Dollar and equities lower following mixed US economic data
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FX Rates
August 14, 2020Rates are not real time. Rates are today's indicative mid-market rates as of time of publishing, which may vary. Please contact SVB for a current quote.
EUR/USD 1.1828 GBP/USD 1.3121 USD/CAD 1.3248 AUD/USD 0.7160 USD/JPY 106.5300 USD/CNH 6.9430 USD/ILS 3.4053 USD/MXN 22.0294 USD/CHF 0.9092 USD/INR 74.9050
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USD
The dollar fluctuated overnight, and is currently lower. Retail sales were mixed: July’s 1.2% was worse than expectations of 2.1%, but June’s 7.5% was revised higher to 8.4%. Two less influential economic releases were Nonfarm Productivity and Unit Labor Costs for Q2, and both came in much better than expected. Traders continue to focus on the stimulus package stuck in Congress, and are less interested in Trump’s opposition to Postal Service funding after he said he would sign a bill if included.
GBPThe UK pound is the top performing currency overnight after the UK government added France and the Netherlands to its list of countries from which people arriving have to quarantine for 14 days. The Foreign Office is advising its own people against “all but essential travel” to a growing list of tourist destinations.
EURThe euro continues within its well-established uptrend, despite weaker equity markets today. Traders seem focused on the dollar’s falling real yield advantage following steady US yields and higher US inflation. The Eurozone’s Trade Surplus expanded in June, and was significantly better than expected, but Employment data was weak. GDP Q2 contracted by 12.1% QoQ, but it was fully expected, so there was little reaction.
CADThe USD/CAD currency pair, which traded briefly below 1.32 yesterday, has moved higher today. Good news in the form of better-than-expected Manufacturing Sales MoM data was offset by trade concerns related to US-China trade negotiations this weekend. Oil prices are steady near $42.00.
ASIA/PACIFICThe Chinese yuan moved little overnight, fluctuating around 6.95.
After testing 107, the USD/JPY currency pair has dropped 0.35% to 106.50, as traders square up ahead of the US-China negotiations this weekend.
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