Indonesian Rupiah steadies as traders weigh BI’s decision of holding rates
- USD/IDR remains calm following Bank Indonesia's unexpected decision to hold rates at 5.75%.
- USD remains under pressure as economic weakness outweighs rising energy-driven inflation concerns.
- Tensions rise as President Trump threatened Iranian infrastructure over Hormuz ship attacks.
USD/IDR moves little after posting minor gains in the previous day, trading around 17,960 during the Asian hours on Thursday. The pair steadies as the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) strengthens following Bank Indonesia's (BI) surprise decision to hold benchmark rates at 5.75%. Rather than raising borrowing costs, Governor Perry Warjiyo introduced targeted measures to attract foreign inflows and stabilize the currency.
Additionally, the USD/IDR pair holds ground as a weakening US economy outweighs energy-driven inflation fears, keeping the US dollar (USD) under pressure. While markets broadly expect the Federal Reserve (Fed) to leave interest rates unchanged at its upcoming meeting, shifting policy expectations and unclear guidance from new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh have added an extra layer of uncertainty to the Dollar's long-term outlook.
However, the downside of the US Dollar could be restrained due to the safe-haven demand as Middle East tensions remained in focus. Tensions escalated sharply after US President Donald Trump threatened to strike Iranian infrastructure if Tehran targets ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Iran to vow swift retaliation against US-linked energy assets across the region.
Iran-backed Houthi militants launched missile and drone attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. The assault marks the first direct strikes on tankers in the waterway, endangering a vital alternative export route for Saudi crude and opening a dangerous new front in the conflict.
Interest rates FAQs
Interest rates are charged by financial institutions on loans to borrowers and are paid as interest to savers and depositors. They are influenced by base lending rates, which are set by central banks in response to changes in the economy. Central banks normally have a mandate to ensure price stability, which in most cases means targeting a core inflation rate of around 2%. If inflation falls below target the central bank may cut base lending rates, with a view to stimulating lending and boosting the economy. If inflation rises substantially above 2% it normally results in the central bank raising base lending rates in an attempt to lower inflation.
Higher interest rates generally help strengthen a country’s currency as they make it a more attractive place for global investors to park their money.
Higher interest rates overall weigh on the price of Gold because they increase the opportunity cost of holding Gold instead of investing in an interest-bearing asset or placing cash in the bank. If interest rates are high that usually pushes up the price of the US Dollar (USD), and since Gold is priced in Dollars, this has the effect of lowering the price of Gold.
The Fed funds rate is the overnight rate at which US banks lend to each other. It is the oft-quoted headline rate set by the Federal Reserve at its FOMC meetings. It is set as a range, for example 4.75%-5.00%, though the upper limit (in that case 5.00%) is the quoted figure. Market expectations for future Fed funds rate are tracked by the CME FedWatch tool, which shapes how many financial markets behave in anticipation of future Federal Reserve monetary policy decisions.
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