The U.S. currency started the new week with cautious movements, with an eye on the current geopolitical situation. Tensions in the air have gripped the global financial arena. Some analysts believe that the way out of this situation is the formation of a new monetary system.
In the event of such a scenario, the dollar will be among the minor currencies. The place of the USD in the new financial order does not provide for the unconditional leadership of the latter. A similar long-term forecast for the EUR/USD pair was published by Zoltan Pozsar, an analyst at Credit Suisse. Based on a number of factors, he stated changes in the global monetary order.
In his report "Bretton Woods III", Pozsar sets out his point of view on the formation of a new system of settlements and currency relations: "We are witnessing the birth of Bretton Woods III – a new world (monetary) order centered around commodity-based currencies in the East that will likely weaken the Eurodollar system and also contribute to inflationary forces in the West."
The expert emphasized that at the moment "a crisis of commodities is unfolding... and this crisis is about the rising allure of outside money over inside money." According to Pozsar, the basis of the Bretton Woods II system was internal means of payment. However, this bulk, which was considered unshakable, "crumbled a week ago when the G7 seized Russia's FX reserves," Pozsar said.
Recall that the former global financial system, Bretton Woods, provided for the dominance of the U.S. currency. It reached its greatest prosperity from 1944 to 1976, when the dollar took the leading place in the system of international settlements and storage of global reserves. However, now the USD is losing its dominant position, experts believe.
The world is preparing to update the existing monetary order, being on the threshold of the end of the "Eurodollar era." The era of regional currencies in the East begins, which are backed by goods. Such a scenario will lead Western countries to another round of inflation, experts say.
Many experts do not agree with this point of view and still believe in the stability of the greenback. According to analysts, the end of the "dollar hegemony era" is unlikely in the next few years. To prove this, arguments are given about the predominant number of currency transactions that are made in dollars. At the same time, the lion's share of global bank reserves is in the U.S. currency. Refusal of the greenback is possible only in the event of a large-scale global crisis comparable to the Second World War. Recall that after its completion, the USD acquired the status of a world currency.
The replacement of the dollar by the yuan, which has been much talked about lately, is hardly possible in the foreseeable future. According to experts, the Chinese currency does not have such a strong base and global recognition as the U.S. dollar. Such a level of confidence in the yuan, as in the USD, has not yet been formed. At the same time, China is a cunning and cautious market player, analysts are sure. The Chinese government is able to deal harshly with their trading partners and is very reluctant to go beyond their interests, which are mainly related to the Asia-Pacific region.
The disadvantage of the Chinese currency is its small number in the global financial system. Currently, the share of the greenback in international trade settlements is approaching 50%, and in reserves, it reaches 60%. At the same time, the share of the yuan does not exceed 5%, analysts emphasize.
Currently, the U.S. currency is trying not to miss a single opportunity for growth. According to COT reports, over the past week, major market players have significantly increased their positions to buy contracts for the dollar index (USDX). As a result, the net position on it rose from the lows recorded since September 2021.
The current data on the dollar index (USDX) fixes the growth of "bullish" sentiment on the U.S. currency. On Monday, March 28, the dollar index (the rate against a basket of currencies of six countries - key U.S. trading partners) rose by 0.37% to 989.15 points. This week, economists expect an increase in U.S. GDP by 7% and a reduction in unemployment in the country to 3.7%. Optimism about the U.S. currency is also promoted by the build-up of traders' positions on the rise of the latter.
