Trump complained about the US dollar’s strength throughout 2019 — but these 8 major currencies were even stronger | Currency News | Financial and Business News | Markets Insider – Business Insider

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REUTERS/Fredy Builes


President Trump railed against the US dollar’s relative strength through much of 2019, but eight major currencies are on track to outperform the dollar this year.

The US dollar index DXY is up roughly 1.2% in the year-to-date, surging in strength despite summer recession warnings and continued trade war tensions. It performed best against the Turkish lira this year, a Bank of America note comparing major currencies said Friday.

Trump reportedly asked White House aides to look into ways to devalue the American currency in early July. A weaker dollar would give the US an advantage in international trade, but currency manipulation would also cut into the country’s reputation abroad. Trump even critiqued China in the summer for how its central bank allowed the yuan to slip below a key psychological level in early August.

Here are the eight major currencies that outperformed the US dollar in 2019, ranked in ascending order. Performance is as of December 11.



8. Singapore dollar

Getty Images / Gavin Hellier

Performance against US dollar: 0.4%



7. Taiwanese dollar

Getty Images

Performance against US dollar: 0.7%



6. Japanese yen

REUTERS/Shohei Miyano

Performance against US dollar: 1.0%



5. Indonesian rupiah

Thomson Reuters

Performance against US dollar: 2.5%



4. Mexican peso

Jose Luis Gonzalez/REUTERS

Performance against US dollar: 2.8%



3. British pound

Reuters

Performance against US dollar: 3.4%



2. Canadian dollar

REUTERS/Mark Blinch

Performance against US dollar: 3.5%