Washington, Aug. 19 (SANA) The US dollar remained near multi-month lows against major currencies Wednesday as Treasury yields retreated and investors awaited the Federal Reserve’s latest meeting minutes for signals on interest rates.
The dollar index fell to 99.65, Reuters reported. The euro rose to $1.1577, near a two-month high, while sterling held at $1.3533, close to a three-month high, ahead of British inflation data.
The 10-year Treasury yield fell to 4.702%, while the 30-year yield declined to 5.282%. Markets are focused on the Federal Open Market Committee’s latest minutes, due later Wednesday, for indications on future monetary policy.
Japan’s Nikkei fell 2.97% to 65,459.71 points in early trading, while the broader Topix declined 2.72% to 4,027.56, following an overnight selloff in Wall Street technology stocks, Reuters reported.
Analysts at Sony Financial Group said rising long-term interest rates had heightened concerns over growth-stock valuations, while declines in technology and semiconductor shares also weighed on Japanese indexes.
Major US stock indexes closed lower Tuesday as fading expectations of an agreement to end the Middle East war weakened investor risk appetite.
Oil prices settled Tuesday at three-week highs after Iran signaled a more offensive posture and the United States ruled out extending the ceasefire agreement.
Brent crude rose 15 cents, or 0.17%, to $91.02 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate gained 44 cents, or 0.52%, to $84.94. Both benchmarks closed at their highest levels since July 24, Reuters reported.
Markets are closely monitoring developments in the Middle East, particularly US-Iranian negotiations aimed at reducing tensions and restoring maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, where vessel movements have declined sharply.
N.J/M.F
