管涛 | 4月外汇市场分析报告：极限关税施压无碍银行结售汇顺差扩大

Core Viewpoint - In April, despite extreme tariff pressures, the RMB exchange rate quickly stabilized and rebounded after a brief adjustment, while the multilateral exchange rate continued to weaken. The passive appreciation of the RMB under a weak dollar index should not be overly concerning [3][5][6]. Group 1: RMB Exchange Rate Dynamics - In April, the RMB exchange rate initially fell due to the impact of Trump's tariffs but rebounded quickly, with the onshore RMB rate at 7.2632 and offshore RMB rate at 7.2689 by the end of the month, reflecting a depreciation of 0.2% and 0.1% respectively compared to the previous month [5][6]. - The RMB nominal effective exchange rate index fell by 2.2% in April, which was greater than the 1.4% decline in the dollar index, indicating a broader weakening of the RMB against other currencies [6][7]. - The RMB's actual effective exchange rate weakened due to inflation differentials, which helps maintain the price competitiveness of Chinese exports [7]. Group 2: Cross-Border Capital Flows - Cross-border capital continued to show net inflows, with a historical high of $630 billion in goods trade surplus in April, despite pressures in securities investment [10][11]. - In April, foreign investment in domestic bonds increased by $109 billion, indicating a strong interest in RMB-denominated assets, supported by effective government measures [11][12]. - The net outflow in securities investment was $125 billion, but this was less than the average monthly outflow of $284 billion from October 2024 to January 2025, suggesting limited pressure on cross-border capital outflows [11][12]. Group 3: Market Responses and Government Actions - The Chinese government implemented a series of financial support policies and counter-tariff measures, which helped stabilize market expectations and maintain foreign investment interest in RMB assets [12][10]. - The Central Huijin Investment Company announced plans to increase holdings in ETFs and quality stocks, reinforcing market confidence [12]. - The willingness of market participants to settle foreign exchange transactions increased, with a surplus in bank foreign exchange settlements rising from $63 billion to $166 billion in April [16][17].