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The curious case of the Yuan and the Yen

Two curious pieces of news today:

Geithner Says U.S. Examining Ways to Push China on Yuan Rise

Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner said the U.S. isn’t satisfied with the pace of yuan gains and is considering ways to urge China to let the currency rise faster.

And

Fed refused to comment on Japan weakening the Yen.


NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--The Federal Reserve Bank of New York declined to comment on Japan's intervention in currency markets that has pushed the dollar sharply higher against the yen.


So why are we perfectly happy, or at least neutral, with Japan, the #3 economy, weakening the Yen and are furious at China, the #2 economy, decreasing the value of the Yuan.

This is a good question for any would be political economist to ponder. The treasury is certainly in charge of the political aspects of the dollar's relationship to other currencies. The Fed's political objectives are somewhat murky but assumed to be largely the same as the treasury's.

Let's call this the Asian currency political paradox.

I have my thoughts, which I'll elaborate on in later posts.

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