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☆ Dollar rides Treasury yields higher, yen battered
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The dollar traded near a 10-month high against its major peers on Wednesday as Treasury yields stayed elevated on the prospect of higher-for-longer U.S. rates, while the yen stumbled towards a closely-watched intervention zone. "The U.S. dollar is stickier to the upside than the downside," said Tina Teng, market analyst at CMC Markets. The elevated U.S. yields have spelt trouble for the yen , which edged marginally higher to 149.01 per dollar, after having slipped to a 11-month low of 149.185 on Tuesday. The dollar/yen pair tends to be extremely sensitive to changes in long-term U.S. Treasury yields, particularly on the 10-year front. "Even if there were intervention, it won't drive dollar/yen down permanently unless bond yields start to retreat in earnest too."

Persons: Sterling, Tina Teng, Alvin Tan Organizations: National Printing Bureau, Treasury, U.S, CMC Markets, Fed, Asia FX, RBC Capital Markets, New Zealand Locations: National Printing Bureau Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, Asia, Tuesday's

☆ Stock market selloff means these shares are forming the dreaded death cross pattern
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The death cross has come calling for some stocks. A death cross is a price chart pattern that forms when a stock's 50-day moving average crosses below its 200-day moving average. A handful of stocks, ranging from well-known food names to a lesser-known energy company, are close to drawing a death cross. But analysts are bullish on the stock, according to LSEG, with an average rating of buy and price target implying shares could rally more almost 20%. BlackRock also made a death cross and is similarly down more than 9% on the year.

Persons: Smucker, McCormick, Alejandro Zamacona, BlackRock, Craig Siegenthaler, bode, — CNBC's Michael Bloom, Fred Imbert Organizations: CNBC Pro, PepsiCo, Pepsi, Hostess Brands, McCormick, Bank of America, Federal, BlackRock Locations: U.S, LSEG

☆ Canadian dollar edges higher as 10-year yield hits 4%
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Fergal Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A Canadian dollar coin, commonly known as the "Loonie", is pictured in this illustration picture taken in Toronto, January 23, 2015. The loonie was trading 0.1% higher at 1.3470 to the greenback, or 74.24 U.S. cents, after moving in a range of 1.3455 to 1.3491. Among G10 currencies, only the Swedish crown performed better than the Canadian currency, as the U.S. dollar (.DXY) extended its recent gains against a basket of major currencies. Still, speculators have raised their bearish bets on the Canadian dollar to the most since May, data from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission showed on Friday. The 10-year was up 11.2 basis points at 4.026%, its first move above the 4% threshold since January 2008.

Persons: Mark Blinch, Price, Tony Valente, Fergal Smith, Nick Zieminski Organizations: REUTERS, greenback, U.S, Federal Reserve, Bank of Canada, U.S ., Fed, BoC, U.S . Commodity Futures Trading, Thomson Locations: Toronto, TORONTO, Swedish, Russia, U.S

☆ Record inflows are expected this year in money market funds. Here are the top yielding plays
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Americans continue to flock to money market funds, attracted by yields the assets haven't seen in years. In fact, retail investors in money market funds have grown 40% over the past year, said Peter Crane, founder of Crane Data, a firm that tracks money markets. They also account for almost 40% of the whole money fund pie, up from 33% a year ago, he said. "They will keep hitting records, there is no doubt of that," Crane said of money market fund inflows. Here are the top yielding government money market funds, per Crane Data, as of July 31, the latest data available.

Persons: Shelly Antoniewicz, Antoniewicz, Peter Crane, Crane, givens Organizations: Bank of America, Investment Company Institute, Assets, ICI, Crane

The Canadian central bank had expected productivity, or output per hour worked, to improve as the economy recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, it has fallen in eleven of the last 12 quarters, taking it back to its 2016 level. It also stands to add to unit labor costs, a key measure of inflation pressures coming from higher wages. "Our own forecast is that productivity growth will turn around, but that is a risk to the outlook and if productivity growth continues declining it will make it more difficult to get inflation back to target," Macklem said. The central bank has forecast that inflation will return to its 2% target in the middle of 2025.

