Dollar edges lower ahead of inflation print, ECB meeting

LONDON (Jun 9) - The dollar hovered at the lower end of recent gains on Wednesday as traders looked to upcoming U.S. inflation data and a European Central Bank (ECB) meeting to gauge the pace of global recovery and policymakers' thinking about paring back stimulus.

Investors have piled up bets against the dollar, but are growing nervous about whether the beginning of the end of enormous monetary stimulus is nigh - and worry that interest rate rises could end a 15-month dollar downtrend. [MKTS/GLOB]

Some think tapering could be hastened, and the dollar boosted, if U.S. inflation runs hotter than the 0.4% monthly clip that economists expect. For the ECB, the focus is on any signs of an imminent slowdown to its bond buying programme.

Both are due on Thursday and the anticipation has all but killed volatility in major currencies, as traders assume a wait-and-see stance. The euro ticked higher to $1.2191 by midday trade in London, while the dollar held firm at 109.47 yen.

Deutsche Bank's Currency Volatility Index hit its lowest level since February 2020 on Tuesday, and sank further on Wednesday. The U.S. dollar index was parked at 90.005.

Reuters