US recap: Yen in focus as reports spur hike talk
Yen may be at risk of being sold on the rate hike fact
AUD/USD-Shorts hold the advantage ahead of ADP, Fed meeting
July 30 (Reuters) -The dollar index was steady to lower on Tuesday as losses against the yen offset gains versus other currencies following reports that appeared to heighten the risk that the BoJ could increase interest rates this week.
Jiji news agency reported that the BoJ is considering raising short-term interest rates to around 0.25% from the current 0-0.1% at its two-day policy meeting that ends on Wednesday. Nikkei ran a similar report and said that Japan's finance ministry and cabinet office are expected to accept a rate hike if the BoJ goes that route.
Public broadcaster NHK also reported that the BOJ would consider raising interest rates, with many board members of the view that inflation is accelerating in line with their forecast.
Meanwhile, with the market discounting a hold-steady decision from the Fed on Wednesday, the question is whether the U.S. central bank sends signals about the September meeting or awaits more data and utilizes subsequent opportunities to telegraph future moves, such as the Aug. 24-26 Jackson Hole symposium.
U.S. JOLTS job openings data came in above forecast, with an upward revision to the previous month, while Conference Board consumer confidence also surpassed expectations, though with a downward revision.
Japan's new top currency diplomat, Atsushi Mimura, told Reuters that his country will retain its basic approach on the yen with intervention remaining an option to tackle excessively volatile moves in the exchange rate.
An Israeli air strike targeted a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut's southern suburbs late on Tuesday in what the Israeli military said was retaliation for a cross-border rocket attack three days before that killed 12 children and teenagers.
U.S. Treasury yields were down about 3bp across maturities in New York afternoon trade.
The S&P 500 fell 0.64% and the Nasdaq slid 1.17% as chip and megacap shares took a hit ahead of Big Tech earnings, while strength in financial stocks kept the Dow afloat.
WTI was nursing losses of 1.16% after touching a 1-1/2-month low on worries about weaker demand from China and concerns OPEC+ could boost supplies in the future.
Copper dredged another four-month low on concerns about demand in top consumer China before rebounding 0.22% into positive territory on the day.
Gold rallied 0.92% as investors remained optimistic that the Fed could drop clues about lowering interest rates in September at the end of this week's policy meeting.
Heading toward the close: EUR/USD -0.08%, USD/JPY -0.38%, GBP/USD -0.22%, AUD/USD -0.15%, GBP/JPY -0.72%, EUR/JPY -0.49%, AUD/JPY -0.34%.
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(Burton Frierson)
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