iFOREX Daily Analysis : August 09 ,2017

 | Aug 09, 2017 05:46AM ET


The dollar continued to trade near one-week highs against the other major currencies after data on Tuesday reinforced optimism over the strength of the U.S. job market.

The U.S. Labor Department said on Tuesday that the number of job openings, excluding the farming industry, settled at a record-high 6.163 million in June from 5.702 million a month earlier.

The report came after data on Friday showed that the U.S. economy added 209,000 jobs last month, blowing past expectations for an increase of 183,000.

The strong numbers fueled expectations the Federal Reserve will stick to its plans for a third interest rate hike this year.

Investors were now eyeing U.S. inflation reports later in the week for indications of whether the recovery in the dollar is sustainable in the longer term.

Energy markets are looking ahead to the highly-anticipated meeting of oil ministers from selected OPEC and non-OPEC producer countries to evaluate how the group can increase compliance with agreed production cuts that began at the start of the year.

Today, Canada is to report on building permits and the U.S. is to report on nonfarm productivity and labor costs.

USD/JPY

The yen reached eight-week highs against most currencies on Wednesday, reacting to the latest geopolitical tensions arising from the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea said on Wednesday it is "carefully examining" plans for a missile strike on the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump told the North that any threat it presented to the United States would be met with "fire and fury".

Market participants' focus has now turned to the next trigger points that could heighten geopolitical tensions between the two countries.