Goh doubted external demand for China's goods would pick up any time soon despite the government's support plan, and he expected this to cap the yuan's strength. The spot yuan opened at 6.9198 per dollar and was changing hands at 6.9216 at midday, 107 pips stronger than the previous late session close and 0.03% stronger than the midpoint.
The People's Bank of China set the midpoint rate at 6.9237 per U.S. dollar prior to market open, weaker than the previous fix 6.8847.and a six-week low. The spot rate is currently allowed to trade with a range 2% above or below the official fixing on any given day. The global dollar index fell to 101.826 from the previous close of 101.863.
Upcoming dividend payments by overseas-listed Chinese companies' were likely to dampen the yuan's strength, according to a recent research by China Zheshang Bank.
Hong Kong-listed Chinese companies will need to pay out
dividends totalling about $56 billion between April and August,
it said.
The offshore yuan was trading 0.16% weaker than the
onshore spot at 6.9324 per dollar.
The one-year forward value for the offshore yuan traded at 6.7664 per dollar, indicating a roughly 2.45%
appreciation within 12 months.
The yuan market at 3:22AM GMT:
ONSHORE SPOT: Item Current Previous Change PBOC midpoint -0.56% 6.9237 6.8847
Spot yuan 0.15%
6.9216 6.9323
Divergence from
midpoint*
-0.03%
Spot change YTD
-0.31%
Spot change since 2005
revaluation 19.57%
OFFSHORE CNH MARKET
Instrument Current Difference
from onshore
Offshore spot yuan
* -0.16%
6.9324
Offshore
non-deliverable 2.32%
forwards 6.7669
**
*Premium for offshore spot over onshore
**Figure reflects difference from PBOC's official midpoint,
since non-deliverable forwards are settled against the midpoint. .
(Reporting by Georgina Lee, Winni Zhou; Editing by Simon
Cameron-Moore)