CURRENCIES: British Pound Falls As Cross-party Brexit Talks Collapse; Japanese Yen Buoyed
17 May 2019 - 2:07PM
Dow Jones News
By William Watts, MarketWatch
China central bank won't let yuan fall past 7 to dollar:
report
The British pound remained in the spotlight Friday, extending a
decline versus major rivals after talks between the U.K.'s two main
political parties collapsed without an agreement on how to pursue
the country's exit from the European Union.
The Japanese yen, meanwhile, gained ground on apparent
haven-related buying as worries over the U.S.-China trade battle
pressured global equity markets
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/stock-index-futures-point-lower-putting-rebound-in-danger-after-china-casts-doubt-on-further-trade-talks-2019-05-17).
The British pound fell to a four-month low versus the U.S.
dollar to change hands Friday morning at $1.2741, down from $1.2847
in New York trading hours late Thursday. The euro rose 0.3% to
87.66 pence.
"Markets are converging on a scenario of May's early exit and
her replacement with a pro-Brexit PM and, implicitly, a growing
risk of no deal exit and GBP weakness as a result," said Adam Cole,
chief currency strategist at RBC Capital Markets, in a note.
Six weeks of talks between Prime Minister Theresa May's
Conservative party and Labour, led by Jeremy Corbyn, ended without
agreement on Friday. May will now make a fourth attempt to win
support for her exit agreement with the EU. Another defeat would be
expected to lead to her resignation. May, under pressure from
Conservative lawmakers, agreed Thursday to make plans to in
mid-June to choose her successor.
Brexit Brief:Cross-party talks called off as rejection of May's
deal looms
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/brexit-brief-cross-party-talks-in-doubt-as-rejection-of-mays-deal-looms-2019-05-17)
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/brexit-brief-cross-party-talks-in-doubt-as-rejection-of-mays-deal-looms-2019-05-17)The
ICE U.S. Dollar Index , a measure of the U.S. currency against a
basket of six major rivals was up 0.1% at 97.905. The euro was
slightly lower versus the U.S. unit at $1.1171 versus its level
late Thursday at $1.1204.
Against the yen, one dollar fetched Yen109.51, down slightly
from Yen109.59. The euro was off 0.4% against the Japanese currency
at Yen122.33.
China's yuan fell to its lowest level versus the dollar since
December on Friday. The U.S. bought 6.9142 yuan. The dollar was
0.2% higher versus the currency in offshore trade at 6.9442
yuan.
Reuters, citing unnamed sources, reported that China's central
bank would use foreign exchange intervention and monetary policy
tools
(https://www.reuters.com/article/china-markets-yuan-pboc/chinas-cbank-will-not-let-yuan-decline-past-7-to-the-dollar-sources-idUSL4N22T0W5)
to make sure the yuan doesn't weaken past 7-per-dollar in the
immediate term.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 17, 2019 08:52 ET (12:52 GMT)
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