WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. Dollar value inched higher following the release of stronger-than-expected August U.S. nonfarm payrolls numbers which spiked the expectations for a rate hike by the U.S. Federal Reserve in the near-term. However, the slide in crude oil prices due to the absence of any fresh strikes in the gulf, lowered inflationary pressure and weighed on the dollar.
Today, the U.S. Dollar Index DXY, which measures the Greenback against a basket of other major currencies, was last seen trading at 99.16, up by 0.20 (or 0.20%).
While against the Euro, the USD was trading at 1.161, up by 0.12%, against the GBP, the USD was trading at 1.351, up by 0.08%.
Against the USD, the Japanese Yen was trading at 156.250, down by 0.29%, and the Swiss Franc was trading at 0.810, down by 0.31%.
Against the Canadian Dollar was trading at 1.384, down by 0.34%. Today, the data from Statistics Canada revealed a decline by 41,700 for August, missing expectations for a 15,000 increase. The unemployment rate remained unchanged from the previous month at 6.40% in August, aligning with market expectations.
Against one unit of Australian Dollar, the USD was trading at 0.720, down by 0.07%.
Today, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released the latest U.S. nonfarm payrolls report, which exceeded expectations.
The economy added 162,000 jobs in August following an upwardly revised 23,000 rise in July and much higher than market expectations of 56,000.
Further, the change in total nonfarm payroll employment for June and July was revised, up by a combined 55,000.
The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.10% in August, in line with market expectations.
The number of unemployed increased by 115,000 to 7,030,000 while total employment surged by 569,000 to 162,750,000.
In the manufacturing sector, there was an upward trend showing an increase of 16,000.
U.S. economy is facing several headwinds in the form of the ongoing Middle East war which shows no sign of ending in the near-term, oil price rise due to supply disruption concerns, and the global uncertainty surrounding the trade relations with the U.S. due to the tariff war.
Today's numbers suggest that despite these pressures, the U.S. economy is gaining momentum.
Investors now anticipate that the surge could push the U.S. Federal Reserve to tighten its monetary policy.
Through a LinkedIn post, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Beth Hammack stated that both data and anecdotes from her district are telling her that monetary policy is not sufficiently weighing on the economy right now.
Of note, Beth is one among the three policymakers who dissented from the Fed's decision to hold interest rates steady in July.
Mentioning that inflation is above 3.00% and the labor market is stable, Hammack messaged that right now is the time to act.
Before the upcoming meeting of the Fed, the only significant inflation reports to be released are the Consumer Price Index and the Producer Price Index by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
According to the CME Group's FedWatch Tool, currently investors are betting on a 58.40% chance of a 25-basis-point interest rate-hike at the upcoming meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve on September 15-16 while the odds on rates being held at the current level stand at 41.60%.
The U.S. conducted a second wave of attacks against Iran following the first round of attacks over the weekend.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance stated that major combat operations against Iran have concluded and declined to call the recent strikes as a war with Iran.
However, Vance refused to give a timeline on when the conflict would end. He stated that U.S. would intervene if Iran targets ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
The absence of a fresh wave of attacks in the gulf lowered crude oil prices and the easing of consequent inflationary concerns restricted the U.S. dollar's upside movement.
Copyright(c) 2026 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2026 AFX News
