Yahoo Finance 
U.S. dollar net shorts hit highest in over 3 years -CFTC, Reuters
(Adds table, analyst comment, details on euro and dollar
positioning)
April 29 (Reuters) - Speculators' bearish bets on the U.S (Other OTC: UBGXF - news) .
dollar hit their largest since February 2013, boosted by
expectations that the Federal Reserve will take its time in
raising interest rates this year, according to Reuters
calculations and data from the Commodity Futures Trading
Commission released on Friday.
The value of the dollar's net short position rose to $4.19
billion in the week ended April 26, from short contracts valued
at $1.85 billion in the previous week. Speculators were short
the dollar for a second straight week.
So far in 2016, the dollar has fallen 5.7 percent after
gaining more than 9 percent last year. The dollar was on track
for its worst yearly performance since 2007.
The culprit has been a generally dovish Fed that has been
proceeding with caution on raising interest rates given
persistent global risks to the U.S. economy.
The U.S. central bank held interest rates unchanged on
Wednesday and while it left the door open to a hike in June, its
statement implied it was in no hurry to follow on from its
December rate hike.
"The U.S. dollar has remained under pressure in the
aftermath of the FOMC decision, with a rising inflation
expectations and falling U.S. nominal yields depressing U.S.
real rates," wrote BNP Paribas (LSE: 0HB5.L - news) in a research note.
"We expect this process to continue in the week ahead, with
softer readings on Monday's manufacturing and Friday's (U.S.)
jobs report likely to bolster Fed concerns about slowing U.S.
activity."
In other currencies, euro net shorts continued to decline, to
their lowest in nearly two years. Net (LSE: 0LN0.L - news) euro shorts fell to 39,667
contracts, from 46,917 short contracts the week before.
BNP Paribas expects an improving outlook for the euro
against the dollar.
"We remain long this pair (EUR/USD), targeting a move up to
$1.16," the French bank said.
Japanese Yen (Contracts of 12,500,000 yen)
April 26, 2016 Prior week
week
Long 97,470 105,710
Short 30,972 33,840
Net 66,498 71,870
EURO (Contracts of 125,000 euros)
April 26, 2016 Prior week
week
Long 99,072 101,211
Short 138,739 148,128
Net -39,667 -46,917
POUND STERLING (Contracts of 62,500 pounds sterling)
April 26, 2016 Prior week
week
Long 40,431 32,765
Short 89,100 87,917
Net -48,669 -55,152
SWISS FRANC (Contracts of 125,000 Swiss francs)
April 26, 2016 Prior week
week
Long 23,990 19,859
Short 14,725 10,449
Net 9,265 9,410
CANADIAN DOLLAR (Contracts of 100,000 Canadian dollars)
April 26, 2016 Prior week
week
Long 37,104 32,473
Short 25,105 25,165
Net 11,999 7,308
AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR (Contracts of 100,000 Aussie dollars)
April 26, 2016 Prior week
week
Long 109,932 97,472
Short 50,392 53,366
Net 59,540 44,106
MEXICAN PESO (Contracts of 500,000 pesos)
April 26, 2016 Prior week
week
Long 34,602 43,925
Short 53,917 58,334
Net -19,315 -14,409
NEW ZEALAND DOLLAR (Contracts of 100,000 New Zealand dollars)
April 26, 2016 Prior week
week
Long 24,459 22,674
Short 17,075 17,323
Net 7,384 5,351
(Reporting by Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss; Editing by Chizu
Nomiyama and Marguerita Choy)
