Breaking News! US Dollar Rises to Rp17,255

The rupiah opened weaker against the US dollar on Wednesday trading (29/4/2026). According to Refinitiv data, the rupiah began morning trading in the red with a depreciation of 0.26% to the level of Rp17,255/US.Thisweakeningcontinuesthepressurefromtheprevioustradingsession.OnTuesday(28/4/2026), therupiahcloseddown0.15. Meanwhile, the US dollar index (DXY), which measures the strength of the greenback against six major world currencies, was observed to be moving slightly stronger at 09:00 WIB to the level of 98.646. The rupiah’s movement in today’s trading will still be influenced by external factors, particularly the direction of the US dollar in global markets ahead of the announcement of interest rates by the US central bank (The Federal Reserve/The Fed). The US dollar tends to strengthen in Wednesday’s trading, in line with investors’ stance still awaiting the Fed’s interest rate decision. This meeting is also a focus because it is expected to be one of the last moments for Jerome Powell as Fed Chair. The Fed is expected to hold interest rates steady. However, the market’s focus is not only on the interest rate decision but also on the Fed’s view of the impact of the war in the Middle East on the US economy, inflation, and the future direction of interest rates. Market participants are also monitoring Powell’s future at the Fed. Previously, Powell had stated that he would remain in place if he deemed the Fed’s independence to be under threat. Therefore, Powell’s future decisions are seen as highly dependent on his perception of the independence of the US central bank. Besides the Fed agenda, uncertainty over the war in the Middle East remains a source of pressure on global markets. Oil prices rose in Tuesday’s trading as investors assessed that the Iran conflict shows no signs of resolution. News of the United Arab Emirates cutting ties with OPEC has also added market attention to the direction of global energy supply. The rise in oil prices is also pressuring the US bond market. Bond prices fell, while yields rose, as investors worry that high energy prices could once again pressure inflation. This situation leaves limited room for the rupiah to move. If the US dollar strengthens again and investors opt for safe-haven assets, emerging market currencies like the rupiah could remain under pressure.