LONDON: The US dollar hit a fresh three-month high versus other major currencies on Friday, as traders wagered strong US labour data could lift it even further.
The dollar index is on track to gain nearly 1% this week, its fourth weekly rise in five weeks. It hit a high of 92.699 before losing some momentum, and was last broadly flat on the day at 92.582.
The greenback has strengthened broadly since the US Federal Reserve surprised markets last month by signalling it could tighten policy earlier than expected to curb inflation.
The US jobs report is due at 1230 GMT and is forecast to show a solid rise of 700,000, with traders braced for any surprises.
“The FX markets have certainly become more sensitive to incoming US economic data,” currency analysts at MUFG said in a note. “That suggests to us that positioning in FX could still be short US dollars which is resulting in this further extension of dollar strength.”
A higher number in the employment report could fuel concerns of tighter Fed policy, analysts said.
“The dollar has started July strongly; a US non-farm payrolls meet or beat today would maintain that momentum,” DBS Bank strategist Philip Wee wrote in a note.
The dollar hit a fresh three-month high versus the euro ahead of the report, edging up a quarter of a percent on the day to $1.18205. It was broadly flat versus the yen and British pound.
“Many people are now arguing (over) whether the dollar has indeed bottomed, because at some point in 2023 the Fed is suggesting that it could be raising interest rates,” Paul Mackel, global head of FX research at HSBC said in an outlook call.
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