Persons: Macklem, Derek Holt, tightens, Holt, Dennis Darby, Doug Porter, Fergal Smith, Steve Scherer, Deepa Babington Organizations: Bank of Canada, Reuters Graphics Reuters, BoC, Scotiabank, Federal Reserve, Canadian Manufacturers, Fraser Institute, BMO Capital Markets, Thomson Locations: Canadian, Canada, freefall, United States, Toronto, Ottawa

☆ Bank of England ends run of 14 straight interest rate hikes after cooler-than-expected inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

A passageway near the Bank of England (BOE) in the City of London, U.K., on Thursday, March 18, 2021. LONDON — The Bank of England on Thursday ended a run of 14 straight interest rate hikes after new data showed inflation is now running below expectations. Investors on Wednesday ramped up bets that the Bank would pause its interest rate hiking cycle after U.K. inflation came in significantly below expectations for August. Thomas Verbraken, executive director of risk management research at MSCI, said the burning question is whether the Bank of England's Thursday decision signals the peak of the interest rate cycle. Forward looking indicators suggest the U.K. economy is already flirting with recession, a backdrop consistent with cooling wage growth and a policy pivot," Mehdi said.

Persons: BOE, Andrew Bailey, We'll, Marcus Brookes, BoE, Brookes, Thomas Verbraken, Hussain Mehdi, Mehdi Organizations: Bank of England, City of, LONDON, Bank, U.S, Monetary, MPC, Quilter Investors, U.S . Federal Reserve, Bank of England's, HSBC Asset Management, Bank of, Fed, European Central Bank Locations: City, City of London, Bank of England's

☆ Reactions: Bank of England bashes pound after halting rate rises
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

A pedestrian carrying an umbrella walks near the Bank of England in the City of London, Britain, July 30, 2023. Investors had already rushed on Wednesday to reel in their bets on further UK rate rises after data showed UK inflation cooled surprisingly quickly in August. Against the euro , the pound was down 0.5% at 86.74 pence, having traded around 86.70 pence before the decision. "The MPC still refers to its flexibility to react should things change, but the chances are this could be the peak in this UK interest rate cycle." "However, there is a risk that the ‘lag effect’ on interest rate hikes means that today’s decision may not be felt for another 9 to 12 months."

Persons: Hollie Adams, Sterling, THOMAS, Huw Pill's, HUGH GIMBER, PHILIP SHAW, DOUGLAS GRANT, JEREMY BATSTONE, CARR, RAYMOND JAMES, FRANCES HAQUE, JOE TUCKEY, RICHARD GARLAND, GILES COGHLAN, BoE, stagflation, Amanda Cooper, Dhara Organizations: Bank of England, City of, REUTERS, London, Investors, Bank of, Bank, MPC, SANTANDER, LONDON, Core CPI, PMI, CPI, EMEA, Thomson Locations: City, City of London, Britain, London, MANX, EUROPEAN, FRANCE, GROUP, OXFORDSHIRE

☆ Dollar edges down before Fed decision, sterling falls on cooling UK inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Joice Alves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The U.S. dollar index , which measures the currency against a basket of rivals, was 0.1% lower at 105.00. The pound was volatile, last down 0.23% to $1.2364 after touching its lowest in almost four months following data showing UK inflation slowed more than expected in August. "This can drag GBP down, especially against the USD where pricing for rate cuts may already be overstretched". The yen flattened at 147.87 after touching a fresh 10-month weak-point against the dollar of 148.17 ahead of the Fed decision. The offshore yuan was unchanged at 7.3055 after China met market expectations by keeping its benchmark lending rates unchanged on Wednesday.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, BoE, Dominic Bunning, Bunning, Goldman Sachs, Powell, Elsa Lignos, Masato Kanda, Janet Yellen, Joice Alves, Brigid Riley, Gerry Doyle, Emelia Organizations: REUTERS, Federal Reserve, Bank of England, U.S, Reuters, FX Research, HSBC, FX, RBC Europe, Washington, Treasury, Bank of Japan's, Thomson Locations: Japan, U.S, China, London, Tokyo

☆ Bank of Canada struck intentionally hawkish tone after last rate decision, minutes show
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A sign is pictured outside the Bank of Canada building in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, May 23, 2017. The Bank of Canada (BoC) kept its key rate at 5% on Sept 6, noting the economy had entered a period of weaker growth, but said it could hike again should price pressures persist. The hawkish tone struck by the BoC since the latest rate decision was intentional, according to the minutes, or summary of deliberations, of the six Governing Council members. They "considered the possibility that their decision could be misinterpreted as a sign that policy tightening had ended and that lower interest rates would follow," the summary read. It continued: "They agreed that they did not want to raise expectations of a near-term reduction in interest rates, given that they only considered keeping the policy rate where it is or raising it further."

