Dollar near eight-day high as US data lifts Fed hike bets

On Thursday, the U.S. dollar reached a high not seen in eight days, buoyed by data from the U.S. Commerce Department. This data indicated a Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index increase of 3.7% over the past year, remaining flat from June and marginally higher than the 3.6% forecast by economists. The PCE index also rose by 0.2% on a month-to-month basis, reflecting a 0.1% upturn instead of the expected 0.1% decline after the 0.1% decrease observed in June.

This steady inflation data has not altered the prevailing expectation that the Federal Reserve will raise rates before the year's end, with Westpac economist Ryan Wells suggesting Chairman Kevin Warsh's upcoming speech at the Jackson Hole central bankers' symposium as the critical moment that could either confirm or refute these projections.

The dollar index, which gauges the dollar's strength relative to a basket of currencies including the yen and euro, surged 0.21% to 99.13, marking its peak since August 19. However, the yen saw a slight retreat, trading at 159.23, still far from the multi-decade low of around 164. Ahead of Himino's speech, traders expect him to hint at a potential September rate increase, with an 87% probability of this occurring, according to money market broker Totan Tanshi.

Meanwhile, other currencies held relatively steady against the dollar; the Canadian dollar remained at C$1.388 per dollar, the euro at $1.1655, and the British pound at $1.3592. Conversely, the Australian dollar and New Zealand's kiwi showed slight gains, up 0.18% and 0.1% respectively, against the greenback. In the realm of cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin experienced a 0.55% increase to $78,874.60, while Ether rose by 1.07% to $2,498.35.