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Dollar drifts higher as traders eye Iran talks ahead of US jobs data

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The dollar edged higher on safe-haven demand amid doubts over a U.S.-Iran deal, while investors awaited U.S. jobs data for clues on the Federal Reserve's rate path.

TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar drifted higher against the yen and euro on Friday, building on ‌the previous day's gains as doubts about an Iran peace deal buffed the U.S. currency's appeal as a haven.

The greenback also drew support from higher Treasury yields after a Financial Times report citing sources close to Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh pointed to the potential ​for a September interest rate hike, depending on incoming data.

The monthly U.S. payrolls report (USNFAR=ECI), opens new tab, due later on ​Friday, could provide more clues on the Fed's rate path.

The dollar rose slightly to 158.505 ⁠yen in the Asian morning, after gaining 0.4% on Thursday, putting it on course to rise around 0.7% ​this week as it recovered from a bout of joint

Japan-U.S. intervention that sent the U.S. currency tumbling from near ​a four-decade high above 163 yen on Thursday to a 13-week low of 155.20 on Monday.

Against the euro , the greenback edged up to $1.1521 after strengthening about 0.3% in the prior session.

Tensions continued to play out in the Gulf after Reuters reported a proposed deal between ​Iran and Oman to help end the U.S.-Iran conflict could give Tehran control over inbound traffic through the Strait ​of Hormuz.

The U.S. did not immediately comment on the proposal. President Donald Trump has said that a deal to reopen the strait ‌was imminent, ⁠but U.S. officials have repeatedly insisted that they would never agree to Iranian control of access to the world's most important trade route for energy supplies.

Brent crude rose a little over a dollar on Friday to trade at $83.55 per barrel, after settling up more than $3 in the previous session.

The heightening inflation risks weighed on Treasuries, sending yields higher.

"USD ​was supported by higher oil ​prices (following) news that a ⁠deal between the U.S. and Iran to reopen the strait is further away than hoped," said Kristina Clifton, an economist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

She and other analysts also ​pointed to the FT report saying Warsh was open to a September hike if ​inflation data is ⁠strong, although Clifton added, "We expect the Fed to wait until December before starting a modest tightening cycle."

A divided U.S. central bank left rates unchanged last month, but Warsh said he was committed to bringing inflation down.

U.S. nonfarm payrolls are forecast ⁠to have ​risen by 80,000 last month after an increase of 57,000 in ​June, according to a Reuters survey of economists. The unemployment rate (USUNR=ECI), opens new tab is expected to hold steady at 4.2%.

Against sterling , the dollar strengthened slightly to $1.3449.

The ​Australian dollar weakened a touch to $0.7029 and the kiwi dollar edged down to $0.5866.

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