Persons: Chris Wattie, Steve Scherer, David Ljunggren OTTAWA, Sharon Kozicki, David Ljunggren Organizations: Bank of Canada, REUTERS, The Bank of Canada, BoC, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Ottawa , Ontario, Canada, Reuters Ottawa

☆ Canadian dollar gives back earlier gains on hawkish Fed
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Fergal Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A Canadian dollar coin, commonly known as the "Loonie", is pictured in this illustration picture taken in Toronto January 23, 2015. The Fed held interest rates steady but projected another rate increase by the end of the year and monetary policy kept significantly tighter through 2024 than previously expected. "The U.S. dollar is climbing against its major rivals as Treasury yields push higher across the front-end of the curve, and risk-sensitive assets - from equities to the Canadian dollar - are weakening," Karl Schamotta, chief market strategist at Corpay, said in a note. The Canadian dollar was trading nearly unchanged at 1.3450 to the greenback, or 74.35 U.S. cents, after trading in a range of 1.3396 to 1.3464. The price of oil, one of Canada's major exports, settled 1% lower at $90.28 a barrel, giving back some recent gains.

Persons: Mark Blinch, Price, Karl Schamotta, Fergal Smith, Nick Zieminski Organizations: REUTERS, Canadian, U.S, U.S . Federal, Fed, Bank of Canada, BoC, Thomson Locations: Toronto, TORONTO, Canadian

But the essence of the argument is that lower bond volatility ups the amount of cash liquidity flowing around world markets, and vice versa. But it is the incremental movement in this giant pool that arguably matters most for stock markets and asset prices. Even though global liquidity is shrinking as you might expect in the face of rising Western interest rates, central bank balance sheet reduction and a higher dollar, other offsets are significant. But falling bond volatility has likely played a big part in softening the blow too. "The two together have helped overall liquidity conditions - but we are mindful that bond markets are likely to remain volatile and need to be monitored carefully."

Persons: CrossBorder, Mike Dolan, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Federal Reserve, coy, Treasury, Fed, Bank, People's Bank of, New York Fed, Reuters Graphics, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Treasuries, punchbowl, People's Bank of China, United States

Since the central bank kicked off its policy-tightening campaign in March 2022 — boosting interest rates 11 times — income investors have benefited from higher yields on Treasurys, money market funds and certificates of deposit. "From here, even if rates go higher you are locking in some really good income." If you're willing to sacrifice a little bit of liquidity, select banks will pay even higher yields. Drivers of those increases include higher-for-longer interest rates, and competition from Treasurys and money market funds, Graseck added. Money market funds Rates on money market funds have also jumped substantially since the rate-hiking campaign started.

Persons: Greg McBride, reinvest, US2Y, Treasurys, Sameer Samana, Sallie Mae, Morgan Stanley's Betsy Graseck, Graseck, — CNBC's Michael Bloom, Nick Wells Organizations: Federal Reserve, Fed, Treasury, Wells, Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Savings, Synchrony, Bread Financial, Investment Company Locations: maturities, Wells Fargo

☆ London stocks open higher on surprise CPI data
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The London Stock Exchange Group offices are seen in the City of London, Britain, December 29, 2017. The exporter-heavy FTSE 100 (.FTSE) rose 0.6% by 0705 GMT, while the sterling weakened 0.4% against the U.S. dollar, hitting its lowest levels since May. Britain's annual consumer price inflation (CPI) unexpectedly fell to 6.7% last month from 6.8% in July, data showed, while economists polled by Reuters had forecast CPI would rise to 7.0%. M&G (MNG.L) gained 3.3% after the insurer posted a better- than-expected 31% rise in its first-half operating profit. Mid-cap stocks (.FTMC) soared 1.4%, boosted by a 3.8% rise in Dunelm Group Plc (DNLM.L) after the homeware retailer said it expected higher sales volumes to drive earnings in 2024.

