Goldman Sachs Group has stated that U.S. support for Japan's efforts to boost the yen is unlikely to undermine the dollar's position as the world's primary reserve currency. As the largest foreign investor in the $31 trillion U.S. Treasury market, Japan's joint intervention last month raised some concerns that U.S. backing for the yen might be aimed at preventing unnecessary volatility in Treasuries, which could potentially erode market confidence in the dollar's reserve status.
Goldman Sachs indicated that this argument assumes the U.S. might in the future try to prevent other countries from selling Treasuries. "This appears to be an overinterpretation," strategists including Michael Cahill wrote in a report. "We do not believe this will have a negative impact on the dollar's reserve currency status."
The bank noted that Japanese authorities can utilize the Federal Reserve's Foreign and International Monetary Authorities Repo Facility (FIMA Repo Facility), which allows foreign central banks to raise dollars without selling Treasuries. The report highlighted that this underscores a key advantage of the dollar: during normal times, deep capital markets meet countries' reserve-building needs, while during periods of stress, they provide access to liquidity.
The strategists added, "We believe that the U.S. Treasury's actions, combined with the availability and utility of the FIMA repo facility, help demonstrate that currently, no other currency can match the dollar's practical value, network effects, and supporting infrastructure."
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