Dollar's Steady Path Amid Trade Tensions and Inflation Data Delays

The U.S. dollar remained stable ahead of anticipated inflation data, with investors expecting the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates. Meanwhile, trade concerns emerged as President Trump ended talks with Canada. Attention turned to the upcoming Trump-Xi meeting, which may ease the U.S.-China trade war tensions.

The U.S. dollar maintained its ground on Friday, poised for modest gains against major currencies, as traders awaited tardy inflation figures. This data isn't expected to halt the Federal Reserve's plan to reduce interest rates in the coming week. Trade tensions resurfaced following President Trump's decision to terminate discussions with Canada over an advertisement issue.

The Canadian dollar weakened slightly, trading at 1.4008 per U.S. dollar. Investor focus shifted to the anticipated meeting between President Trump and China's President Xi Jinping, with hopes of resolving ongoing trade disputes. Ben Bennett, investment strategist at L&G Asset Management, noted high expectations for a de-escalation post meeting in South Korea.

Amid the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, traders are keenly watching the Consumer Price Index release, expected to show incremental gains. Analysts foresee the data supporting a rate cut by the Fed, as traders largely anticipate another reduction by December. Concurrently, new U.S. sanctions on Russian entities influenced oil prices, impacting related currencies like the yen.

(With inputs from agencies.)