Dollar retreats after U.S. inflation slows

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: U.S. one hundred dollar notes are seen in this picture illustration taken in Seoul February 7, 2011. REUTERS/Lee Jae-Won/File Photo

By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss

NEW YORK (Reuters) -The dollar weakened on Tuesday after data showed a less-than-expected rise in U.S. inflation last month, creating uncertainty about the timing of the Federal Reserve's tapering of its asset purchases.

Several Fed officials have suggested the U.S. central bank could reduce its buying of debt securities by the end of the year, but noted that an eventual interest rate hike would not happen for some time.

The Fed will hold a two-day monetary policy meeting next week, with investors keen to find out whether a tapering announcement will be made.

Tapering tends to benefit the dollar as it suggests it would be one step closer toward tighter monetary policy. It also means the Fed will be buying fewer debt assets, effectively reducing the number of dollars in circulation.

Data on Tuesday showing the U.S. consumer price index excluding the volatile food and energy components edged up just 0.1% last month has raised doubts about tapering this year, some analysts said.

August's CPI rise was also the smallest gain since February and followed a 0.3% rise in July. The so-called core CPI increased 4.0% on a year-on-year basis after advancing 4.3% in July.

"We didn't get a really high number on CPI, the fact that they came in just below expectations gives the Fed the chance to punt any taper implementation announcement from September to November," said Thomas Hayes, managing member at Great Hill Capital LLC in New York.

"The inflation numbers confirmed that the Fed can push it off a little bit more because there were worries if inflation numbers came in really hot then the Fed's hand might be forced to move sooner rather than later, in spite of recent employment numbers being weak," he added.

The dollar index slipped 0.1% to 92.498 (=USD), further retreating from more than a two-week high on Monday.

The euro rose 0.1% against the dollar to $1.1816. Against the Swiss franc, the dollar dropped 0.2% to 0.9201 francs.

"Another slowing in headline and core price inflation during August is probably a relief for FOMC members who have been concerned that the rapid pace of inflation is testing the limits of the term 'transitory,'" Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) said in a research note, referring to the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee.

"We remain comfortable with our call for a taper announcement to come in November or December." Currency markets were in a quiet mood overall on Tuesday, with a gauge of broader market volatility at its lowest since mid-June.In other currencies, the Australian dollar fell to a two-week low after Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Philip Lowe painted a very dovish policy outlook with no rate hikes on the horizon until 2024.

The Aussie dollar was last down 0.5% at $0.7336. In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin was last 2.9% at $46,244. Ether changed hands at $3,332 (ETH=BTSP), up 1.6%.

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Currency bid prices at 10:29AM (1429 GMT)

Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid

Previous Change

Session

Dollar index 92.5170 92.6260 -0.10% 2.818% +92.6650 +92.3210

Euro/Dollar $1.1819 $1.1810 +0.07% -3.27% +$1.1846 +$1.1801

Dollar/Yen 109.7500 110.0050 -0.23% +6.22% +110.1550 +109.7050

Euro/Yen 129.70 129.91 -0.16% +2.19% +130.1900 +129.6700

Dollar/Swiss 0.9201 0.9224 -0.22% +4.04% +0.9228 +0.9184

Sterling/Dollar $1.3860 $1.3841 +0.14% +1.45% +$1.3912 +$1.3831

Dollar/Canadian 1.2665 1.2642 +0.18% -0.54% +1.2671 +1.2602

Aussie/Dollar $0.7331 $0.7373 -0.55% -4.69% +$0.7373 +$0.7324

Euro/Swiss 1.0873 1.0888 -0.14% +0.61% +1.0904 +1.0873

Euro/Sterling 0.8526 0.8530 -0.05% -4.60% +0.8539 +0.8511

NZ $0.7110 $0.7118 -0.11% -0.99% +$0.7151 +$0.7103

Dollar/Dollar

Dollar/Norway 8.6185 8.6480 -0.26% +0.45% +8.6490 +8.5775

Euro/Norway 10.1865 10.2062 -0.19% -2.68% +10.2210 +10.1527

Dollar/Sweden 8.5885 8.6076 -0.02% +4.78% +8.6145 +8.5543

Euro/Sweden 10.1543 10.1560 -0.02% +0.78% +10.1740 +10.1300