The declining value of the U.S. dollar has been making financial headlines lately. After hitting an all-time low in April 2008, the dollar rallied strongly in last fall’s financial crisis as investors sought safe havens, but it has once again fallen as the world economy has recovered. As of Oct. 19, 2009, the IntercontinentalExchange Dollar Index has fallen about 15% from the high it reached in early March.
he causes behind the weak dollar are many and complex, but essentially this means that investors around the world have become less confident in the future stability of the dollar and more confident in other currencies. The effects of the weakening dollar can also be complicated, but the upshot is that it’s cheaper for people in other countries to buy American-made goods and services and more expensive for Americans to buy things sold in other currencies. Read more…
