The South Korean won strengthened to a nine-month high against the US dollar during Friday morning trading, following what analysts suspect was intervention by local foreign exchange authorities to stabilize the currency. At approximately 6:00 AM local time, the won was trading at 1,418 per dollar, marking its highest level since October 20 of the previous year.
Late Thursday evening in Seoul, the won briefly touched 1,419 per dollar before retreating, settling at 1,430 by 9:37 AM Friday. This appreciation aligns with a concurrent rally in the Japanese yen, which climbed to around 158 per dollar during New York trading hours, reaching its strongest point in over two years.
Analyst Lee Min-hyuk from KB Kookmin Bank highlighted a growing correlation between the two currencies, fueling speculation that regulatory bodies in both South Korea and Japan may have stepped into the market. He suggested that the synchronized overnight strength of the won and yen "could indicate that South Korean and Japanese authorities may have intervened jointly."
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