Dollar highest in 9 months as risk-on mood remains firmly intact
The dollar rose to a nine-month high against a basket of major peers early on Monday, as a risk-on mood in global markets triggered by Donald Trump’s election to president remained firmly intact.
The dollar index was up 0.4 percent at 99.428 after touching 99.445, its highest since Feb. 1.
The greenback has strengthened as expectations that Trump’s administration would boost spending, lift inflation and elevate Treasury yields took hold. The 10-year Treasury note yield rose to a 10-month high of 2.18 percent in Asia.
Such hopes have also lifted the cloud of risk aversion in equity markets such as the United States and Japan, giving the dollar a big leg-up against the safe-haven yen. The Dow closed at a record high on Friday, while the Nikkei rose 1.4 percent in early trade Monday.
The dollar was up 0.6 percent at 107.360 yen, having risen above the 107 threshold for the first time since late July.
“It is probably a good idea to keep riding the dollar higher while the Trump camp has not yet revealed any specific policy steps,” said Masafumi Yamamoto, chief forex strategist at Mizuho Securities in Tokyo.
“The euro could be more easily exposed to negative pressure amid concerns that the win by Trump, with his anti-globalism agenda, could affect referendums and elections in Italy, Holland and France next year.”
The euro was down 0.5 percent at $1.0800 after touching $1.0798, its lowest since late January.
The Australian dollar was little changed at $0.7552 and the New Zealand dollar was down 0.25 percent at $0.7107.
The Aussie had dropped about 1.6 percent and the kiwi shed more than 3 percent last week against a broadly stronger dollar.
Currencies associated with the Trans Pacific Partnership, (TPP) such as the Aussie and kiwi, came under additional pressure after news on Friday that Trump’s election had effectively rendered the trade deal with Asian and Latin American nations a non-starter for the U.S. Congress.
Trump had made his opposition to the TPP a centrepiece of his election campaign.
The pound was down 0.2 percent at $1.2567. It was still in reach of a five-week high of $1.2673 reached last week.
Sterling has benefited as market focus turned away from Brexit towards potential political risks in Europe, with expectations that Trump’s win could strengthen Britain’s ties with the United States.
Source: Reuters
