China's yuan steady before key Fed meeting
SHANGHAI, Sept 18 (Reuters) -China's yuan held steady against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday, as traders returned to work after the Mid-Autumn Festival break and ahead of the Federal Reserve's key rate decision.
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, which concludes later on Wednesday, is expected to kick off a U.S. easing cycle that could spark volatility in currency pairs, including dollar-yuan.
The chances of a super-sized cut of 50 basis points (bps) retreated to 65% in the morning session in Asia, according to LSEG data, after U.S. retail sales unexpectedly rose in August.
A broader decline in the dollar in anticipation of U.S. rate cuts in coming months has buffeted the yuan over the past few weeks. The currency has recovered its earlier losses and is 0.1% firmer this year.
"Should the Fed disappoint markets and signal a gradual, calibrated pace of rate cuts, there may well be a knee-jerk rebound in the USD as short-end rates reprice higher," said Chang Wei Liang, FX and credit strategist at DBS.
"There is likely to be significant intraday market volatility tonight when the FOMC decision is announced along with the latest dot-plots," said Alvin Tan, head of Asia FX strategy at RBC Capital Markets.
Trading in China's onshore currency resumed on Wednesday after the domestic market was closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Prior to the market's opening, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) set the midpoint rate CNY=PBOC, around which the yuan is allowed to trade in a 2% band, at 7.0870 per dollar, its strongest since Jan. 2 and 42 pips weaker than a Reuters' estimate.
The spot yuan CNY=CFXS opened at 7.0968 per dollar and was last trading 14 pips lower than the previous late session close at 7.0972 as of 0250 GMT and 0.14% weaker than the midpoint.
The offshore yuan traded at 7.0992 yuan per dollar CNH=, up about 0.17% in Asian trade.
The dollar's index =USD against six major currencies was 0.079% lower at 100.83.
China's central bank said it injected 568.2 billion yuan ($80.11 billion) through seven-day reverse repos in open market operations on Wednesday and that it would conduct the medium-term lending facility (MLF) loans rollover on Sept. 25.
Investors expect China to keep its policy accommodative, with the potential to ease further at its monthly loan prime rate (LPR) fixing on Friday and possible cuts to its reserve requirement ratio (RRR).
New bank lending in China jumped less than expected in August after hitting a 15-year low in July, as the central bank pledged to roll out more supportive measures to bolster a fragile economic recovery.
LEVELS AT 0250 GMT
INSTRUMENT | CURRENT vs USD | UP/DOWN(-) VS. PREVIOUS CLOSE % | % CHANGE YR-TO-DATE | DAY'S HIGH | DAY'S LOW |
Spot yuan <CNY=CFXS | 7.0972 | -0.04 | 0.07 | 7.0933 | 7.1005 |
Offshore yuan spot CNH=D3 | 7.099 | 0.17 | 0.36 | 7.0978 | 7.1068 |
Reporting by Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by Jacqueline Wong
Mga Kaugnay na Asset
Pinakabagong Balita
Disclaimer: Ang mga kabilang sa XM Group ay nagbibigay lang ng serbisyo sa pagpapatupad at pag-access sa aming Online Trading Facility, kung saan pinapahintulutan nito ang pagtingin at/o paggamit sa nilalaman na makikita sa website o sa pamamagitan nito, at walang layuning palitan o palawigin ito, at hindi din ito papalitan o papalawigin. Ang naturang pag-access at paggamit ay palaging alinsunod sa: (i) Mga Tuntunin at Kundisyon; (ii) Mga Babala sa Risk; at (iii) Kabuuang Disclaimer. Kaya naman ang naturang nilalaman ay ituturing na pangkalahatang impormasyon lamang. Mangyaring isaalang-alang na ang mga nilalaman ng aming Online Trading Facility ay hindi paglikom, o alok, para magsagawa ng anumang transaksyon sa mga pinansyal na market. Ang pag-trade sa alinmang pinansyal na market ay nagtataglay ng mataas na lebel ng risk sa iyong kapital.
Lahat ng materyales na nakalathala sa aming Online Trading Facility ay nakalaan para sa layuning edukasyonal/pang-impormasyon lamang at hindi naglalaman – at hindi dapat ituring bilang naglalaman – ng payo at rekomendasyon na pangpinansyal, tungkol sa buwis sa pag-i-invest, o pang-trade, o tala ng aming presyo sa pag-trade, o alok para sa, o paglikom ng, transaksyon sa alinmang pinansyal na instrument o hindi ginustong pinansyal na promosyon.
Sa anumang nilalaman na galing sa ikatlong partido, pati na ang mga nilalaman na inihanda ng XM, ang mga naturang opinyon, balita, pananaliksik, pag-analisa, presyo, ibang impormasyon o link sa ibang mga site na makikita sa website na ito ay ibibigay tulad ng nandoon, bilang pangkalahatang komentaryo sa market at hindi ito nagtataglay ng payo sa pag-i-invest. Kung ang alinmang nilalaman nito ay itinuring bilang pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, kailangan mong isaalang-alang at tanggapin na hindi ito inilaan at inihanda alinsunod sa mga legal na pangangailangan na idinisenyo para maisulong ang pagsasarili ng pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, at dahil dito ituturing ito na komunikasyon sa marketing sa ilalim ng mga kaugnay na batas at regulasyon. Mangyaring siguruhin na nabasa at naintindihan mo ang aming Notipikasyon sa Hindi Independyenteng Pananaliksik sa Pag-i-invest at Babala sa Risk na may kinalaman sa impormasyong nakalagay sa itaas, na maa-access dito.
