By Tom Westbrook and Samuel Indyk

LONDON (Reuters) – The greenback scaled multi-month highs towards most different main currencies on Wednesday, after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned that U.S. rates of interest would possibly must go up even sooner and better than anticipated to rein in cussed inflation.

Increased charges profit the greenback by enhancing its yield and as merchants search for security whereas world stockmarkets drop. [MKTS/GLOB]

The greenback hit a two-month excessive towards the euro of $1.0524, extending Tuesday’s 1.2% bounce. Sterling, the Swedish and Norwegian crowns, the and the Canadian, Australian and New Zealand {dollars} all struck multi-month lows.

The dollar additionally broke above its 200-day-moving common towards the yen for the primary time this yr, rising so far as 0.5% to an almost three-month excessive of 137.9 yen.

Powell instructed lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Tuesday that latest U.S. financial information was stronger than anticipated and so the pace and dimension of future hikes might also want to extend, which despatched short-term U.S. charge expectations surging. [US/]

“The greenback could have a short-term tailwind within the subsequent few weeks as a result of a extra hawkish Fed,” mentioned Dane Cekov, senior macro and FX strategist at Nordea.

“We see the Fed mountain climbing to six% within the coming months they usually would possibly transfer sooner now after Powell’s feedback.”

Powell is again for extra testimony from 1500 GMT. Forward of that’s an look from European Central Financial institution head Christine Lagarde at 1000 GMT and, at 0930 GMT a speech from Financial institution of England committee member Swati Dhingra.

The Canadian greenback – final at 1.3762 to its U.S. counterpart and down greater than 1% since Monday – could also be susceptible to additional weak spot if Canada’s central financial institution holds charges regular later within the day, as anticipated.

“Price differentials in Canada in comparison with the U.S. leaves the Canadian greenback beneath stress, that is one thing the Financial institution of Canada might want to comply with as a result of imported inflation,” Nordea’s Cekov mentioned.

The Australian greenback has weakened for the same purpose because the Reserve Financial institution of Australia has softened its tone. Having dropped over 2% on Tuesday, the Australian greenback weakened a bit extra to hit a four-month low of $0.6568 on Wednesday.

Powell’s remarks additionally despatched short-term charge expectations increased, with merchants now anticipating round a 65% likelihood of a 50 foundation level U.S. charge hike in March, in accordance with CME’s FedWatch instrument, up from a couple of 30% likelihood a day earlier.

Futures suggest U.S. charges peaking above 5.6% and holding above 5.5% by means of 2023. Merchants have a laser-focus on Friday’s U.S. payrolls information and subsequent week’s inflation figures.

“If these information prints exceed expectations in any respect, primarily based on what Powell mentioned, that’d just about assure a 50-basis level hike in March,” mentioned IG Markets analyst Tony Sycamore in Sydney.

The rose as a lot as 0.2% to a greater than 3-month excessive of 105.88, having jumped by 1.3% on Tuesday, its largest every day improve since Sep. 23, 2022.

Sterling fell marginally to $1.1811, its lowest since late November. [GBP/]

China’s yuan completed the home session at 6.9706 per greenback, the weakest such shut since Dec. 29, 2022.