Credit: REUTERS/THOMAS WHITEBy Karen Brettell
NEW YORK, Aug 24 (Reuters) - The dollar dipped on Monday but held above two-year lows against the euro before Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell this week will give a highly anticipated speech about the U.S. central bank's policy framework review.
A sharp dollar selloff against the euro has paused, with the greenback getting a boost on Friday after data showed a recovery in U.S. business conditions, while European data showed slowing improvement.
However, "we're just kind of moving sideways," said Erik Nelson, a macro strategist at Wells Fargo in New York. "Positions have gotten stretched, especially in the euro, and I think you need another pullback before we can get another big leg higher."
Powell's speech on Thursday will likely be the next major dollar driver, with investors watching to see if he signals that the U.S. central bank will shift its inflation target to an average. This would allow inflation to rise higher than previously before the Fed raises rates, making up for decades of benign price increases.
"I think we could get some pullback in foreign currencies and dollar strength if Powell doesn't really, really strongly come out and say we're doing inflation average targeting," Nelson said.
The euro EUR= gained 0.35% against the dollar to $1.1836, after hitting a more-than-two-year high of $1.1965 on Friday before the data.
The dollar index against a basket of major currencies =USD fell 0.19% to 93.01.
Riskier currencies including the Australian dollar outperformed on improving risk appetite after the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on Sunday said it authorized the use of blood plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 as a treatment for the disease.
The global death toll from the coronavirus surpassed 800,000 on Saturday, according to a Reuters tally, with the United States, Brazil and India leading the rise in fatalities.
The Aussie AUD= was last up 0.42% at $0.7191. It reached $0.7275 on Wednesday, the highest since February 2019.
Republicans will make their case this week that the U.S. economic and political future depends on the re-election of Donald Trump at a four-day party convention that will feature the president speaking every night.
"We hope to get some firm direction when it comes to potential economic proposals that the Trump administration may pursue if Trump secures a second term," analysts at NatWest Markets said on Monday in a report.
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Currency bid prices at 9:52AM (1352 GMT)
Description
RIC
Last
U.S. Close Previous Session
Pct Change
YTD Pct Change
High Bid
Low Bid
Euro/Dollar
EUR=
$1.1836
$1.1795
+0.35%
+5.58%
+1.1849
+1.1785
Dollar/Yen
JPY=
105.7100
105.7800
-0.07%
-2.89%
+105.9400
+105.7000
Euro/Yen
EURJPY=
125.13
124.79
+0.27%
+2.61%
+125.3400
+124.7000
Dollar/Swiss
CHF=
0.9090
0.9115
-0.27%
-6.08%
+0.9127
+0.9076
Sterling/Dollar
GBP=
1.3107
1.3087
+0.15%
-1.15%
+1.3148
+1.3078
Dollar/Canadian
CAD=
1.3174
1.3175
-0.01%
+1.47%
+1.3186
+1.3134
Australian/Dollar
AUD=
0.7191
0.7161
+0.42%
+2.42%
+0.7204
+0.7153
Euro/Swiss
EURCHF=
1.0758
1.0752
+0.06%
-0.88%
+1.0775
+1.0746
Euro/Sterling
EURGBP=
0.9028
0.9009
+0.21%
+6.79%
+0.9032
+0.9002
NZ Dollar/Dollar
NZD=
0.6554
0.6539
+0.23%
-2.70%
+0.6564
+0.6526
Dollar/Norway
NOK=
8.9819
9.0086
-0.30%
+2.32%
+9.0326
+8.9586
Euro/Norway
EURNOK=
10.6320
10.6290
+0.03%
+8.07%
+10.6565
+10.6057
Dollar/Sweden
SEK=
8.7685
8.7928
+0.05%
-6.19%
+8.8015
+8.7426
Euro/Sweden
EURSEK=
10.3790
10.3737
+0.05%
-0.86%
+10.3800
+10.3507
(Reporting by Karen Brettell; Additional reporting by Elizabeth Howcroft in London; Editing by Will Dunham)
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
