archiveKatsunobu Kato

Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato said he’ll seek another opportunity to talk with his US counterpart Scott Bessent next week to discuss currency matters, building on their dialogue last month.“We confirmed that currency rates should be determined by the market, and that excessive volatility can harm the economy and financial stability,” Kato said Friday at a post-cabinet meeting press conference, referring to his April bilateral meeting with the US Treasury secretary in Washington. “I’m looking for a chance to speak with Bessent again next week to discuss these points, if...

The dollar drifted lower on Monday after an early bump off a three-year low, as investor confidence in the world’s reserve currency remained in question following a stream of tariff-related pronouncements from US President Donald Trump.Investors braced for another volatile week as Trump’s imposition and then abrupt postponement of tariffs on goods imported to the US continued to sow confusion.The dollar reversed early gains as the Asian trading session got under way, languishing near a 10-year low against the Swiss franc at 0.8188.Sterling held to most of its 1.7 per...

US President Donald Trump’s latest accusation of China’s trade advantage via yuan depreciation suggests his sights are set on reducing the US trade deficit, according to analysts who also noted that a priority of China’s central bank is stabilising the currency against the backdrop of a strong dollar and mounting tariff risks.They contended that Trump’s warning on Monday – that China and Japan “can’t continue to reduce” their currencies because it is “unfair” to the US – clashes with Beijing’s actual efforts to prevent a sharp yuan depreciation. Japan also...