# Dollar advances as strong U.S. data backs higher rates backdrop
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2023-02-17
Category: TRADING
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/trading
Meta Title: U.S. dollar gains vs. basket of currencies on strong
Meta Description: Discover how the U.S. dollar surged against global currencies on Thursday, fuelled by positive economic data and the potential for extended interest rate hikes.
URL: https://financedigest.com/dollar-advances-as-strong-u-s-data-backs-higher-rates-backdrophtml

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By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss and Laura Matthews

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The U.S. dollar held gains against a basket of currencies on Thursday, bolstered by stronger-than-expected producer [prices and falling](https://www.financedigest.com/buy-off-plan-to-beat-stalling-house-prices-and-falling-rental-yields-says-jean-liggett.html "“Buy off-plan to beat stalling house prices and falling rental yields” says Jean Liggett ") jobless claims, hinting that the Federal Reserve would have to maintain its inflation-fighting interest rate hikes for longer.

Earlier, the [dollar index hit](https://www.financedigest.com/european-shares-hit-nine-month-high-dollar-wobbles-after-powell-remarks.html "European shares hit nine month high, dollar wobbles after Powell remarks") six-week highs, rising to six-week peaks as well against the yen, euro, and Australian dollar. By afternoon trading, the dollar pulled back and traded within narrow ranges.

The U.S. producer [price index bounced to 0.7% in January](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-shop-price-inflation-hits-record-8-in-january-brc-2.html "UK shop price inflation hits record 8% in January: BRC"), after declining 0.2% in December. Meanwhile, jobless claims unexpectedly fell to 194,000, compared to the 200,000 claims expected, according to a [Reuters poll](https://www.financedigest.com/european-central-bank-to-raise-deposit-rate-to-3-25-by-mid-year-reuters-poll.html "European Central Bank to raise deposit rate to 3.25% by mid-year: Reuters poll").

The strong PPI [data and hawkish speak from Cleveland Fed](https://www.financedigest.com/wage-data-dents-dollar-recovery-before-fed-rate-decision.html "Wage data dents dollar recovery before Fed rate decision") President (Loretta) Mester have raised rate expectations further and this is keying the dollar’s upward move today,” said John Velis, FX and macro strategist at BNY Mellon Markets in New York.

Mester said in a speech that the Fed “has come an appreciable way in bringing policy from a very accommodative stance to a restrictive one, but I [believe we have more work](https://www.financedigest.com/1-in-5-uk-workers-believe-there-is-a-gender-divide-with-work-uniforms.html " 1 in 5 UK workers believe there is a gender divide with work uniforms") to do.

BNY’s Velis said stronger labor market [data and sticky inflation](https://www.financedigest.com/european-shares-rise-as-us-inflation-data-signals-end-of-rate-hike-cycle.html "European shares rise as US inflation data signals end of rate-hike cycle") certainly solidified the “higher for longer” school of thought on rates.

In afternoon trading, the dollar index was up 0.2% at 103.93 , after earlier hitting a six-week high of 104.24. That said, it is still more than 11% above late September’s [20-year low](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-euros-20-year-low-leaves-ecb-facing-costly-choices.html "Analysis-Euro’s 20-year low leaves ECB facing costly choices").

Against the yen, the U.S. [dollar also hit a six-week peak](https://www.financedigest.com/pound-hits-10-month-peak-euro-up-as-dollar-under-pressure.html "Pound hits 10-month peak, euro up as dollar under pressure"), but was last down 0.1 % at 133.94 . [Yen traders are waiting for a speech by Kazuo Ueda](https://www.financedigest.com/japanese-yen-gains-as-ueda-set-to-be-named-next-boj-governor.html "Japanese yen gains as Ueda set to be named next BOJ governor"), the nominee to become the Bank of Japan’s next governor, at a confirmation hearing at the lower house of parliament on Feb. 24.

The interest [rate futures](https://www.financedigest.com/bank-of-england-officials-split-over-future-path-for-rates.html "Bank of England officials split over future path for rates") market shows U.S. [rates could peak](https://www.financedigest.com/bank-of-england-set-to-hike-to-4-as-rate-peak-looms.html "Bank of England set to hike to 4% as rate peak looms") close to 5.25% by July before dropping to 5.0% by the end of the year.

