Bloomberg's Dollar Spot Index is on track for its 8th consecutive green week, its longest winning streak in history (with data going back to 2005)
Source: Barchart, Bloomberg
China Uses Another Tool to Aid Yuan in String of Market Support – Bloomberg
China moved to support the yuan by increasing the supply of foreign currency in its local market, part of a multi-pronged effort by Beijing to restore confidence amid sluggish growth. Financial institutions will need to hold just 4% of their foreign-exchange deposits in reserve starting Sept. 15, the People’s Bank of China said Friday, compared to the current level of 6%. The greater availability of overseas currency relative to the yuan effectively boosts the allure of the latter. The so-called FX RRR cut came on the heels of Thursday’s reduction in down payments for mortgages to help the country’s under-pressure residential property market and after policymakers lowered stamp duty for stock trading over the weekend. The combination of supportive measures is a sign that Beijing is growing uncomfortable with increasing pessimism in its financial markets.
Hong Kong Dollar is on track for its biggest monthly loss against the US Dollar in 38 years
source: Bloomberg, Barchart
Lira Rallies as Turkey stuns with biggest rate hike in years
The central bank raises benchmark rate by 750 basis points. Turkish currency surges more than 5% against the dollar. The Monetary Policy Committee, under Governor Hafize Gaye Erkan, raised the benchmark one-week repo rate to 25% from 17.5%, the sharpest increase since 2018. Most economists polled by Bloomberg predicted a hike to 20%. It’s the latest indication that Turkey’s new administration is prepared to move away from the unorthodox policies — including ultra-loose borrowing costs — that were championed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan but caused foreign traders to flee the country’s bond and stock markets en masse. Source: Bloomberg
Major reserve currencies since 1250
by James Eagle
The PBoC is putting more measures in place to slow the depreciation trend in the yuan
Overnight, the Chinese central bank set its yuan fixing at 7.2006 per dollar compared to the average estimate of 7.3047. The gap - an unprecedented 1,041 pips - was the largest gap to estimates since the poll was initiated in 2018. Source: Bloomberg, zerohedge
Unprecedented times in Argentina
- On Monday, Argentina’s central bank raised interest rates to 118%. - Forex: you now get a record 350 Argentine Pesos for each US Dollar. - Argentina 30-year mortgage is now at a record 82.2%. - For the first time since 1991, their inflation rate is above 100%. Source: The Kobeissi Letter
Russia’s central bank raises its key interest rate to 12% from 8.5% at an emergency meeting called after the Ruble crashed
The Ruble is recovering somewhat after its collapse, and now costs more than a penny again. Trades at 98 per Dollar. Source: HolgerZ, Bloomberg
