Weak dollar under pressure from FED comments

The dollar sank across the board, hitting a new 26-year low against sterling, in the immediate aftermath of comments from US Federal Reserve Bank chairman Ben Bernanke.

The central bank chief said the Fed is ready to counter the inflation risks caused by high oil prices, suggesting US rate-setters will be reluctant to lower interest rates further despite some signs of slowing growth.

Further sharp increases in crude oil prices have put renewed upward pressure on inflation and may impose further restraint on economic activity. There is no Goldilocks scenario from Bernanke who sees risks from inflation and an economic slowdown, the worst of both worlds.

Currency markets have been expecting the Fed to cut interest rates again in December, following reductions in the Fed Funds rate totaling 0.75 percentage points since the summer.

The central bank has said these cuts, bringing the benchmark rate to 4.50 %, were a pre-emptive move to stave off an economic slowdown as the housing market continues to decelerate and financial markets slowly recover from their turbulent summer.

Despite Bernanke's hawkish undertones, however, the dollar fell as markets appeared to focus on the negative economic tone of the speech. The US currency fell across the board, sinking to 2.11 against the pound, a new low since 1981.

The Pound had already strengthened to new dollar highs yesterday, after the Bank of England held rates at 5.75 %, quashing a growing minority view that it could reduce borrowing costs following a weak run of data. Nonetheless, analysts are convinced the next move in interest rates will be down, and some are speculating on a cut as early as next month.

With the economy facing the headwinds of previous interest rate hikes, considerable sterling strength, tightening credit conditions and rising energy costs, we see no need for the repo rate to remain at the present restrictive level of 5.75 %.

Mortgage calculators expect the first 25 basis point ease by February at the latest, with the clear risk that the BoE could begin as early as next month if leading indicators continue to soften rapidly.

The European Central Bank also held rates, at 4.00 %, a decision fully expected by markets. Most analysts believe the central bank will keep rates unchanged for some time as it tries to balance increasing euro zone inflation pressures with slowing growth.
Prices at the London open
GBPUSD – 2.1093
GBPEUR – 1.4367
EURUSD – 1.4680
GBPJPY – 237.38
GBPCHF – 2.3757
GBPAUD – 2.2789
GBPCAD – 1.9610
GBPZAR – 13.4263

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