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The US dollar's position as the world's primary reserve currency has endured for over eight decades, weathering numerous economic crises, geopolitical shifts, and challenges from emerging economies. Despite periodic predictions of its decline, the greenback continues to dominate international finance, trade, and central bank reserves. Understanding why this supremacy persists requires examining the complex interplay of historical, economic, and institutional factors that reinforce America's monetary hegemony.Historical foundation and the Bretton Woods LegacyThe dollar's reserve currency status originated from the 1944 Bretton Woods Agreement, which established a new international monetary system...

Some of emerging Asia’s biggest central banks look to be dialling back their interventions in the currency market.The central banks of India and Malaysia have reduced the size of some derivatives positions they use to weaken their currencies. Taiwan has allowed its currency to surge against the US dollar in recent weeks and dropped hints it would be comfortable with more if the moves were “orderly”. South Korea’s giant national pension fund has ended its five-month support of the won.A major reason for these moves is a simple change in...

(MENAFN- Asia Times) A targeted US military strike on Iranian military assets has reignited geopolitical risk in global markets, and the immediate fallout is being felt most acutely across emerging Asia. Asian currencies, equities and bonds are under renewed pressure as investors price in higher energy costs, a potential capital exodus and a delayed path to monetary easing. The Bloomberg Asia Dollar Index dropped 0.3%, its largest single-day decline in weeks. The South Korean won and Indonesian rupiah led regional currency losses, while equity markets from Manila to Seoul posted...

MUMBAI, June 23 (Reuters) - The Indian rupee declined on Monday alongside Asian currencies, as investors turned to safe-havens such as the U.S. dollar amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, although a retreat in crude oil prices helped cushion their losses.Market participants remained focused on Iran's response to U.S. attacks on its nuclear sites. Sign up here.The rupee closed at 86.75 against the U.S. dollar, down 0.2% from its close at 86.5850 in the previous session.Brent crude oil futures hit a five-month peak of $81.40 per barrel earlier in...

It’s been a tough few months for believers in the currency market version of Pax Americana.Dollar critics confidently proclaim that its reign is over. In Asia, this is a "sell America” moment. Any sane investor is scouring the planet for an alternative — one that offers all the advantages of the incumbent but none of the downside. Europeans also want in, extolling the virtues of the euro.Good luck with that. One of my reservations about this bearishness isn’t that the upheavals induced by U.S. President Donald Trump — tariffs, an...

Japan's tariff negotiator is expected to propose greater investment by Japanese companies in the United States in the upcoming ministerial-level tariff talks in Washington. Economic Revitalization Minister Akazawa Ryosei is set to take part in the third round of talks in Washington on Friday, local time. Sources say Japan will present a plan to expand Japanese firms' investment in the US. It is likely to include Nippon Steel's offer to invest billions of dollars in US Steel, if its bid to acquire the US steelmaker is approved. Japan apparently aims...

A major shareholder of Japan's Fuji Media Holdings says it will launch a proxy fight so that its candidates for the firm's board will gain approval at the upcoming general shareholders' meeting. Fuji Media Holdings is the parent company of Fuji Television Network. They have been under fire for their handling of a sexual misconduct scandal. The shareholder, Dalton Investments, has proposed 12 candidates for the board, including Kitao Yoshitaka, the head of Japanese financial services firm SBI Holdings. Fuji Media, which opposes the proposal, has picked 11 candidates of...