NEW YORK: The US dollar edged higher against most major peers on Thursday after US data pointed to labor market strength that could keep the Federal Reserve hawkish for longer.
The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits increased less than expected last week, pointing to a still-tight labor market, while the economy rebounded faster than previously estimated in the third quarter.
Labor market resilience is keeping the US central bank on its aggressive policy tightening campaign, with the Fed last week projecting at least an additional 75 basis points of increases in borrowing costs by the end of 2023. It has hiked its policy rate by 425 basis points this year from near zero to a 4.25%-to-4.50% range, the highest since late 2007.
“The dollar is gaining as this morning’s stronger-than-forecast data lifts rate expectations for the new year,” said Karl Schamotta, chief market strategist at business payments company Corpay.
“There’s still no evidence the Federal Reserve’s rate hikes have delivered the “sustained period of below-trend growth” that policymakers — and many market participants — had anticipated, making it more likely the central bank will be forced to tighten further,” Schamotta said.
The euro was 0.1% lower against the US dollar at $1.0595, after having risen as high as 0.5% earlier in the session.
Meanwhile, the dollar was 0.1% lower against the yen at 132.32 yen, not far from the four-month low touched on Tuesday after an unexpected tweak to the Bank of Japan’s bond yield controls spurred bullish yen bets.
The greenback has so far failed to meaningfully recoup the 3.8% slump that followed Tuesday’s news.
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