SINGAPORE, Sept 1 ― The dollar rose broadly today, particularly against the yen, as investors braced for higher US interest rates while expecting anchored Japanese rates to go nowhere anytime soon.
The greenback hit a 24-year high of 139.59 against the yen in early Asia trade, a gain of about 0.5 per cent on the previous day's close.
Expectations for a 75-basis-point US rate hike at next month's Federal Reserve meeting are rising on the back of solid economic data, with Fed funds futures last pointing to a 73 per cent chance of such an increase.
“Dollar/yen should break 140 before the September (Fed meeting). Looks like we won't have to wait much longer,” said Sean Callow, a currency strategist at Westpac in Sydney.
“So long as expectations for the peak in the Fed funds rate keep ratcheting higher while the Bank of Japan remains on hold, dollar/yen will be a buy on dips. Anywhere in the low 140s now looks plausible.”
Sterling fell about 0.4 per cent to a new 2-1/2 year low of US$1.1576 (RM5.20), as clouds gather over the British economy. The euro fell 0.3 per cent but was clinging on above parity at US$1.0022 as red-hot inflation stokes hike bets in Europe.
Euro zone inflation rose to a record high at 9.1 per cent in August, data released yesterday showed, solidifying the case for further big European Central Bank (ECB) rate hikes to tame inflation.
Markets have priced in about a 40 per cent chance the ECB will increase rates by 75 basis points next week, even as risks of a painful recession rise along with gas prices.
“The high inflation and gas supply are still major issues in both the eurozone and the UK, and I think it's going to keep downward pressure on both those currencies,” said Joseph Capurso, head of international economics at Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
“I can see the euro going back below parity again quite soon.”
The US dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, was up 0.12 per cent to 108.99 in early Asia trade, not far off its two-decade high of 109.48 hit on Monday.
“The US dollar has a bit more upside, partly because we think the market is underestimating how high the Federal Reserve could take the funds rate,” said CBA's Capurso.
Yields on US Treasuries rose accordingly. The two-year Treasury yields were up at 3.516 per cent, the highest since late 2007, while expectations for the peak in the Fed funds rate crept closer to 4 per cent.
The risk-sensitive Australian and New Zealand dollars were under pressure, with the Aussie down 0.3 per cent at US$0.6821, while the kiwi fell 0.3 per cent to US$0.6102. ― Reuters
