FOREX-Dollar steady before inflation report, US-China tariff deadline

By Gregor Stuart Hunter

SINGAPORE, Aug 11 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar stabilised on Monday after last week's losses, as markets await Tuesday's key U.S. CPI report for July and focus on developments in trade talks between Washington and Beijing ahead of a deadline to avoid the imposition of higher tariffs.

The dollar index was flat at 98.25 after a 0.4% decline last week. Against the yen, the dollar was unchanged at 147.685 yen, with Japanese markets closed for the Mountain Day holiday.

Trade talks were in focus as Trump's August 12 deadline for a deal between the U.S. and China loomed, particularly around chip policy.

"The market has fully priced in the idea that we're going to get an extension," said Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone Group Ltd in Melbourne, adding that another 90-day truce was most likely.

With the U.S. and China seeking to close a deal that would avoid imposing triple-digit tariffs on each other's goods, the Financial Times reported on Sunday that chip manufacturers Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD agreed to allocate 15% of their revenues from sales in China to the U.S. government under an arrangement to obtain export licences for the semiconductors.

The report follows a warning that Nvidia's (NVDA) H20 chips pose security concerns for China, a social media account affiliated with the country's state media said on Sunday.

"I don't know if that's going to be a good thing or a bad thing, but if it puts closure on the matter it's not a bad outcome," Weston said.

"If this is Trump says 15% and we'll call it a day, that may not be too bad."

The offshore yuan fluctuated between gains and losses after data on the weekend showed China's producer prices fell more than expected in July, while consumer prices were unchanged.

The Australian dollar fetched $0.6515, down 0.2% in early trade ahead of a rate decision from the Reserve Bank of Australia on Tuesday, where the central bank is widely expected to cut interest rates by 25 basis points to 3.60% after inflation for the second quarter missed expectations and the jobless rate hit a 3-1/2-year high.

The kiwi last traded at $0.59455, down 0.13%, while the British pound traded at $1.34405, down 0.1% so far on the day.

In crypto markets, bitcoin rose 0.7% to $119,154, not far from its previous record, while ether was up 1.1% at $4,267, after reaching its highest since December 2021 on Sunday.

Elsewhere, personnel moves at key U.S. monetary policy institutions were also in focus.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the new Federal Reserve chair should be someone "who can examine the whole organisation" as the Fed's mission has included so many things outside of monetary policy and has put its independence at risk, Japan's Nikkei newspaper reported.

The Trump administration was also interviewing candidates to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics including E.J. Antoni, chief economist at the conservative Heritage Foundation, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing a senior administration official. (Reporting by Gregor Stuart Hunter; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)