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Friday, March 29, 2024

Dollar advances on Fed hike talk

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HONG KONG”•The dollar extended gains in Asian trade Tuesday as investors swung their attention to expectations of another US interest rate hike next month, but equities struggled under the weight of profit-taking following the previous day’s rally.

Regional markets surged Monday, with Tokyo and Seoul leading the way, following centrist Emmanuel Macron’s victory in France’s presidential election and last week’s solid US jobs report that reinforced views of a strengthening economy.

The better-than-expected reading on US payrolls preceded a record close on Wall Street and helped send Wall Street’s VIX index of volatility in New York’s markets to its lowest level since 1993.

It also had investors betting the Federal Reserve will stick to its plan to raise borrowing costs twice more this year”•including once next month”•having lifted rates in December and March.

The likelihood of further tightening has seen the dollar rally more than four percent since hitting a low around 108.30 yen in mid-April.

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Analysts say it could push further following the release of sales and consumer price index figures this week.

“While we think the Fed will be resolute on its course towards at least two rate hikes, the market is underpricing the risk that (the central bank) will tighten rates more quickly than expected, so a robust retail sales print and a stronger-than-expected CPI print will be a call to action for dollar bulls,” said Stephen Innes, senior trader at OANDA, in a note.

The greenback was also up against the pound and euro”•which has run out of steam since pressing higher leading up to the French election”•and most other high-yielding currencies, including the South Korean won, Indonesian rupiah and Mexican peso.

The Australian dollar was down almost one percent on concerns about fresh figures pointing to a further growth slowdown in key export market China. Traders are also keeping an eye on the annual budget statement out of Canberra later in the day.

Tokyo’s Nikkei ended 0.3 percent lower a day after jumping more than two percent to a 17-month high, while Sydney dropped 0.5 percent, Wellington shed 0.2 percent and Taipei retreated 0.2 percent. Manila, Jakarta and Bangkok also turned lower.

But Shanghai recovered from recent selling pressure to close 0.1 percent higher, while Hong Kong jumped 1.3 percent. Singapore was also slightly up.

Seoul, which ended at a record high Monday, was closed as South Korea held its presidential election.

The tepid performance Tuesday comes despite a record close for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq on Wall Street.

In early European trade London rose 0.1 percent, Paris added 0.4 percent and Frankfurt was up 0.3 percent. AFP

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