The dollar drifted sideways on Wednesday, giving some relief to the yen and other major currencies after a sharp rally to a seven-week high last week, as investors paused to assess the interest rate outlook for the United States.
Most Asian markets fell on Tuesday, tracking overnight weakness in Wall Street as strength in the U.S. job market drove bets that interest rates will remain relatively high.
Oil prices fell more than $1 a barrel on Tuesday as traders took profits from a rally in the previous session that lifted the market to its highest level in over a month on fears the Middle East could be on the brink of a region-wide war.
The dollar clung to seven-week highs against major currencies on Tuesday as investors ponder the outlook for U.S. rates after a strong jobs report last week dashed bets for large rate cuts, while escalating tensions in Middle East dented risk sentiment.
Asian stocks rallied and the dollar reached a fresh seven-week peak on the yen on Monday after blowout U.S. labour data dispelled fears of a recession and spurred a sharp paring of rate-cut bets.
Oil prices fell in Asian trade on Monday, retreating after a flare-up in Middle East tensions sparked their biggest weekly gain in over a year, with focus squarely on the long-running Israel-Hamas war.