Dollar strengthens as bulls wager fed rate increase is in sight

(Bloomberg) – The dollar climbed as traders showed a growing conviction that the Federal Reserve is poised to raise interest rates by year-end.

The greenback rose against most Group of 10 countries as futures prices signaled a slightly increased probability of a rate hike by December, at 68 percent. Traders anticipate minutes of the Fed’s September meeting due Oct. 12 will provide clues on how close policy makers are to deeming U.S. economic growth and inflation strong enough to merit tighter monetary policy.

Forecasters predict the dollar has a good chance of strengthening through year-end after last week posting its longest winning run versus the yen since July 2014. Hedge funds’ net positions that profit from a stronger greenback reached the highest level since February in the week through Oct. 4. Dollar traders will parse Fed Chair Janet Yellen’s speech in Boston on Oct. 14 for the central bank’s views on the economy.

“The data keeps the Fed on track for a December move, but that’s not a slam-dunk decision at this point,” said Ned Rumpeltin, European head of currency strategy at Toronto-Dominion Bank in London.