Thursday’s [data followed strong economic](https://www.financedigest.com/dollar-skids-after-soft-u-s-economic-data-impact-of-opec-cuts-fades.html "Dollar skids after soft U.S. economic data; impact of OPEC+ cuts fades") numbers on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Data from the U.S. Commerce Department showed on Wednesday that U.S. [retail sales](https://www.financedigest.com/italy-inflation-adjusted-retail-sales-fell-in-2022.html "Italy inflation-adjusted retail sales fell in 2022") rebounded sharply in January after two-straight monthly declines.

That came just a day after U.S. [inflation figures](https://www.financedigest.com/french-inflation-revised-upwards-in-february-to-7-3-final-figures.html "French inflation revised upwards in February to 7.3% – final figures") showed consumer prices slowing, but still sticky. [Data from earlier this month](https://www.financedigest.com/more-than-half-52-of-cisos-are-prioritising-gdpr-compliance-over-the-next-12-months-new-data-from-the-2017-financial-services-information-security-network-shows.html "More than half (52%) of CISOs are prioritising GDPR compliance over the next 12 months, new data from the 2017 Financial Services Information Security Network shows") also showed that U.S. [job growth](https://www.financedigest.com/u-s-job-growth-powers-ahead-unemployment-rate-at-3-4.html "U.S. job growth powers ahead; unemployment rate at 3.4%") accelerated sharply in January, pointing to a resilient economy.

However, the question for market watchers is how well can the economy continue to hold up, especially as [rates head much higher](https://www.financedigest.com/dollar-jumps-as-powell-flags-higher-terminal-rate.html "Dollar jumps as Powell flags higher terminal rate") than many originally thought.

[Sterling slid 0.5%](https://www.financedigest.com/sterling-rises-0-5-as-dollar-takes-a-breather.html "Sterling rises 0.5% as dollar takes a breather") to $1.1985, after having lost more than 1% on Wednesday.

British [inflation slowed more than expected in January and there were signs that price pressures are cooling](https://www.financedigest.com/dollar-drops-as-inflation-cools-more-than-expected.html "Dollar drops as inflation cools more than expected") in parts of the economy, such as services, that the Bank of England (BoE) watches closely.

The BoE has already indicated that it may [stop raising rates in March and Wednesday’s inflation data](https://www.financedigest.com/10-steps-to-stop-lateral-movement-in-data-breaches.html "10 Steps to Stop Lateral Movement in Data Breaches") reinforced that view.

========================================================

Currency bid prices at 4:28PM (2128 GMT)

Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid

Previous Change

Session

Dollar index 103.9300 103.8000 +0.15% 0.425% +104.2400 +103.5200

Euro/Dollar $1.0671 $1.0688 -0.15% -0.40% +$1.0723 +$1.0655

Dollar/Yen 133.9450 134.1600 -0.16% +2.16% +134.4600 +133.6050

Euro/Yen 142.94 143.39 -0.31% +1.88% +143.4400 +142.8600

Dollar/Swiss 0.9257 0.9238 +0.24% +0.14% +0.9271 +0.9215

Sterling/Dollar $1.1984 $1.2038 -0.47% -0.92% +$1.2074 +$1.1966

Dollar/Canadian 1.3458 1.3396 +0.47% -0.66% +1.3479 +1.3359

Aussie/Dollar $0.6875 $0.6907 -0.46% +0.86% +$0.6936 +$0.6841

Euro/Swiss 0.9877 0.9873 +0.04% -0.18% +0.9886 +0.9866

Euro/Sterling 0.8901 0.8884 +0.19% +0.64% +0.8910 +0.8871

NZ $0.6253 $0.6281 -0.44% -1.52% +$0.6309 +$0.6233

Dollar/Dollar

Dollar/Norway 10.2580 10.2090 +0.22% +4.25% +10.3090 +10.1565

Euro/Norway 10.9491 10.9083 +0.37% +4.34% +10.9870 +10.8780

Dollar/Sweden 10.4476 10.4135 +0.13% +0.38% +10.4945 +10.3734

Euro/Sweden 11.1507 11.1364 +0.13% +0.01% +11.1851 +11.1192

[(Reporting by Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss and Laura Matthews; Additional reporting by Amanda Cooper in London and Rae Wee in Singapore; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore, Mark Potter, Sharon Singleton and Diane Craft)](https://www.financedigest.com/hurricane-matthew-causes-up-to-15bn-impact-to-us-and-caribbean-economies-in-october-according-to-aon-catastrophe-report.html "Hurricane Matthew causes up to bn impact to US and Caribbean economies in October, according to Aon catastrophe report")


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