Persons: Toby Melville, BoE, Siddarth, Rashmi Organizations: London Stock Exchange Group, City of, REUTERS, Bank of England, U.S ., Reuters, Dunelm, Thomson Locations: City, City of London, Britain, Bengaluru

☆ Euro gains, yen struggles in central bank-packed week
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Amanda Cooper | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A Reuters report on Monday citing six sources said the debate over the multi-trillion-euro pool of excess liquidity sloshing around banks was likely to start next month. However, this might not be enough to give the euro a more sustained boost, according to Lee Hardman, a strategist at MUFG. "While the ECB’s reported plans to tighten excess liquidity in the euro area have helped to support the euro, they are unlikely to be sufficient on their own to turn the current weakening trend," he said. This week brings a raft of central bank meetings, including those of the Federal Reserve, the Bank of Japan, the Bank of England and the Swiss National Bank, among others, which kept currency volatility on the subdued side. In other currencies, sterling edged up 0.1% at $1.2398, ahead of an interest rate decision from the BoE on Thursday.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Lee Hardman, Kazuo Ueda, Rodrigo Catril, Erik Weisman, BoE, Rae Wee, Lincoln, Peter Graff, Hugh Lawson Organizations: REUTERS, European Central Bank, Reuters, ECB, Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan, Bank of England, Swiss National Bank, National Australia Bank, NAB, U.S, Fed, MFS Investment Management, Thomson Locations: U.S

☆ Yen flounders, dollar drifts ahead of c.bank bonanza
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Rae Wee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

U.S. Dollar and Euro banknotes are seen in this illustration taken July 17, 2022. The yen fell 0.1% to 147.76 per dollar and was kept pinned near last week's 10-month low of 147.95 per dollar. The euro meanwhile gave up some of its gains from the previous session and was last 0.12% lower at $1.0678. It had risen alongside euro zone government bond yields on Monday, following hawkish comments from European Central Bank (ECB) policymakers that further rate increases were on the cards. In other currencies, sterling edged 0.04% higher to $1.2390, ahead of an interest rate decision from the Bank of England (BoE) also due this week.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Kazuo Ueda, Rodrigo Catril, Erik Weisman, NAB's Catril, BoE, Rae Wee, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Federal, Wednesday, Bank of Japan's, National Australia Bank, NAB, Reserve Bank of Australia's, U.S, New Zealand, Fed, MFS Investment Management, European Central Bank, ECB, Reuters, Bank of England, Thomson Locations: Rights SINGAPORE, Asia

☆ Bank of Canada: Underlying inflation is inconsistent with 2% target
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A sign is pictured outside the Bank of Canada building in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, May 23, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Wattie/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBy Steve Scherer and David LjunggrenOTTAWA, Sept 19 (Reuters) - The Bank of Canada on Tuesday said recent volatility in headline inflation is not unusual but the underlying trend shown by core measures was inconsistent with bringing inflation down to the 2% target. "(They) are one reason why we look at measures of core inflation - which exclude components with more volatile price movements - to get a sense of what underlying inflation is." One of those core measures, CPI-trim - which leaves out spiking mortgage interest costs - has been between 3.5%-4% in recent months. "Underlying inflation is still well above the level that would be consistent with achieving our target of 2% CPI inflation," Kozicki said.

Persons: Chris Wattie, Steve Scherer, David Ljunggren OTTAWA, Sharon Kozicki, Kozicki, Macklem, David Ljunggren Organizations: Bank of Canada, REUTERS, University of Regina, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Ottawa , Ontario, Canada, Saskatchewan, Reuters Ottawa

☆ Euro gains; yen flounders ahead of c.bank bonanza
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

In this photo illustration, banknotes of Euro, Japanese Yen, Chinese Yuan and US dollar bill are placed under one-ounce silver bullion coins arranged on February 20, 2021 in Katwijk, Netherlands. The euro clung to gains on Tuesday following hawkish comments from European Central Bank, or ECB, policymakers, while the yen languished near a 10-month low ahead of a key rate decision from the Bank of Japan, or BOJ, later in the week. In Asia, the yen slipped marginally to 147.64 per dollar and was kept pinned near last week's 10-month low of 147.95 per dollar. Elsewhere, the U.S. dollar edged broadly lower, though strayed not too far from a six-month peak hit against its major peers last week ahead of the Fed's interest rate decision on Wednesday. Sterling edged 0.04% higher to $1.2390, ahead of an interest rate decision from the Bank of England, or BoE, also due this week.

