Dollar loses steam after jobless claims data; Kuroda takes centre stage in Asia

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – The dollar paused its ascent on Friday after a rise in jobless claims in the United States implied possibly easing conditions in the labour market and tempered expectations of further aggressive rate hikes from the Federal Reserve.

新加坡（路透社）——美元周五暂停升势，此前美国初请失业金人数上升暗示劳动力市场状况可能放缓，并削弱了美联储进一步大幅加息的预期。

In Asia, moves were subdued as markets remained on guard ahead of the Bank of Japans (BOJ) monetary policy decision at the conclusion of a policy meeting, the last to be chaired by incumbent BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda before he steps down in April.

在亚洲，由于市场在日本央行 (boj) 货币政策会议结束前保持警惕，市场保持警惕，最后一次由现任日本央行行长黑田东彦在 4 月卸任前担任主席。

The yen held steady in early Asia trade, and was last 0.2% higher at 135.89 per dollar, retreating from a nearly three-month low hit earlier in the week.

日元在亚洲早盘交易中持稳，最后上涨 0.2%，兑美元汇率为 135.89，从本周早些时候触及的近三个月低点回落。

The BOJ is widely expected to maintain ultra-low interest rates on Friday and refrain from major changes to its controversial bond-yield control policy, leaving options open ahead of a leadership transition in April.

人们普遍预计日本央行周五将维持超低利率，并避免对其有争议的债券收益率控制政策进行重大调整，从而在 4 月份的领导层交接之前留下多种选择。

“In theory, it should be a non-event, but there is a non-zero chance that Kuroda goes out with a bang and alters yield curve control,” said Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone.

pepperstone 研究主管 chris weston 表示：“从理论上讲，这应该不会发生，但黑田东彦大刀阔斧改变收益率曲线控制的可能性不为零。”

The yen has come under downward pressure again in recent weeks as the BOJ has remained ultra dovish, while interest rate expectations in the United States have ramped up.

近几周日元再次面临下行压力，因为日本央行保持超鸽派立场，而美国的利率预期有所上升。

That has caused the yen to weaken from January highs, and reversing a rally that followed a surprise tweak to yield curve control by the BOJ in December.

这导致日元从 1 月的高点走弱，并扭转了日本央行 12 月意外调整收益率曲线控制后的涨势。

Elsewhere, the U.S. dollar slipped marginally on Friday.

其他方面，美元周五小幅下滑。

The euro rose 0.13% to $1.0595, while sterling edged 0.05% higher to $1.1932, both some distance from multi-month lows hit on Wednesday.

欧元上涨 0.13% 至 1.0595 美元，而英镑小幅上涨 0.05% 至 1.1932 美元，均距离周三触及的数月低点有一段距离。

The kiwi gained 0.07% to $0.6106, but the Aussie slipped 0.13% to $0.6582.

新西兰元上涨 0.07% 至 0.6106 美元，但澳元下跌 0.13% 至 0.6582 美元。

Data released on Thursday showed that the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits increased by the most in five months last week, though the underlying trend remained consistent with a tight labor market.

周四公布的数据显示，上周美国初请失业金人数增幅为五个月来最大，但基本趋势仍与劳动力市场吃紧相一致。

Nonetheless, the jump in jobless claims was enough to cause traders to unwind some bets that U.S. rates would rise much higher than previously expected. Futures pricing now implies a roughly 54% chance that the Fed will raise rates by 50 basis points this month, compared with 70% before the data release.

尽管如此，申请失业救济人数的激增足以让交易员解除对美国利率将远高于此前预期的一些押注。期货定价现在暗示美联储本月加息 50 个基点的可能性约为 54%，而数据发布前为 70%。

The Fed funds rate is projected to peak just below 5.5% by July.

预计到 7 月，联邦基金利率将达到略低于 5.5% 的峰值。

Against a basket of currencies, the U.S. dollar index fell 0.12% to 105.12 but remained on track for a weekly gain of nearly 0.6%. It surged earlier in the week after Fed Chair Jerome Powell struck a more hawkish tone than markets had expected at his semi-annual testimony before the Senate Banking Committee.

美元指数兑一篮子货币下跌 0.12% 至 105.12，但仍有望实现近 0.6% 的周涨幅。在美联储主席杰罗姆鲍威尔在参议院银行委员会的半年度证词中发表了比市场预期更鹰派的基调后，本周早些时候飙升。

Focus now turns to the closely watched nonfarm payrolls report due later on Friday, the next major data point that could offer clues on the Feds next steps for monetary policy.

现在焦点转向将于周五晚些时候发布的备受关注的非农就业报告，这是下一个可能为美联储下一步货币政策措施提供线索的主要数据点。

According to a Reuters survey of economists, nonfarm payrolls likely increased by 205,000 jobs in February after surging by 517,000 in January.

根据路透社对经济学家的调查，继 1 月份激增 517,000 个后，2 月份非农就业岗位可能增加 205,000 个。

“The payrolls report has surprised us on the high side for, I think, about 10 straight months now, so its been a sign of real strength for the U.S. economy,” said Jarrod Kerr, chief economist at Kiwibank.

kiwibank 首席经济学家 jarrod kerr 表示：“我认为，就业报告已经连续 10 个月让我们感到意外，这是美国经济真正强劲的迹象。”

“It is a little frustrating for the Fed. They‘ve obviously tightened a lot, hoping it’ll have an effect. But we‘ve seen bounce back in a lot of activities indicators in recent months. So it looks like the job’s not done.”

“这让美联储有点沮丧。他们显然收紧了很多，希望它会产生影响。但近几个月来，我们看到许多活动指标出现反弹。所以看起来工作还没有完成。”

(Reporting by Rae Wee; Editing by Bradley Perrett)

（rae wee 报道；bradley perrett 编辑）