New Taiwan Dollar Fluctuates, Closes at 31.818, Up 5 Cents

The New Taiwan Dollar (NTD) fluctuated throughout the day on August 26, ultimately closing at 31.818 per US dollar, up 5 cents. Trading volume at the Taipei Foreign Exchange Brokers' Association reached USD 1.202 billion, reflecting a continued low-volume consolidation pattern.

The NTD opened at 31.830, up 3.8 cents, with an intraday high of 31.809 and a low of 31.877. The morning session saw a tug-of-war between buyers and sellers, while the afternoon was dominated by appreciation pressure. The intraday range reached 7.8 cents.

Among major Asian currencies, the Japanese yen appreciated nearly 0.2%, and the NTD rose 0.16%. The Chinese yuan and Singapore dollar remained near flat, while the South Korean won depreciated nearly 0.1% and the Thai baht fell about 0.15%. Meanwhile, the US Dollar Index edged up approximately 0.05%.

Uni Securities Investment Trust stated that market expectations for the resumption of energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have increased due to Iran and Oman discussing a temporary framework, leading to a sharp drop in oil prices and a pullback in US Treasury yields. Attention now turns to Federal Reserve Chair Powell's speech at the Jackson Hole central bankers' symposium on Friday, with investors closely watching whether he maintains his current stance and any updates on inflation, interest rates, and the Fed's communication policy.

Additionally, some financial institutions noted that weaker-than-expected US economic data—specifically the August Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index and July new home sales—led to a decline in 10-year Treasury yields, easing market concerns over inflation and high interest rates.