
Ministry of Economy warns against currency speculation
In a statement issued last Sunday (29 June), the ministry urged everyone to exercise caution, protect their savings, and not be swayed by market rumours or unofficial recommendations. Economic stability is a shared responsibility, it added, beginning with citizen awareness and ending with the proper implementation of official policies.
At the time of publication of this article one USD purchased LD 7.70 on the black-market while the official exchange rate at banks is one dollar to LD 5.5677.
The loss of value of the Libyan dinar on the black market is causing a major strain on the Libyan economy. Successive Central Bank of Libya Governors and governments have attempted unsuccessfully to retain the value of the dinar.
Libya is a very centralised, undiversified rentier economy depending on hydrocarbon revenues for over 90 percent of its hard currency revenues.

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Reuters
13 minutes ago
- Reuters
Dollar drops in choppy trading as Trump denies plans to fire Fed's Powell
NEW YORK, July 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar fell but rose off its lows on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump denied news reports that he is planning to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Bloomberg reported that the president is likely to fire Powell soon. A source also told Reuters that Trump is open to the idea of firing Powell and polled some Republican lawmakers on firing Powell and received a positive response. But Trump said that the reports are not true. "I don't rule out anything, but I think it's highly unlikely unless he has to leave for fraud," Trump said, a reference to recent White House and Republican lawmaker criticism of cost overruns in the $2.5 billion renovation of the Fed's historic headquarters in Washington. Removing Powell before his term ends in May would be negative for the dollar as it would undermine credibility in the U.S. financial system and the dollar as a safe-haven currency. "What can kill the value of the U.S. dollar, what can absolutely destroy faith in the U.S. dollar, is attacking in any way, shape, or form the independence and authority of the Federal Reserve," said Juan Perez, senior director of trading at Monex USA in Washington. Trump has railed against Powell for months for not easing rates, which he says should be at 1% or lower. The dollar index , which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, including the yen and the euro, was last down 0.25% on the day at 98.34, with the euro up 0.3% at $1.1633. Against the Japanese yen , the dollar weakened 0.7% to 147.82. Sterling strengthened 0.24% to $1.3411. If Trump were to fire Powell the markets would likely see a larger negative reaction in the dollar, said Francesco Pesole, FX strategist at ING in London. "Euro/dollar is at $1.17 and should be trading higher on this because the implications are massive. Markets are still not fully pricing this all in. You would expect that if Powell is removed today then the Fed cuts in September," he said. The single currency got as high as $1.1721 on Wednesday. Fed funds futures traders are now pricing in 47 basis points of cuts by year-end, up from 44 basis points before the news reports. The dollar gained earlier against the euro as traders bet that the U.S. central bank may be less likely to cut rates two times this year following an uptick in consumer prices in June, even though producer price inflation data on Wednesday was steady. U.S. producer prices were unexpectedly unchanged in June as an increase in the cost of goods because of tariffs on imports was offset by weakness in services. Tuesday's release showed U.S. consumer prices increased by the most in five months in June amid higher costs for some goods, suggesting that Trump's tariffs were starting to have an impact on inflation. "Yesterday's reaction to the inflation data was very positive for the U.S. dollar overall," said Eric Theoret, FX strategist at Scotiabank in Toronto. Investors continue to focus on tariffs ahead of an August 1 deadline when many trading partners face higher trade levies. Trump said on Wednesday the U.S. will probably "live by the letter" on tariffs with Japan and may have another trade deal coming up with India, following his announcement of an accord with Indonesia on Tuesday. In Japan, investors are focused on a potential power shift in upper house elections this weekend that could strain already frail finances, with long-dated yields soaring to all-time highs as the vote nears. In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin gained 2.82% to $119,761 but held below a record high of $123,153 reached on Monday.

