Asian Currencies and Dollar Dip as Trump’s Tariff Moves Spark Uncertainty

Asian currencies and the U.S. dollar weakened on Monday as markets awaited clarity on shifting U.S. trade policies under President Donald Trump. Investor sentiment remained cautious after Trump announced plans to send tariff letters to several countries at 12:00 p.m. ET on Monday, adding that BRICS-aligned nations would face an additional 10% tariff due to what he called anti-American actions.

The U.S. Dollar Index slipped 0.2% during Asian trading hours, while futures edged 0.1% lower. The uncertainty around the exact nature and timeline of the tariffs, expected to take effect on August 1, kept market participants on edge. Trump previously introduced a 10% base tariff in April, with potential increases up to 70%.

In currency markets, the South Korean won (USD/KRW) rose 0.4%, the Thai baht (USD/THB) jumped 0.7%, and the Malaysian ringgit (USD/MYR) gained 0.5%. Both the onshore Chinese yuan (USD/CNY) and offshore yuan (USD/CNH) moved up 0.1% and 0.2%, respectively. The Japanese yen (USD/JPY), Singapore dollar (USD/SGD), and Indian rupee (USD/INR) all edged 0.1% higher against the U.S. dollar.

Meanwhile, the Australian dollar (AUD/USD) dropped 0.5%, its third consecutive decline, amid rising expectations of a rate cut by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) on Tuesday. Analysts anticipate a 25-basis-point reduction, marking the RBA's third cut this year as inflation slows and global economic uncertainty persists. ING analysts noted that while a dovish RBA may weigh on AUD cross-pairs, the AUD/USD pair remains primarily influenced by U.S. trade developments.

Investors are now closely watching the upcoming central bank moves and further trade policy updates for market direction.