Persons: Yuan, Rodrigo Catril, Kazuo Ueda, Erik Weisman, BoE Organizations: European Central Bank, Bank of Japan, Federal Reserve, ECB, National Australia Bank, Reuters, U.S, New Zealand, Fed, MFS Investment Management, Bank of England Locations: Katwijk , Netherlands, Asia

☆ Hot inflation data helps lift Canadian dollar to 6-week high
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Fergal Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A Canadian dollar coin, commonly known as the "Loonie", is pictured in this illustration picture taken in Toronto, January 23, 2015. The Canadian dollar was trading 0.3% higher at 1.3440 to the greenback, or 74.40 U.S. cents, after touching its strongest intraday level since Aug. 10 at 1.3383. Canada's annual inflation rate in August jumped to 4.0% from 3.3% in July on higher gasoline prices. "The oversold nature of the Canadian dollar going into the release suggests that exchange rate gains could be generated in the shorter term." Speculators have raised their bearish bets on the Canadian dollar to the highest since May, data from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission showed on Friday.

Persons: Mark Blinch, Karl Schamotta, Sharon Kozicki, Fergal Smith, Nick Zieminski, Sandra Maler Organizations: REUTERS, greenback, Canadian, U.S, Bank of Canada, Reuters, Bank of Canada's, U.S . Commodity Futures Trading, BoC, Thomson Locations: Toronto, TORONTO, Canadian

Two of the three core inflation measures also rose. The annual rate, the highest since the 4.4% reported in April, is double the Bank of Canada's 2% target. "Underlying inflation is still well above the level that would be consistent with achieving our target of 2% CPI inflation," she said. Money markets raised bets for a rate hike in October after the data, seeing a 42% chance of an increase after the price figures compared with 23% before. However, another inflation report and a bevy of other data are due out before the Canadian central bank next meets on Oct 25 to set the key overnight rate.

Persons: Derek Holt, Holt, Sharon Kozicki, Jimmy Jean, Justin Trudeau's, Andrew Grantham, David Ljunggren, Steve Scherer, Dale Smith, Fergal Smith, Divya Rajogopal, Paul Simao, Mark Porter Organizations: Reuters, Statistics, Bank of Canada's, Scotiabank, Bank of, Bank of Canada, Canadian, Desjardins Group, CIBC Capital Markets, Tiff, Thomson Locations: OTTAWA, Statistics Canada, Canadian

"The inflation momentum is simply too strong for the ECB to pause," Danske Bank economist Piet Haines Christiansen said. In contrast, markets have fully priced in unchanged rates at next week's meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve, which started raising rates earlier and has moved higher than the ECB. "We doubt that this will be possible and expect that a decision to hold rates steady today would mark the end of the tightening cycle." The euro zone's biggest economy, Germany, is bearing the brunt of an industrial slump and heading for recession, according to several forecasts. ECB President Christine Lagarde will hold a news conference at 1245 GMT.

Persons: Piet Haines Christiansen, Dirk Schumacher, Christine Lagarde, Catherine Evans Organizations: ECB, European Central Bank, Reuters, Danske Bank, U.S . Federal Reserve, Services, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, Germany

☆ Crunch time after string of aggressive central bank rate hikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Major central banks have confounded economists with a string of interest rate rises that, so far, have moderated inflation without causing global recession. So far, nine developed economies have raised rates by a combined 3,915 bps in this cycle. Reuters Graphics2) NEW ZEALANDThe Reserve Bank of New Zealand lifted its cash rate to a 14-year high of 5.5% in May and has kept it there since. Reuters Graphics7) AUSTRALIAThe Reserve Bank of Australia kept rates steady at 4.1% for a third consecutive meeting in September, the last under former Governor Philip Lowe. Reuters Graphics10) JAPANThe Bank of Japan, the world's most dovish major central bank, meets next week.

