Offshore Yuan Holds Near a Multi-Year High

The offshore yuan traded around 6.75 per dollar on Wednesday, remaining close to its strongest level since February 2023 after the People's Bank of China unveils fresh measures designed to deepen global usage of the Chinese currency. The central bank said it will expand access to yuan liquidity through its Foreign and International Monetary Authorities (FIMA) repo facility, enabling foreign central banks, sovereign wealth funds, and other official institutions to borrow yuan against holdings of Chinese government bonds and other eligible securities. The announcement marks another step in Beijing's long-running campaign to internationalize the yuan and reduce reliance on the US dollar in global finance. Reflecting this ambition, China's latest five-year plan pledged to advance yuan internationalization, while President Xi Jinping has emphasized the objective of building a strong and influential global currency.

The offshore yuan slipped to around 6.76 per dollar on Tuesday, retreating from a more than three-year high reached in the previous session as investors weighed a mixed set of economic data from China. New home prices across 70 cities marked the 35th consecutive month of contraction and remaining at their steepest pace since May 2025, while fixed-asset investment declined more than market expectations in the January–May period. Moreover, retail sales unexpectedly fell in May, marking the first annual decline since December 2022. Providing some support, industrial output exceeded market expectations in May,  accelerating from April's near three-year low. In addition, the surveyed urban unemployment rate eased to a five-month low in May. Adding to the currency's pullback, Allianz Global Investors scaled back some of its bullish yuan positions and shifted to a neutral stance, locking in gains after a rally that propelled the yuan to become Asia's best-performing major currency this year.

The offshore yuan strengthened to around 6.75 per dollar on Monday, extending gains from the previous week and reaching its highest level since January 2023, as a reported US-Iran peace breakthrough triggered broad-based dollar weakness and boosted regional currencies. The tentative agreement reportedly includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a cessation of hostilities, and a framework for negotiations over Iran's nuclear program. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi also confirmed the agreement, with officials from both countries expected to meet in Switzerland to formally sign the deal. However, key details remain unresolved, while no official text has yet been released. On the domestic front, investors continued to assess the strength of China's economy following recent signs of uneven growth, particularly industrial production, retail sales, and unemployment figures.