Finextra
6 hours ago
- Finextra
Noah and VelaFi to bring real-time stablecoin B2B payments to Latin America
VelaFi, Latin America's leading provider of stablecoin-based financial infrastructure, and Noah, one of the world's most established stablecoin-powered payment networks, announce a strategic partnership to expand access to virtual USD and EUR accounts with real-time stablecoin settlement. 0 This alliance brings together two complementary forces in modern finance: VelaFi's regulatory-grade infrastructure and regional leadership in Latin America, and Noah's globally licensed stablecoin rails for virtual accounts, FX, and international payouts. Together, they're delivering a new standard in cross-border finance with compliant, efficient, and borderless payments for businesses navigating complex global markets. And the timing couldn't be better. Stablecoins are surging, growing from USD 160 billion in 2024 to over USD 250 billion by mid-2025. In Latin America alone, the B2B cross-border payments market is projected to reach USD 57 billion by 2030 as institutions increasingly demand efficient and compliant ways to scale across regions. This seismic shift is creating the conditions for a new kind of financial infrastructure - one that VelaFi and Noah are now building together. Through this partnership, VelaFi's institutional clients gain direct access to over 70 international payment corridors powered by Noah's global infrastructure. This includes USD and EUR virtual accounts, which serve as the foundation for faster and more cost-effective settlements using stablecoins such as USDC and EURC. With payouts available in local currencies across multiple markets, the integration improves treasury efficiency, foreign exchange management, and cash flow visibility for business clients operating in regions like Mexico, Hong Kong, and Singapore. This collaboration signals a broader shift in how modern enterprises move value across borders. By combining VelaFi's leadership in Latin America with Noah's global infrastructure, the partnership enables a new generation of cross-border payments where business clients can operate with greater speed, clarity, and control through embedded access to modern tools like multi-currency virtual accounts and instant, stablecoin-based settlement. Noah, in turn, deepens its reach into Latin America by partnering with VelaFi's regulatory-compliant infrastructure and growing enterprise client base. This expansion reinforces Noah's commitment to building seamless global financial connectivity, starting with strategic markets such as Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia. 'This partnership with Noah marks a new chapter in our mission to connect LATAM with the world through modern, compliant infrastructure,' said Maggie Wu, CEO and Co-Founder of VelaFi. 'We are moving beyond traditional barriers and offering institutions the kind of cross-border tools that were previously out of reach: transparent, real-time, and built to scale.' 'This partnership brings our vision for borderless business payments to life. By offering virtual USD and EUR accounts with real-time stablecoin settlement, we're enabling enterprises in LATAM and beyond to move money globally with the speed, transparency, and control they expect from modern infrastructure,' said Shah Ramezani, CEO & Founder at Noah. 'Together with VelaFi, we're setting a new standard for compliant, scalable cross-border payments.'


Reuters
10 hours ago
- Reuters
Dollar weakens as rate cut odds rise, tariff uncertainties linger
SINGAPORE, Aug 5 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar wavered on Tuesday as the rising odds of Federal Reserve rate cuts weighed on sentiment, while investors assessed the broader economic impact of U.S. tariffs unleashed last week. The dollar remained under pressure following Friday's U.S. jobs report that showed cracks in the labour market, prompting traders to swiftly price in rate cuts next month. U.S. President Donald Trump's firing of a top statistics official and the resignation of Federal Reserve Governor Adriana Kugler also exacerbated market unease, leading to a sharp dive in the dollar on Friday. The U.S. currency found its footing on Monday but was weaker in early trading on Tuesday. The euro last bought $1.1579 while sterling stood at $1.3298. The dollar index , which measures the U.S. currency against six other units, was at 98.688 after touching a one-week low earlier in the session. Traders are now pricing in a 94.4% chance of the Fed cutting rates in its next meeting in September, compared to 63% a week earlier, CME FedWatch tool showed. Goldman Sachs expects the Fed to deliver three consecutive 25 basis point cuts starting in September, with a 50 basis point move possible if the unemployment rate climbs further in the next report. San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Mary Daly said on Monday that given mounting evidence that the U.S. jobs market is softening and no signs of persistent tariff-driven inflation, the time is nearing for rate cuts. "I was willing to wait another cycle, but I can't wait forever," Daly said. Meanwhile, the focus remains on tariff uncertainties after the latest duties imposed on scores of countries last week by Trump, stoked worries about the health of the global economy. The Japanese yen firmed slightly to 146.95 per dollar after minutes of its June policy meeting showed a few Bank of Japan board members said the central bank would consider resuming interest rate increases if trade frictions de-escalate. The Swiss franc was steady at 0.8081 per dollar after dropping 0.5% in the previous session as Switzerland geared up to make a "more attractive offer" in trade talks with Washington to avert a 39% U.S. import tariff on Swiss goods that threatens to hammer its export-driven economy. The long-term impact of the tariffs though remains uncertain, with traders bracing for volatility. "This is going to be like the pandemic, we all expect to see the transitory impact on supply chains to happen very quickly," said Rodrigo Catril, currency strategist at National Australia Bank in Sydney. "It'll probably take six months to a year to see exactly where we land and who's going to be winners and losers from all this." In other currencies, the Australian dollar was 0.11% higher at $0.64736, while the New Zealand dollar rose 0.11% to $0.5914. "We're still of a view that the big dollar is heading down," Catril said, referring to the U.S. dollar. "While global growth means pro-growth currencies like Asian currencies and the AUD should struggle, we've other structural dynamics in the USD, where policies are dollar-negative."