Peso recovers from 3-month low amid Iran-Israel ceasefire
By Derco Rosal
After hitting a nearly three-month low in the previous day, the peso rebounded against the United States (US) dollar, influenced by a tentative ceasefire between Iran and Israel, which pushed global crude oil prices to near two-week lows.
Data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) showed that the peso recovered 42 centavos against the US dollar on Tuesday, June 24, to close at ₱57.16 from ₱57.58 Monday.
The local currency reached an intraday high of ₱56.835 and a low of ₱57.21 after opening at ₱57.20.
Total trading volume rebounded to $2.01 billion from Monday’s $1.28 billion.
Japanese financial giant MUFG Bank Ltd. said that amid a de-escalation in the Israel-Iran war, the Philippine peso and Indian rupee “could catch up with oil prices,” which fell overnight.
Similarly, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort said the US dollar-peso exchange rate reversed the previous day’s 41-centavo increase “after US President Donald Trump announced a tentative ceasefire between Iran and Israel.”
Global crude oil prices also fell to near two-week lows, erasing gains since the June 13 attacks, with Nymex crude oil at $66 levels, down from the previous day’s high of $78.40.
According to Ricafort, these developments could potentially reduce local fuel prices, easing imported costs and inflation pressures amid dovish signals from some US Federal Reserve officials.