The US dollar index continued its decline for the second consecutive session during mid-day trading on Thursday, June 12, losing approximately 0.80% to trade at 97.62, following a 0.40% loss on Wednesday. This represents its lowest level since March 2022, affected by the decline in inflation in May, in addition to the rise in geopolitical tensions in the Middle East surrounding tariffs. Economic figures supported further declines.
The US Department of Labor announced that initial applications for state unemployment benefits remained stable for the week ending June 7 at 248,000, higher than expected.
The Producer Price Index (PPI), the complementary inflation measure, rose 0.1% in May after falling 0.5% in April for the first time since October 2023 and the largest in five years. This was revised down to a 0.2% decline, meeting expectations of a 0.2% increase. Prices rose 2.6% year-on-year, up from 2.4% in March. The core PPI, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose 0.1% in May and 2.7% compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump announced that he will send letters to his trading partners over the next two weeks to determine tariff rates before the July 9 ceasefire. US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the United States would withdraw its personnel from the Middle East amid rising speculation of an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities if a deal fails and Iran threatens to bomb US military bases. Tensions eased on Thursday, with anticipation of a US-Iran meeting next Sunday in Amman. The euro is trading at its highest level against the dollar since October 2021, at 1.1622, while the pound is trading at its highest level since February 2022, at 1.3615.