Asian session review: the dollar consolidated against most currencies

During today's Asian trading, the US dollar stabilized against the euro, but fell against the pound and the Japanese yen.

The ICE index, which tracks the dynamics of the dollar against six currencies (euro, swiss franc, yen, canadian dollar, pound sterling and swedish krona), rose by 0.01%.

The dollar index rose to weekly highs on the eve of the "hawkish" comments of the deputy chairman of the Federal Reserve System Richard Clarida. Clarida admitted that the rapid spread of the new COVID-19 "delta" strain carries risks for the US economy, but voiced a rather optimistic picture for the coming years. In his opinion, the situation on the US labor market will continue to improve, and inflation will remain above 2%, as a result of which "the necessary conditions for the Fed to raise the rate will be created by the end of 2022," and this will pave the way for its rise in 2023.

The index of business activity in the US services sector from ISM in July rose to a record 64.1 points from 60.1 points a month earlier, according to data from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), published on Wednesday. Experts expected an increase in the index to 60.5 points.

The pound rose by 0.15% against the US dollar. Market participants are waiting for the results of the Bank of England meeting, which will be announced today.