Dollar softer as oil slumps on pause in Middle East conflict

In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin BTC= was about flat on the day at $64,463. The dollar's softer tone comes ahead of the Federal Reserve's July 28 to 29 policy meeting. With new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh providing few clues on the policy outlook, traders see a roughly 33% chance of a quarter-point Fed rate hike on Wednesday, down from 37% at the end of last week but double the probability seen a week ago, according to CME Group's FedWatch tool. "It could be that the market is not particularly well-informed after this meeting because Warsh doesn't like to give forward guidance, and there is so much uncertainty, particularly with respect to how long the Iran war will last," said Jane Foley, head of FX strategy at Rabobank. Investors will also look to U.S. second-quarter GDP data and the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, core PCE inflation, this week for more clues on the health of the world's biggest economy. The dollar eased against major currencies on Monday as a pause in U.S. bombing in Iran sent oil prices lower and lifted risk appetite ahead of a busy week of central bank meetings. The euro rose 0.1% to $1.1374, while the U.S. dollar slipped 0.1% to 163.69 yen. The pound GBP= pared early gains to trade about 0.1% lower at $1.3308. Riskier assets rebounded and oil prices sank, with Brent crude LCOc1 tumbling 7.5% to $89.42 per barrel after the U.S. military temporarily halted its two-week-long strikes. Tehran said it would also halt attacks if the U.S. maintained the pause, raising hopes for renewed diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict. The Bank of England and Bank of Japan are widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged at their meetings on Thursday and Friday, respectively, while maintaining a cautious stance on inflation. With the yen pinned near last week's 40-year lows against the dollar, the Bank of Japan is expected to leave the door open to further hikes to arrest the currency's decline, although policymakers will likely stay ambiguous on the pace and timing of the moves. Verbal efforts to support the Japanese currency have so far yielded muted results. "The MoF's intervention window looks increasingly like it has passed," Ford said. "They need concrete evidence the USD top has been found," added Ford, who sees the risk of intervention beginning to climb once it has become clearer that oil is also shifting lower. Sterling was modestly weaker on the day ahead of Thursday's BoE meeting. The central bank faces renewed inflation risks from higher oil prices, just days after new Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Finance Minister John Healey took office.

Dollar softer as oil slumps on pause in Middle East conflict

Bitcoin flat

Fed meeting in focus

Dollar eases as oil prices fall

BoE and BoJ meetings, yen intervention watch

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