Dollar slides on easing trade tensions, Fed expectations
SINGAPORE: The dollar slid on Thursday on further signs that US President Donald Trump may adopt a softer stance in tariff negotiations and heightened expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts.
Trump said on Wednesday he would be willing to extend a July 8 deadline for completing trade talks with countries before higher US tariffs are imposed.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested earlier that the Trump administration may offer extensions from a July trade deal deadline for countries negotiating in good faith.
The remarks renewed dollar weakness, lifting the euro to a seven-week high. It last bought US$1.1525.
The greenback lost 0.43 per cent against the yen and 0.34 per cent against the Swiss franc to last trade at 143.98 and 0.81725, respectively.
Against a basket of currencies, the dollar fell to its weakest since April 22 at 98.327.
"It's hard to tell whether there is a masterplan behind this, but common sense would suggest that President Trump is trying to create a level of urgency in terms of trade negotiations," said Rodrigo Catril, senior currency strategist at National Australia Bank.
"I think the market, in terms of the size of the moves, is becoming a little bit more sanguine about what this all means... the market is also very wary that the picture could change quite dramatically in a week's time or two weeks' time."
Elsewhere, sterling was up 0.38 per cent to US$1.3588.
The Australian dollar ticked up 0.05 per cent to US$0.6506, while the New Zealand dollar rose 0.1 per cent to US$0.6033.
On Wednesday, data showed US consumer prices rose less than expected in May, leading traders to ramp up bets of a Fed cut as early as September and keeping pressure on the dollar.
Thursday's producer price index data will be the next test for markets.
The offshore yuan was last a touch stronger at 7.1953 per dollar, helped slightly by news that a fragile truce in the US-China trade war was restored as both sides reached a deal following talks in London this week.
"Full details have not been published, and it remains unclear if the talks brought the two largest economies closer to productive cooperation," said Mantas Vanagas, senior economist at Westpac.
EURO STRENGTH
The euro was clinging to strong gains on Thursday, having jumped against most other currencies in the previous session.
Against the yen, the common currency last stood at 165.88 having risen to its firmest since October at 166.42 on Thursday.
It was up 0.13 per cent against the Aussie, extending a 0.9 per cent gain from Thursday, and had also touched a one-month high of 84.88 pence overnight.
While there was no immediate trigger behind the moves, analysts say the euro has over the past week drawn support from hawkish European Central Bank (ECB) rhetoric.
Last week, the ECB cut interest rates as expected but hinted at a pause in its year-long easing cycle after inflation finally returned to its 2 per cent target.
"Expectations of fewer previously expected ECB rate cuts have lent some support to the euro," said Carol Kong, a currency strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
That contrasts with the likely resumption of a Fed easing cycle later this year, and as Trump has repeatedly called for US rates to be lowered.
Trump said last week that a decision on the next Fed chief will be coming soon, adding that a good Fed chair would lower interest rates.
The euro has risen nearly 11 per cent for the year thus far, helped in part by a weaker dollar and as investors pour money into European markets in a move away from the US
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