Japanese CPI
Dollar Strengthens With Fed Perceived Likely to Widen Disparity Between its Policy Stance and Those of Other Central Banks
April 22, 2022
Federal Reserve Chairman Powell and other Fed policymakers continue to go out of the way to encourage speculation that a series of 50-basis point interest rates are on the way. The European Central Bank is also shifting priorities but transitioning at a much slower pace. The Bank of Japan is dug in, committed to an […] More
A Turn for the Worse in Ukraine-Russian Conflict Sends Dollar Up and Equities Down
March 18, 2022
Hopes had been kindled early this week by reports of progress in cease-fire talks, but those signs have not panned out, and a new worry is that China is moving closer to supporting Putin’s imperialistic ambitions. The Central Bank of Russia did not raise its 20% policy rate further at today’s scheduled review, claiming that […] More
More Data and Continuing Confusion Regarding Russian Intentions
February 18, 2022
The dollar rose 0.3% and 0.2% overnight against the Turkish lira and Japanese yen but fell 0.2% relative to the loonie, Australian dollar, Mexican peso and Chinese yuan. There’s been no net change against the pound sterling and Swiss franc, nor in the weighted DXY dollar index. Equities sold off heavily yesterday on fears of […] More
Rout of Risky Assets Continues
January 21, 2022
The third week of January has seen relentless selling pressure against riskier financial assets, and Friday is not providing any respite. At next Wednesday’s post-FOMC press conference, Fed Chairman Powell is widely expected to signal a likely rate hike in March and other coming steps to rein in the accommodative policy stance. Equities around the […] More
Japan Bucking the 2021 Trend to Higher Inflation Around the World
November 19, 2021
The sharper-than-forecast rise of inflation almost everywhere and recent further intensification of price pressures in many places has been a big mystery and source of great dispute over the trend’s future evolution. A centrally dynamic role of oil and food prices, as was the case in the 1970s, is magnifying inflationary fears, but there are […] More
Dollar Ending Pre-Thanksgiving Week on a Strong Note, but Equities and Bond Yields Wobbly
November 19, 2021
The weighted DXY dollar index advanced 0.4% overnight, climbing 0.7% against the euro, 1.2% versus the Turkish lira, 0.5% relative to the Australian dollar, kiwi and sterling, 0.4% vis-a-vis the Canadian dollar but just 0.1% against the Swiss franc, which traditionally thrives when global inflation becomes a concern. News today on the Covid-19 front has […] More
Evergrande Misses Payment and Some Disappointing Data Reported
September 24, 2021
The dollar rose against most currencies overnight, including gains of 0.7% against the Aussie dollar, Mexican peso and Turkish lira, 0.6% relative to the New Zealand dollar, 0.3% vis-a-vis the loonie and sterling and 0.2% against the Japanese yen. But dips of 0.2% versus the euro and 0.1% against the Swissie suppressed net movement in […] More
Week of Bad News Limping to a Close
August 20, 2021
Equity markets experienced another difficult day in Asia but have showed scant net change so far in Europe or the United States. Share prices closed down 1.8% in Hong Kong, 1.2% in South Korea, 1.1% in China and 1.0% in Japan. The weighted DXY dollar index touched a 9-month high of 93.73 overnight but is […] More
Dollar and Yen Continue benefiting from Post-FOMC Risk Aversion
June 18, 2021
The dollar edged 0.1% higher overnight against its weighted DXY index to its strongest level since April 12. In bilateral terms, the U.S. currency advanced 0.4% against the Australian dollar, 0.3% versus the New Zealand dollar and sterling, 0.2% relative to the Swiss franc and 0.1% vis-a-vis the loonie, but the dollar dipped 0.1% against […] More
April PMI Results, Bold U.S. Policy Proposals, and a 50-Basis Point Central Bank Hike in Russia
April 23, 2021
The weighted dollar fell 0.3% overnight and double that for the week. Against specific other currencies, the dollar lost 0.7% against the Japanese yen, 0.3% relative to the euro, Australian dollar and sterling, and 0.2% versus the Swiss franc, Mexican peso, and New Zealand and Canadian dollars. The dollar held steady against the Chinese yuan […] More