US dollar edges up on better risk appetite, but seen capped long-term

[TOKYO] The dollar edged up against the euro and yen on Monday thanks to an improvement in risk appetite amid a bounce in equities, but Friday' strong US jobs data capped the greenback longer term by firming expectations that the Federal Reserve would not raise interest rates anytime soon.

The dollar was up 0.1 per cent at 100.69 yen after sliding to as low as 99.99 yen on Friday in the wake of the US jobs report. The report was much stronger than expected with jobs increasing by 287,000 in June, but it did not change the view that the Fed may not hike rates this year, particularly after May's payrolls growth was revised down to 11,000 from 38,000.

The euro was steady at US$1.1043, recovering slightly from Friday's low of US$1.1002.

Japan's Nikkei rose 3.0 per cent following Friday's gains on Wall Street, where shares soared on views that the Fed would not be in a hurry to tighten monetary policy. "We still see the yen appreciating in the medium to long term, but for the moment we see the market focusing on Bank of Japan's policy and Japan's fiscal stimulus plans now that the Japanese elections are over," said Shin Kadota, chief Japan FX strategist at Barclays in Tokyo.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition won a landslide victory on Sunday in an election for parliament's Upper House. While the win is seen clearing the way for the government to compile fresh stimulus measures, there are concerns that revising the constitution could now be given priority with economic steps taking a back seat.

Elsewhere, the pound steadied a little following the post-Brexit turbulence which has buffeted the currency through much of this month.

Sterling was little changed at US$1.2940 after crawling away from a 31-year low of US$1.2798 struck last week. Still, the pound was seen vulnerable in the longer term with the UK still in the beginning stages of working out its future relationship with the European Union.

The Australian dollar was down 0.1 per cent at US$0.7555 , not far from a two-week high of US$0.7574 reached Friday on the greenback's broad weakening.

REUTERS