FX firmer as forint still set for first weekly loss since early June
PRAGUE, July 26 (Reuters) -Central Europe's currencies pushed higher for a second straight day, although the Hungarian forint was set for its first weekly loss in six weeks and the Czech crown was just off a multi-month low as interest rate cuts stay in focus.
The forint fell this week after Hungary's central bank delivered a 15th successive rate cut and said more could come this year.
Focus is turning to the Czech central bank, which meets next week and markets are weighing whether it will slow the pace of its easing cycle as signalled previously.
The forint EURHUF= had gained 0.2% on the day by 0857 GMT, trading at 391.50 to the euro. It has fallen from the 390 level this week.
"EUR/HUF could take a breather and stabilize for a while if HUF rates don't follow the core market today. However, we remain on the bearish side with more fair levels at 394 and higher," ING said.
A slowdown in the Czech rate-cutting cycle to 25-basis-point steps could help the crown next week, Komercni Banka analysts said.
The crown EURCZK= inched up 0.1% to 25.378 per euro after touching its lowest since February at 25.453 this week.
In Poland, the zloty has fared better than peers this year with a 1.5% gain so far in 2024 as the central bank there has held interest rates steady.
The zloty EURPLN= was up 0.2% at 4.279 to the euro and is set to take cues from global sentiment, which was on stronger footing.
U.S. economic data from overnight gave some cause for optimism, with economic growth faster than expected in the second quarter and inflation cooling. That helped dispel worries that the expansion was in danger of an abrupt end, while also supporting wagers for a Federal Reserve interest rate cut in September.
Bank Millennium said the data would support the euro/dollar - with the euro the main reference currency in central Europe - and "consequently also the zloty and other currencies in our region" amid lower liquidity amid the holiday season.
CEE MARKETS | SNAPSHOT | AT 1057 CET | |||
CURRENCIES | |||||
Latest | Previous | Daily | Change | ||
trade | close | change | in 2024 | ||
Czech crown | EURCZK= | 25.3780 | 25.3960 | +0.07% | -2.67% |
Hungary forint | EURHUF= | 391.5000 | 392.2000 | +0.18% | -2.12% |
Polish zloty | EURPLN= | 4.2790 | 4.2880 | +0.21% | +1.53% |
Romanian leu | EURRON= | 4.9698 | 4.9685 | -0.03% | +0.09% |
Serbian dinar | EURRSD= | 116.9500 | 117.0500 | +0.09% | +0.25% |
Note: daily change | calculated from | 1800 CET | |||
Latest | Previous | Daily | Change | ||
close | change | in 2024 | |||
Prague | .PX | 1604.88 | 1600.3600 | +0.28% | +13.50% |
Budapest | .BUX | 73187.29 | 72745.29 | +0.61% | +20.73% |
Warsaw | .WIG20 | 2413.96 | 2415.63 | -0.07% | +3.03% |
Bucharest | .BETI | 18550.19 | 18448.45 | +0.55% | +20.68% |
Spread | Daily | ||||
vs Bund | change in | ||||
Czech Republic | spread | ||||
2-year | CZ2YT=RR | 3.6510 | 0.0220 | +095bps | +0bps |
5-year | CZ5YT=RR | 3.6730 | -0.0150 | +130bps | -5bps |
10-year | CZ10YT=RR | 3.8130 | 0.0060 | +137bps | -3bps |
Poland | |||||
2-year | PL2YT=RR | 5.0840 | -0.0270 | +238bps | -5bps |
5-year | PL5YT=RR | 5.4720 | -0.0150 | +310bps | -5bps |
10-year | PL10YT=RR | 5.6420 | -0.0010 | +320bps | -4bps |
FORWARD RATE AGREEMENTS | |||||
3x6 | 6x9 | 9x12 | 3M interbank | ||
Czech Rep | CZKFRAPRIBOR= | 4.08 | 3.74 | 3.46 | 4.57 |
Hungary | HUFFRABUBOR= | 6.34 | 6.09 | 5.72 | 6.63 |
Poland | PLNFRAWIBOR= | 5.83 | 5.69 | 5.38 | 5.86 |
Note: FRA quotes | are for ask prices | ||||
************************************************************** | |||||
Reporting by Jason Hovet in Prague, Boldizsar Gyori in Budapest and Pawel Florkiewicz in Warsaw; Editing by Toby Chopra
For related news and prices, click on the codes in brackets:
All emerging market news EMRG CEEU CEE/
Spot FX rates
Eastern Europe spot FX EEFX= Middle East spot FX MEFX=
Asia spot FX ASIAFX= Latin America spot FX LATAMFX=
Other news and reports
World central bank news CEN Economic Data Guide ECONGUIDE
Official rates GLOBAL/INT Emerging Diary EMRG/DIARY
Top events M/DIARY Diaries DIARY Diaries Index IND/DIARY
Related Assets
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.