Dollar Stays Strong Against Dong: What This Means for Retail and Consumers

Group 1 - The U.S. dollar showed resilience against the Vietnamese dong, trading at VND26,446 at Vietcombank and VND26,620 in the informal market, despite a one-week low against major currencies [1] - The dollar index, measuring the currency against six major peers, was recorded at 97.814, having dipped to a low of 97.633, indicating a notable decline since last Wednesday [2] - The euro edged up to $1.1738, following a rise to $1.1762, while the dollar remained flat at 147.92 yen after a 1.2% drop over the previous three days [3] Group 2 - Political developments regarding the U.S. government shutdown could lead to a further decline in the dollar, as weak economic data may exacerbate the situation [4] - Market attention is shifting towards private-sector indicators due to the lack of official economic data, with heightened responsiveness expected as the Federal Reserve's monetary policy decision approaches on October 29 [3]