2026-07-13
Dollar Jumps on Renewed Middle East Attacks, Hormuz Closure
SINGAPORE: The dollar jumped against most of its peers as a renewal of conflict in the Middle East fanned inflation fears and the prospect of rate hikes from central banks increased.
Against the yen, the US dollar was up 0.1 percent at 161.92 yen. The euro weakened 0.1 percent to $1.1403 while the British pound slipped 0.1 percent to $1.3383.
The Australian dollar was down 0.1 percent at $0.6942, while its kiwi counterpart slid 0.1 percent to $0.5757.
US and Iranian forces exchanged heavy missile and drone assaults at the weekend, with Tehran targeting US facilities in states across the Gulf on Sunday and saying it had again closed the vital Strait of Hormuz.
Oil prices rose as trading resumed in Asia, with Brent crude futures up 3.3 percent at $78.49 a barrel.
“After the flare-up into the end of last week which continued over the weekend, the dollar has responded, and the crude oil price has been the driver,” said Tony Sycamore, market analyst at IG in Sydney. “This reinflames concerns that if the energy prices rise from here, we could start to see rate hikes pulled forward.”
Traders are leaning slightly in favor of two rate hikes from the Federal Reserve by the end of the year.
Fed funds futures are pricing an implied 52.1 percent probability of two or more rate hikes by the time of the US central bank’s December meeting, compared to a 47.6 percent chance on Friday, according to the CME Group’s FedWatch tool.
The US dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, held steady at 101.07 after rising as much as 0.2 percent from Friday’s close to its highest level since July 8.
Inflation risks are likely to remain in focus during the coming week, ahead of the release of US CPI data on Tuesday, PPI gauges the following day, and Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s testimony before the House and Senate, Westpac analysts wrote in a research report.
The Bank of Japan may revise up its economic growth forecast for fiscal 2026 and keep its focus on the risk of an inflation overshoot as rising costs from a weak yen and strong AI demand offset some of the declines in oil prices, three sources familiar with the central bank’s thinking told Reuters.
In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin was down 0.6 percent at $63,770.42, while ether slipped 1.1 percent to $1,801.28.
Against the yen, the US dollar was up 0.1 percent at 161.92 yen. The euro weakened 0.1 percent to $1.1403 while the British pound slipped 0.1 percent to $1.3383.
The Australian dollar was down 0.1 percent at $0.6942, while its kiwi counterpart slid 0.1 percent to $0.5757.
US and Iranian forces exchanged heavy missile and drone assaults at the weekend, with Tehran targeting US facilities in states across the Gulf on Sunday and saying it had again closed the vital Strait of Hormuz.
Oil prices rose as trading resumed in Asia, with Brent crude futures up 3.3 percent at $78.49 a barrel.
“After the flare-up into the end of last week which continued over the weekend, the dollar has responded, and the crude oil price has been the driver,” said Tony Sycamore, market analyst at IG in Sydney. “This reinflames concerns that if the energy prices rise from here, we could start to see rate hikes pulled forward.”
Traders are leaning slightly in favor of two rate hikes from the Federal Reserve by the end of the year.
Fed funds futures are pricing an implied 52.1 percent probability of two or more rate hikes by the time of the US central bank’s December meeting, compared to a 47.6 percent chance on Friday, according to the CME Group’s FedWatch tool.
The US dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, held steady at 101.07 after rising as much as 0.2 percent from Friday’s close to its highest level since July 8.
Inflation risks are likely to remain in focus during the coming week, ahead of the release of US CPI data on Tuesday, PPI gauges the following day, and Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s testimony before the House and Senate, Westpac analysts wrote in a research report.
The Bank of Japan may revise up its economic growth forecast for fiscal 2026 and keep its focus on the risk of an inflation overshoot as rising costs from a weak yen and strong AI demand offset some of the declines in oil prices, three sources familiar with the central bank’s thinking told Reuters.
In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin was down 0.6 percent at $63,770.42, while ether slipped 1.1 percent to $1,801.28.
Source: ARAB NEWS