Dollar slumps after WSJ report; Trump tariffs may be delayed

Published 01/20/2025, 09:31 AM

Investing.com - The US dollar slumped Monday following a report that indicated that President-elect Donald Trump was set to delay imposing trade tariffs immediately upon his inauguration, an expectation which had boosted the US currency following his November election victory.

At 09:20 ET (14:20 GMT), the Dollar Index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six other currencies, traded 1.1% lower to 108.020, having climbed to a more than two-year high last week.

The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that Trump is planning to issue a broad memorandum on his inauguration that directs federal agencies to study trade policies and evaluate US trade relationships with China and America’s continental neighbors—but stops short of imposing new tariffs on his first day in office.

The memo, which the WSJ has seen, suggests that debates are still ongoing within the incoming administration over how to deliver on Trump’s campaign trail promises for hefty tariffs on imports from trade rivals such as China. 

The dollar has gained around 4% since the November presidential election as traders anticipated Trump's policies will be inflationary, necessitating higher interest rates for a longer period.

“Financial markets are on tenterhooks to see what executive orders newly elected US President Donald Trump will enact on his first day,” said analysts at ING, in a note.

“FX markets are most interested in what he has to say about tariffs and what kind of pain the Oval Office plans to inflict on major trade partners.”



Latest comments

If Trump is as smart strategically as he was in his first term, tariffs will have little or no impact on inflation. Same as last time. Also, energy prices have a huge impact on inflation. Food and all service prices go up when the cost of energy is up. If Trump successfully brings energy costs down, inflation will deflate way faster than most people ecpect.
A blunt stub phrase 'your wrong' hanging in the wind like your cold d*ck is about as carcinogenic as a breath of fresh air. Why don't you try again, first by using the correct grammar and second by offering an explanation to why this intellect is wrong. As it stands you're wrong.
Sam Richards rationalizing Lanc'e's historical ignorance ...again...
Ok AC whatever you say. There is no 'again' because that was the first and only response I made towards HighwayDude in reference to Lance. And buddy you gotta step up your game, I wasn't rationalizing anything other than how empty of a statement HighwayDude made. If you are gonna say someone is wrong than state your case. And so maybe Lance is right and maybe he is wrong. We will see won't we. And maybe you AC are right that this country is doomed but maybe it isn't. We will see. Lets see if these tariffs worsen the effects of inflation. I hope they don't and I hope you are wrong AC like you are about everything else.
As expected, once a loud mouth always a loud mouth. This time he is the swamp himself!
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