Major global bank says potential dollar crisis looming
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The Deutsche Bank warned of major changes to global markets as Trump continues to barrage the world with tariffs, sending a shockwave through the global economy.
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US dollar bills are fanned out from a wallet in North Andover, Massachusetts. (AP)
Deutsche Bank has warned of a looming dollar crisis following United States President Donald Trump's wide-scale tariff bombardment on Wednesday.
Major changes in capital flows could destabilize currency markets, warned George Saravelos, global head of foreign exchange research at the German financial giant, in a client note on Thursday, as cited by Reuters. “Our overall message is that there is a risk that major shifts in capital flow allocations take over from currency fundamentals and that FX [foreign exchange market] moves become disorderly,” Saravelos wrote.
A prolonged erosion of trust in the dollar could have far-reaching consequences, particularly for the eurozone, creating challenges for the European Central Bank (ECB), Saravelos cautioned, stating, “The last thing the ECB wants is an externally imposed disinflationary shock from a loss in dollar confidence and a sharp appreciation in the euro on top of tariffs,” he said.
The tariffs could reduce US GDP growth by up to 1.5% and potentially push other major economies into recession, according to estimates from the Financial Times and Reuters, which report that other financial institutions, including JPMorgan and Fitch, have issued similar warnings.
Stock markets have tumbled worldwide, oil prices have dropped, and bond yields have retreated as investors brace for slower economic growth, while assets seen as safe havens—including gold and the Swiss franc—have all seen an increase in demand, highlighting the swift fallout from the tariffs.
Markets witness shakeup
Trump's tariffs sent waves across global markets as traders waited anxiously for the White House announcement.
The US dollar saw a 1% drop against the Euro on April 2, with similar drops against other important currencies like the British Pound Sterling and the Swiss Franc.
US stocks declined in after-hours trading following Trump's announcement of broad new tariffs set at a minimum of 10%, with even steeper rates imposed on certain countries.
The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), mirroring the S&P 500, dropped roughly 2%, while the Invesco QQQ ETF, tied to the Nasdaq-100 Index, fell 3.3%. The SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA) also slid 1%.
Major importers saw sharp losses in Wednesday evening trading, with Nike plunging 6% and General Motors dropping 3%. Stocks already battered by tariff concerns over the past month extended their declines, including Nvidia and Tesla, each down approximately 3%.
