Dollar's Delicate Dance: Awaiting the Fed's Next Move

The U.S. dollar faltered as investors awaited insights from the Federal Reserve's Jackson Hole symposium, amid concerns over central bank independence due to President Trump's actions. The market showed mixed currency reactions, with attention on Fed Chair Powell's upcoming speech that could influence future rate decisions.

The U.S. dollar experienced a lull on Thursday, as investors anticipated future directions from the Federal Reserve's Jackson Hole symposium. Concurrently, market watchers are concerned about central bank independence following President Donald Trump's latest remarks. Currencies had a subdued response to the recent U.S.-EU trade deal announcement.

Among other movements, the euro and sterling held steady, while the Japanese yen and Swiss franc experienced slight losses. A potential Federal Reserve rate cut next month is considered likely by 79% of investors, who are keenly awaiting whether Fed Chair Jerome Powell will challenge these expectations during his upcoming address.

Concerns intensify over President Trump's pressure on the Fed, particularly following his calls for Fed Governor Lisa Cook to resign and previous critiques of Powell's pace of rate cuts. If Trump replaces Powell with a more dovish successor, there could be significant consequences for U.S. inflation and the dollar's stability.

(With inputs from agencies.)