Published by Uma Rajagopal
Posted on October 4, 2024
By Ankur Banerjee and Medha Singh
SINGAPORE/LODNON (Reuters) – The dollar hovered near a six-week high on Friday ahead of crucial jobs data that could dictate the path of U.S. interest rates, while the yen jumped, capping a turbulent week hit by uncertainty over Japan’s monetary policy outlook.
The dollar was also boosted by safe-haven demand as investors weighed the widening Middle East conflict and its impact on the global economy.
The dollar index, which measures the U.S. currency against six others, was last at 101.91, hovering near Thursday’s six-week peak of 102.09. The index is up nearly 1.5%, for the week, its strongest such performance since April.
The euro was steady at $1.102925, having dropped for the past five straight sessions.
Sterling ticked 0.2% higher after Bank of England Chief Economist Huw Pill said the British central bank should move only gradually with cutting interest rates, a day after the pound slumped 1% as Governor Andrew Bailey was quoted saying said BoE could move aggressively to lower rates.
Geopolitical tensions and Bailey’s comments pulled the pound about 2% from its more than two-year high last Friday. It has risen more than 3% this year, largely on market expectations for the BoE to keep rates higher for longer than many other central banks.
The spotlight on Friday though will be on the U.S. non-farm payrolls report after data on Thursday showed the U.S. labour market gliding at the end of the third quarter.
Economists polled by Reuters expect 140,000 job additions, while unemployment is anticipated to keep steady at 4.2%.
Most of the labour market indicators this week have been on the strong side, so the balance of risks is that we see more aggressive easing in the U.S. being taken out,” said Geoffrey Yu, senior EMEA market strategist at BNY Mellon.
Markets are contending with an improving U.S. economic picture and a more hawkish tone from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who dashed some hopes on Monday that it would go big on interest rate cuts again next month.
Markets are pricing in a 33% chance of the Fed cutting interest rates in November by 50 basis points (bps), down from 49% last week, the CME FedWatch tool showed. The Fed cut interest rates last month by 50 bps.
The sweet spot for the market would be an inline unemployment number and slightly higher than consensus payroll print,” said Jefferies’ Europe chief economist Mohit Kumar.
“A low number would raise concerns over the economy while a too high number would reduce expectations of a Fed support.”
Sterling attempted a recovery after sharp losses on Thursday when Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey said the central bank could become “a bit more activist” and “a bit more aggressive” in its approach to lowering rates.
On Friday, the pound last fetched $1.3127, close to a three-week low of $1.3093 touched on Thursday. It has risen more than 3% this year, largely on market expectations the BoE would keep rates higher for longer.
Regaining some ground lost over the week, the yen rose 0.4% to 146.34 per dollar, though it remained close to an over six-week low of 147.25 hit a day earlier.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba formally instructed his ministers on Friday to compile a fresh economic package to cushion the blow to households from rising living costs.
The yen was headed for its weakest weekly performance since May 2022 as investors are digesting a plethora of dovish comments from Japanese politicians and policymakers. Chief among them was Ishiba’s statement that the economy was not ready for further rate hikes – a surprisingly blunt remark that pushed the yen lower.
With Japan’s general elections set for Oct. 27, analysts broadly expect the BOJ to hold rates in the near term.
(Reporting by Ankur Banerjee in Singapore and Medha Singh in London; Editing by Edwina Gibbs and Angus MacSwan)
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