Dollar gains on U.S. election caution, surging COVID-19 cases
The safe-haven dollar rose to a four-week high on Friday, moving within narrow ranges, amid jitters ahead of next week’s U.S. presidential election and the continued surge in global coronavirus cases that has forced lockdowns in parts of Europe.
The greenback posted its largest weekly percentage gain since late September, with investors scooping up dollars due to fears of a contested election and the economic impact of renewed lockdowns in France, Germany and some regions of Spain.
The United States recorded its 9 millionth case on Friday, nearly 3% of the population, with almost 229,000 dead since the outbreak of the pandemic early this year, according to a Reuters tally of publicly reported data.
Friday’s economic data, meanwhile, which showed U.S. consumer spending exceeding forecasts, had little impact on the currency market.
In afternoon trading, the dollar index rose 0.2% to 94.035. On the week, the index was up 1.4%, its best weekly performance in more than a month.
The euro fell 0.3% to $1.1643, after sliding to a four-week low of $1.1640. The euro remains pressured overall after the European Central Bank on Thursday flagged further monetary easing in December.
FX volatility gauges for euro-dollar and most other major currencies were elevated, with that in the single currency at more than 10% on Friday.
The greenback was little changed against the yen at 104.66 yen, after rallying overnight from a five-week trough as it benefited from a rebound in U.S. Treasury yields and broad dollar buying.
Against the Chinese yuan in the offshore market, the dollar fell 0.2% to 6.6945 yuan.