Global Markets Steady as Dollar Gets Support from Asia’s Major Economies

Post by : Saif Nasser

Global financial markets began the day on a calmer note as the U.S. dollar finally found some support after days of weakness. The greenback, which had dropped to a five-week low earlier this week, received a boost when major Asian economies hinted that they were uncomfortable with the dollar’s rapid decline. This shift helped the dollar index break its nine-day losing streak, rising about 0.1%. Precious metals like silver, which had reached a record high of $58.98 just a day earlier, also pulled back as the dollar strengthened.

China played a major role in this change. The Chinese yuan had been gaining fast against the dollar and reached its strongest level in more than a year. But on Thursday, China’s central bank set a weaker-than-expected midpoint for the currency for the sixth day in a row. This signaled that Chinese authorities did not want the yuan to rise too quickly, and the currency eased slightly. This move suggested that Beijing prefers a more stable exchange rate and does not want sudden sharp movements in its money markets.

Japan also stepped in to cool rising pressure in its bond market. Yields on 30-year Japanese government bonds had reached record highs, partly because investors expect the Bank of Japan to raise interest rates later this month. However, comments from Japan’s chief cabinet secretary calmed the situation. He said the government was watching bond markets closely, which helped bring yields down. BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda also added to the cautious mood by saying that the path of future interest rate hikes was still uncertain. Estimating Japan’s “neutral rate”—the level where interest rates neither slow nor speed up the economy—is difficult, and the central bank wants to move carefully.

A government bond auction in Japan also brought some relief. The sale of 30-year bonds saw the highest demand in more than six years. Investors were attracted by the record-high yields, showing that despite concerns, there is still strong confidence in Japanese government debt.

In India, the rupee weakened to a record low, crossing 90 against the U.S. dollar for the first time. This puts pressure on the Reserve Bank of India ahead of its meeting on Friday. The RBI is expected to cut interest rates, but the sharp fall in the rupee may force it to reconsider how far it can go without risking even more currency weakness.

Stock markets were relatively quiet across the world. Asian stocks were mostly flat except in Japan, where the Nikkei 225 surged by 1.8%. The big driver of this increase was Fanuc Corp, whose shares jumped by 12.4%. The industrial robot maker gained strong investor excitement after announcing a major partnership with Nvidia earlier in the week.

In Europe, early trading looked positive. Futures for the pan-European index rose 0.6%, German DAX futures gained 0.5%, and FTSE futures increased by 0.3%. These modest gains showed cautious optimism as investors watched global currency and bond movements unfold.

Overall, the day brought a sense of stability back to markets, even as currencies and bonds reacted to policy signals from Asia. The dollar’s recovery, though small, highlighted how sensitive global markets are to comments and actions from major central banks. For now, investors are waiting to see how upcoming decisions from the Bank of Japan, the Reserve Bank of India, and other global authorities will shape the weeks ahead.

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