How low will it go? What does it mean? How will it affect you, if at all?
Drop of the Dollar
Dollar's Drop Becomes Ominous -Investors
Sunday December 21, 12:43 PM EST
By Nick Olivari
NEW YORK (Reuters) - After months of looking at nothing but the bright side of a weaker dollar, investors are starting to look at the dark side of its struggle against the euro.
Demand for the dollar has been dampened by concerns about the widening U.S. current account deficit and expectations that benchmark U.S. interest rates will remain low.
For most of the past six months, that was seen as positive for the most part, as U.S. goods and services become cheaper compared with those produced overseas. Now though, investors are looking at the pace of the dollar's decline, fearing that an orderly drop in demand may turn into a rout.
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Roz
International Level: Ambassador / Political Participation: 595 59.5%
Well, mostly it won't have any effect on me directly, because I don't travel. If I were going to Europe right now, then the impact would be greater. It might make that BMW motorcycle I want cost even more. If it lasts, I suppose there will be some effect on me. US business will be impacted. Yet, I don't see how it hurts me.
I imagine european imported goods would become more expensive which would mean higher prices, but this would just make US goods relatively more affordable. It should help make tourists from Europe find it more affordable to come to the US. Should make it easier to sell US goods in Europe too because they will be more affordable in Europe.
International Level: Diplomat / Political Participation: 320 32%
From another discussion group I audit:
QUOTE |
From Bloomberg. This is a MOST important story. It says that many major producers are not willing to let the price of oil fall (not that it was going to in any event from recent trading patterns) as long as the USD is weak overseas. In other words, while we are not yet off a USD standard for buying oil, we are moving rapidly towards a USD purchasing power index for pricing crude. We can therefore wonder if a falling USD is any good for the US economy at all. If the US is quietly encouraging a depreciation of its currency to goose the economy, then in large measure rising oil prices will strip this away. We might also ask what happens now to Natural Gas prices. If there is dual pricing capability for many firms who can use both commodities, then a rising price of oil automatically means a rising price of NG. |
International Level: Ambassador / Political Participation: 595 59.5%
CNBC's The The Answer Desk, by John W. Schoen speaks about the effect of the weak/strong US dollar:
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Are you better off with a weak dollar or a strong one? The answer is: As long as you stay home, a weak dollar is good for your country. Think about it. We have a hard time these days making stuff in the U.S. at a price that's competitive with products made in, say, Mexico. One big reason is that the dollar is so strong relative to the Mexican peso. If you work in a Ford plant on a car that's going to be sold overseas, you love the weak dollar. It makes American products much cheaper to the rest of the world, helps American companies sell more, which keeps more manufacturing jobs from going to China - which, by the way, doesn't let its currency float and, thus, gets an unfair advantage. (But that's another column.) So doesn't a weak dollar eventually hurt the U.S.? Make us less competitive? Weaken our status as the world's currency? (You still don't hear about drug kingpins getting busted with millions of Japanese yen in cash, do you?) Yes, it could eventually catch up with us. But the dollar has survived much worse "devaluations" in the past, with no lasting harmful effect. From 1985 to 1988, for example, the dollar lost roughly half its value - against the then-dominant Japanese yen and German Deutsche mark. But German unification and Japan's decade-long recession took the wind out of those currency's sails. Never say never; but there don't seem to be any signs, yet, that the world is ready to cash out their dollars. https://msnbc.msn.com/id/3403854/ |
International Level: Diplomat / Political Participation: 320 32%
At the increasing rate the Euro is gaining on the US Dollar for me the only thing that could pull it down is:
1. War in Europe
2. The Union loses some of its members
Neither of those seem close at hand so the Euro will continue to rise for sure. I still remember the days when it was half the rate of the US Dollar - that was about six years ago.
International Level: International Guru / Political Participation: 3231 100%
I wouldn't worry about the us dollar vs. euro issue.
The recent vote for the european constitution all across the old continent just calmed down the race. Holland, France and soon Great Britain and Germany will vote againts the constitution. Of course it's just a referendum, but shows how europeans feel about uniting the continent.
My guess is that we'll see a good european constitution only in 2007, when more countries will begin negotiations to adhere to the EU. Then will see some big issues regarding this matter.
At the moment this is the current rate for Euros as compared to other monetary denominations around the world. From Germannews.com:
Selected currencies:
US (1 US$) 0.8116 Euro
Canada (1 Cdn$) 0.6514 Euro
Britain (1 Pound) 1.4887 Euro
Switzerland (100 SFr) 65.231 Euro
Japan (100 Y) 0.7602 Euro
Sweden (100 SKr) 10.928 Euro
South Africa (100 R) 12.210 Euro
International Level: International Guru / Political Participation: 3231 100%
QUOTE (lorandm @ 9-Jun 05, 5:27 PM) |
I wouldn't worry about the us dollar vs. euro issue. |
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Holland, France and soon Great Britain and Germany will vote againts the constitution. Of course it's just a referendum, but shows how europeans feel about uniting the continent. |
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My guess is that we'll see a good european constitution only in 2007, when more countries will begin negotiations to adhere to the EU. Then will see some big issues regarding this matter. |
International Level: New Activist / Political Participation: 19 1.9%