美國消費支出疲軟壓低美元匯率

A lacklustre snapshot of US consumer spending released earlier on Wednesday is the latest piece of evidence to cast serious doubt over whether the Federal Reserve will lift its key interest rate later this year.

週三發佈的數據表明，美國消費者支出顯出頹勢。這成爲人們嚴重懷疑今年晚些時候美聯儲(Fed)會加息的最新證據。

The prospect that the US central bank would begin a tightening cycle ignited a 25 per cent rally in the dollar index - a broad gauge of the currency's strength - between June, 2014 and March of this year.

美國央行將啓動一輪緊縮週期的前景，刺激美元指數在2014年6月至今年3月期間上漲了25%。該指數是衡量美元強弱的大致指標。

It's performance has been mixed since as a combination of still weak domestic inflationary pressures and a darkening economic picture outside the US make it less likely US policymakers will lift rates this year.

該指數近來表現好壞參半。這是因爲，美國國內通脹壓力仍然較弱，加上美國以外經濟局面惡化，降低了美國政策制定者在今年內加息的可能性。

On Wednesday, the dollar index fell 0.9 per cent - its biggest drop since September 17, the day the Fed opted not to raise interest rates.

週三，美元指數下跌了0.9%，創下自9月17日美聯儲決定不加息以來的最大跌幅。

The losses for the dollar were widespread, with all 16 of the major currencies tracked by Bloomberg gaining.

美元貶值的範圍很廣，彭博(Bloomberg)追蹤的16種主要貨幣相對於美元都有所升值。

The euro climbed 0.9 per cent to $1.1476 to its highest level since the end of August. Meanwhile, the yen strengthened 0.7 per cent to 118.87 against the dollar.

歐元上漲0.9%，至1歐元兌1.1476美元，爲8月底以來的最高水平。同時，日元上漲0.7%，至1美元兌118.87日元。