Posts tagged: Singapore Dollar

Here Come The Risk Events: Inflation, BRICS, Iranian War and the U.S Fed

Now that we have alerted technical traders about the long-term depths of the USD/SGD being flirted upon once again, it needs to be pointed out that a parade of risk events are standing in front of global Forex today and next week. First up today is the U.S Consumer Price Index inflation data. This weekend the 18^th BRICS Summit will be conducted in New Delhi, India as geopolitics and trade talks will get plenty of attention. Next Wednesday the U.S Federal Reserve will issue its FOMC Statement and Federal Funds Rate decision – which may produce a climax for theatrical trading in the coming week.

While it feels almost needless to say, the Iranian War has not relented. The price of WTI Crude Oil is around $100.65 per the cash market. The sustained highs achieved in the past couple of days do not show many signs of suddenly relenting. WTI Crude Oil was around $86.50 around the 1^st of September, the USD/SGD was near 1.27200. To create a bit more alarm regarding the risk horizon going into this weekend the U.S 10-Y Treasury yields lurk around 4.945%, the 30-Y Bond yields are close to 5.355% – none of this sits well with the U.S White House, nor Treasury. In the midst of this investment noise, the price of Gold is close to $4,345.00, which still looks cheap considering current circumstances.

Crude Oil supplies remain anxious globally and inflation is certainly causing angst for citizens and a variety of government policies. Singapore will report August inflation data on the 23^rd of September, July’s inflation data came in around 2%, with energy costs being the culprit for higher prices in many cases. The USD/SGD was near 1.29500 around the 14^th of July. Prices for energy have not gone lower and the likelihood of them turning cheaper soon remains unlikely.

USD/SGD Correlations and Current Sentiment

USD centric action since the first week of July has showed weakness against many major currencies including the Singapore Dollar. Let’s put the USD/JPY to the side because of the intervention via the Bank of Japan and input of the U.S Treasury and Federal Reserve collectively. The USD/SGD is correlating to the broad market. Risk averse decisions have been prevalent in stock markets. The U.S major indices while remaining near higher altitudes are showing cautious behavioral sentiment.

The USD/SGD certainly went lower in January and early February of this year, but this occurred as doses of optimism were filling the air and in the absence of the Iranian war. Yet, the downturn in the USD/SGD has been formidable since highs around 1.29900 were seen on the 24^th of June. In late November of 2025 the currency pair flirted with the 1.31000 level. 

Federal Reserve and Treasury Battle with Reality

The U.S Treasury and Federal Reserve will not tell the U.S public that the USD loss of value is an invisible tax. Nor does President Trump want Crude Oil prices to remain high because Americans are certain to get angry about more expensive gasoline prices, particularly if they remain elevated after being promised costs will come down. Reality may prove painful for all parties in the coming months.

Which leaves us with the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision this coming Wednesday and how it decides to decode the current anxious inflation concerns. Will the Fed try to explain that they still believe – due to the U.S intended Iranian war policy and its belief they will win in the coming months – that the Federal Funds Rate remains situated properly at around 3.50-3.75%? Delivering the important question regarding what exactly has been traded into the USD/SGD. Have financial institutions traded an interest rate increase into the currency pair already?

It certainly feels like long-term investors who believe the Federal Reserve will have to raise interest rates to fight against stubborn inflation have refused to buy Treasuries cheaply and thus forced yields upwards the past months. So what does the Federal Reserve do as an ‘independent’ institution knowing that U.S White House and Treasury desires may not match policy coordination? It is the 40+ trillion USD debt question.

Will Fed Chair Kevin Warsh actually dare to raise the current borrowing rates and say that it is quite possible the rate can be lowered again in the mid-term? Or does he admit that as feared by many financial institutions that two to three interest rate hikes will be needed per old school economic thoughts, which may actually make the current circumstances of average Americans much worse with higher borrowing costs created across the board as a side effect?

Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh has not exactly proven efficient while addressing journalists and Fed watchers quite yet. His speech this coming Wednesday on the 16^th will be crucial for the broad markets. The USD/SGD is trading within its lower realm, but durable support technically does lurk. Jittery Forex trading awaits for all.

Will the Federal Reserve be bold enough to actually NOT increase the current Federal Funds Rate and talk about the risks to the U.S economy because of potential recession concerns; this as the mid-term elections lurk in November and President Trump watches and doesn’t want talk about a slowdown in the U.S economy heard from what he considers his administration. However, the Fed is independent and can do as it wants in theory.

At this point the Federal Reserve and Treasury should make sure the drama is coordinated because many eyes will be focused on the coming show. And the end result over the near-term will be volatile Forex and a USD/SGD that reacts with price velocity depending on the immediate reactions from financial institutions as they judge the path ahead which will likely remain unclear.