Central Bank of Iceland
Icelandic Central Bank Rate Hike
November 17, 2021
The Central Bank of Iceland‘s policy interest rate has also been raised multiple times in response to the recent acceleration of inflation. Today’s hike to 2.0% from 1.5% increased the ante following 25-basis point advances in May, August, and October. “The inflation outlook has deteriorated somewhat since August, owing in part to more persistent global […] More
Persistent Global Pressure on Prices, Some More Central Bank Hikes, and the Dollar Touches Its Firmest Level Since July 2020
November 17, 2021
The weighted DXY dollar index touched 96.24 overnight, its strongest level since the first week of July 2020, but has settled back to show no net changed. Relative to Tuesday closing levels, the dollar is down 0.3% relative to the kiwi, yuan, peso, and sterling and by 0.1% vis-a-vis the euro, yen and loonie. The […] More
Central Bank of Iceland Implements Third Rate Hike of 2021
October 6, 2021
At the Central Bank of Iceland, the seven-day term deposit rate was increased by 25 basis points to 1.5%. This is the third quarter percentage point tightening since May. Inflation topped 4% at 4.4% last month, and supply chain shortages continue, further risking an upward drift in inflation expectations. While first-half growth underperformed the expectations […] More
Inflation Surprises Persisting, Central Banks Reacting, and Investors Fretting about What Lies Just Ahead
October 6, 2021
Against the backdrop of central banks reacting to higher-than-forecast inflation, the dollar continues to be a well-bid currency. The weighted DXY dollar index came within a 0.05-point whisker overnight of matching its 52-week high set last November. The U.S. currency also rose 1.1% against the kiwi and Mexican peso, 0.7% versus the euro and Aussie […] More
Iceland’s Second Central Bank Rate Hike of 2021
August 25, 2021
The Central Bank of Iceland’s policy interest rate was increased another 25 basis points to 1.25%. An initial hike of similar size had been engineered earlier this year in May. During the opening five months of 2020, the rate had been reduced by a total of 225 basis points to 0.75%. Iceland is the only […] More
Softer Business Confidence, A Rate Hike in Iceland, and Awaiting Clarification of Fed Policy Plans
August 25, 2021
The Jackson Hole annual central banker conference begins tomorrow at which investors hope to glean greater clarification of the Fed’s exit strategy. The Delta Variant’s wave of higher coronavirus infections has cast a shadow over how aggressively Federal Reserve officials will taper quantitative monetary stimulus. Global infections are closing in on the 215 million level. […] More
Bitcoin Disaster, Equities Fall Again, and Mixed Inflation News
May 19, 2021
The Bitcoin fallout from Elon Musk’s reversal on Tesla-for-bitcoin transactions has been huge. The cryptocurrency dropped over 20% overnight and at its intra-day low was showing a 43% loss over the past five weeks to its lowest level in 11 weeks. Wednesday’s been a difficult day for equity trading as well, with losses in the […] More
European March Purchasing Manager Surveys Show Healthier Growth than Expected but Perhaps Outdated Due to Worsening Covid There
March 24, 2021
The dollar strengthened in Asian trading, reaching its strongest trade-weighted level since Thanksgiving, but it has subsequently trimmed those gains. Compared to Tuesday closings, the dollar is up 0.3% relative to the Turkish lira and sterling and by 0.1% versus the euro, Swiss franc and DXY effective value. Dollar/yen is unchanged, and so are the […] More
Little Overnight Change in Dollar as Long-Term Rates Rise Further
February 3, 2021
Aside from declines of 0.6% and 0.3% against the New Zealand and Australian dollars, the U.S. currency’s net overnight movements have been minuscule including zero change versus the yen and yuan and upticks of 0.2% relative to the euro and a 0.1% versus the Swiss franc and sterling. Ten-year sovereign debt yields increased two basis […] More
Central Bank of Iceland
November 18, 2020
Monetary officials in Iceland cut their seven-day term deposit rate by 25 basis points to 0.75%, bringing the cumulative rate reduction since February to 225 basis points. Today’s was the first cut since a 75-basis point reduction in May. A released statement from the Monetary Policy Committee also announced that Icelandic GDP is likely to […] More
