies rallied.
The US dollar experienced a major technical reversal due to a weaker JOLTs report, leading to a drop in US interest rates, while market positioning played a role in the price action; the focus now shifts to personal consumption figures and US jobs data, with the euro and sterling firm but most other G10 currencies softer, and emerging market currencies mixed. In Asia, most large bourses advanced, but Europe's Stoxx 600 fell after rallying in previous sessions, while US index futures traded softer; European bonds are selling up, gold is consolidating, and oil prices are firm. Australia's CPI slowed more than expected, China is expected to release the August PMI, and Japan reports July retail sales. The US dollar has seen no follow-through selling against the yen, yuan, or Australian dollar, while the euro and sterling staged impressive price action. The JOLTS report saw the dollar and US rates reverse lower, and today the US reports advanced merchandise trade figures for July, with the Canadian dollar as the worst performing G10 currency yesterday.
The US dollar has experienced a significant bounce in August, driven by strong US economic data and upward revisions to growth forecasts, making it the only G-10 economy to see positive revisions and outperform the rest of the G-10 currencies this month.
The Canadian dollar weakened against the US dollar after data revealed that the country's economy unexpectedly contracted in the second quarter, reducing the likelihood of an interest rate hike from the Bank of Canada.
The US dollar is surging against other major currencies due to concerns over the global economy and rising oil prices.
The dollar strengthens against the yen and keeps the euro and sterling near three-month lows as investors rely on the resilience of the U.S. economy, while China's onshore yuan hits a 16-year low due to a property slump and weak consumer spending.
Analysts have lowered their short-term forecasts for the Canadian dollar due to China's weakening economy and the widening yield gap between the US and Canada, but still project the currency to strengthen in the long term.
The Canadian dollar strengthened against the US dollar as stronger-than-expected jobs data raised the possibility of another interest rate hike by the Bank of Canada.
The unemployment rate in Canada remained steady at 5.5% in August, while employment saw a net increase of 39,900 and average hourly wages rose by 4.9%. The Canadian dollar experienced a bearish reaction to the jobs report, with the USD/CAD pair losing 0.5% on the day.
The value of the U.S. dollar has been strengthening against the Euro and the British Pound due to the continuing strength of the U.S. economy and the weakness of the European economies.
The US Dollar performed strongly against major currencies, with the Euro experiencing its 8th consecutive weekly loss and the Chinese Yuan performing poorly, while global market sentiment was negative and stock markets weakened. In the coming week, market focus will be on the US inflation report, UK employment and GDP data, Australian employment data, and the ECB rate decision.
The Mexican peso and other Latin American currencies strengthened as a weaker dollar and positive economic data from China boosted metal prices and supported resource-rich countries in the region.
The U.S. dollar stabilized as traders await U.S. inflation data, while sterling weakened after the U.K. economy contracted more than expected in July.
The US dollar remained strong against other currencies as traders awaited the Federal Reserve's rate decision, while the yen hovered near a 10-month low amidst speculation of intervention.
A stronger US dollar has a significant negative impact on emerging market economies compared to smaller advanced economies, as it decreases economic output and trade volume, worsens credit availability and capital inflows, tightens monetary policy, and leads to stock-market declines. Emerging market economies with anchored inflation expectations or flexible exchange rate regimes fare better, and global current account balances decline with a stronger dollar, reflecting a contraction in global trade. Measures such as global safety nets and macroprudential policies can help mitigate these spillover effects.
The BRICS bloc, including countries like India, China, and Russia, is slowly reducing its dependency on the US dollar and using their local currencies for trade, which could potentially weaken the US dollar's position as the dominant global currency.