Persons: BoE, Macklem, Philip Lowe, Lowe's, Michele Bullock, Naomi Rovnick, Harry Robertson, Samuel Indyk, Nell Mackenzie, Alun John, Yoruk Bahceli, Chiara Elisei, Vincent Flasseur, Sumanta Sen, Pasit, Dhara Ranasinghe, Sharon Singleton Organizations: European Central Bank, U.S . Federal Reserve, UNITED, Reuters, Federal Reserve, Reserve Bank of, BRITAIN, of England, CANADA Bank of Canada, Bank of Canada, ECB, Norges Bank, SWEDEN Traders, Swiss, Bank of Japan, Thomson Locations: U.S, Japan, Reserve Bank of New Zealand, NORWAY, Reserve Bank of Australia, SWEDEN, Swedish, SWITZERLAND Swiss, JAPAN

European markets opened mixed on Thursday as investors in the region look ahead to the European Central Bank's next rate decision. Autos fell 1.4% as initial optimism over an EU probe into Chinese electric vehicle subsidies soured over fears of retaliatory action. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had forecast an increase of 3.6%. The core consumer price index, which excludes food and energy and is closely monitored by the Federal Reserve, rose by 0.3% on the month and 4.3% on the year. Economists polled by Dow Jones signaled rises of 0.2% and 4.3%, respectively.

Persons: Dow Jones Organizations: Central Bank's, EU, ECB, U.S . Department of Labor, Federal

☆ European Central Bank hikes rates to record level as inflation risks outweigh economic gloom
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

President of the European Central Bank (ECB) Christine Lagarde gestures as she addresses a press conference following the meeting of the governing council of the ECB in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, on July 27, 2023. The European Central Bank on Thursday announced a 10th consecutive hike in its main interest rate, as the fight against inflation took precedence over a weakening economy. The unprecedented series of rate rises has now hauled the central bank's deposit facility from -0.5% in June 2022 to a record 4%. Money markets indicated a roughly 63% chance of a hike through Thursday morning, up from a more even split in recent days. The report came from a source ahead of the release of its quarterly projection Thursday.

Persons: Christine Lagarde Organizations: European Central Bank, ECB Locations: Frankfurt, Germany

☆ Euro, sterling slide versus dollar ahead of U.S. inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Joice Alves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The dollar index , which tracks the currency against six peers including yen, euro and sterling, held firm, though moves were subdued, up 0.13% to 104.73, as traders awaited the U.S. consumer price index (CPI) reading for August. The release comes just a week before Federal Reserve officials gather to decide on interest rate policy. The euro fell 0.2% to $1.0731 as markets raised their bets on further ECB rate hikes despite recent data showing the decline in euro zone business activity accelerated faster than initially thought last month. A source told Reuters that the ECB expects inflation in the 20-nation euro zone to remain above 3% next year, bolstering the case for a 10th consecutive interest rate increase on Thursday. YEN RETRACES GAINSThe yen fell as traders further digested comments from Japan's top central banker on a possible early exit from its negative interest rate policy.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, CME's, BoE, Stephen Gallo, Jim Reid, Deutsche Bank . Sterling, YEN RETRACES, Hiroshige Seko, Kazuo Ueda's, Ueda, Joice Alves, Brigid Riley, Alison Williams, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, Sterling, European Central Bank, Federal Reserve, Federal, ECB, FX, BMO Capital Markets, U.S, CPI, Reuters, Deutsche Bank ., Bank of Japan, Fed, Thomson Locations: U.S, Japan, London, Tokyo

The central bank for the 20 countries that share the euro faces a dilemma. "The inflation momentum is simply too strong for the ECB to pause," Danske Bank economist Piet Haines Christiansen said. Just 14 months ago, that rate was languishing at a record low of minus 0.5%, meaning banks had to pay to park their cash securely at the central bank. The euro zone's biggest economy, Germany, is bearing the brunt of an industrial slump and heading for recession, according to several forecasts. On Thursday, the ECB is also expected to cuts its growth projections for this year and next, leading some economists to argue it should hold off from raising rates this month.

Persons: Piet Haines Christiansen, Dirk Schumacher, Catherine Evans Organizations: ECB, European Central Bank, Reuters, Danske Bank, Services, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, Germany

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