The dollar edged higher against a basket of currencies on Monday thanks to strong U.S. August jobs data and amid fears of a potentially major escalation in the China-U.S. trade conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Friday that he was ready to slap tariffs on virtually all Chinese imports into the United States, threatening duties on another $267 billion of goods in addition to the $200 billion already facing the risk of duties.
“If there are any signs that the U.S. economy is finally hit by its own protectionist moves, then I think that’s the start of full-blown risk aversion,” said Masafumi Yamamoto, chief currency strategist at Mizuho Securities.
“This will at least lead to the weakness of the dollar against the yen,” Yamamoto said. He warned markets didn’t yet fully price in the impact of U.S. tariffs on virtually all imports from China.
The dollar index (DXY), which measures the greenback against a basket of six currencies, traded about 0.1 percent higher at 95.425 as of 0310 GMT, moving toward a three-week high of 95.737 hit on Tuesday last week.
