The dollar retreated on Friday, posting multi-week losses against major currencies, as uncertainty surrounding a U.S. government shutdown clouded the outlook and delayed key data releases, such as payrolls, critical for gauging the economy’s direction.
The U.S. nonfarm payrolls report for September was due for release on Friday, but was not published due to the government closure.
The yen pulled back from this week’s highs as traders mulled the Bank of Japan’s next move ahead of a ruling party leadership election this weekend.
In late afternoon trading, the euro rose 0.2% against the dollar to $1.1743, headed for its best week in a month.
Gains in the euro pushed the dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of key currencies, 0.1% lower at 97.69. The index had its worst weekly showing since July.
“If the shutdown lasts for a long time, and I mean by several weeks, yes, then, of course, people will begin to question governability in the U.S., said Thierry Wizman, global FX and rates strategist, at Macquarie in New York.
“And anytime that the market starts to worry about governability in that country, it usually is not a good story for the currency.”
Against the Swiss franc, the dollar fell 0.3% to 0.7951 francs, down 0.4% on the week, its largest weekly fall since mid-August.
The dollar also slid against sterling, which rose 0.3% to $1.3479. The pound posted its biggest weekly gain since August 11.
“We’re still in a range. I think there’s just a lack of directional momentum, and the fact that the government is shut down only adds to the low volatility environment,” said Vassili Serebriakov, FX strategist at UBS in New York.
The U.S. currency slightly extended its fall against major currencies after data showed U.S. services sector activity stalled in September amid a sharp slowdown in new orders.
The Institute for Supply Management said its non-manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) fell to 50 last month, the breakeven level between growth and contraction, from 52.0 in August. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the services PMI easing to 51.7.
In other FX pairs, the dollar edged higher against the yen, up 0.1% at 147.41 yen, having earlier fallen as much as 0.4%. It rose 1.4% this week, which would be the biggest since mid-May.
BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda struck a cautious tone in comments about the global economy, lowering expectations of an imminent rate hike. Markets were also focused on a Liberal Democratic Party election on Saturday that will determine Japan’s next prime minister.
The LDP election has consequences for Japan’s budget and central bank policies.
Among the front-runners, dovish party veteran Sanae Takaichi could trigger more bond market uncertainty, while farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi and top government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi are less likely to rock the boat.
TWO MORE FED RATE CUTS EXPECTED THIS YEAR
Traders see a 25 basis-point (bp) cut at the Federal Reserve’s October meeting as almost certain. Overall, the rate futures market has priced in about 47 bps of rate declines for the remainder of the year or just under two cuts, according to LSEG calculations.
Fed Governor Stephen Miran on Friday again pressed for an aggressive path of rate cuts given big changes in the economy, while saying that the difference between his outlook and that of his central bank colleagues is not as great as some perceive it to be.
Miran dissented in favor of a 50-basis-point rate cut at the Fed’s policy-setting meeting last month.
This week provided more evidence of sluggishness in the labor market, and more ammunition for the Fed to cut rates later this month. The ADP National Employment report on Wednesday showed private payrolls decreased by 32,000 in September.
Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan on Friday, however, repeated her view that upside inflation risks, a labor market that is largely in balance and policy that is currently only modestly restrictive mean the central bank should not go ahead with further interest-rate cuts.
In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin rose for an eighth straight session, hitting its highest level since August 13, when it touched a record high. It was last up 1.2% at $122.164.19, bolstered by recent gains in U.S. equities and inflows into bitcoin exchange-traded funds.
Source: Reuters
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