Tide is turning for commodity currencies amid global growth slowdown fears
After huge rallies fed by blockbuster commodity price surges, the tide may be turning for currencies such as the Australian dollar and Colombian peso as fears of a global growth slowdown take hold in markets. As inflation and higher borrowing costs reduce business and consumer spending, the International Monetary Fund and World Bank this week cut global growth forecasts by nearly a percentage point and flagged the risk of further drops stemming from China's Covid-19 lockdowns and western sanctions on Russia. The warnings knocked prices of oil and metals, though tight supply of most commodities has so far capped losses. Brent crude futures remain above $100 a barrel, while the Refinitiv CRB commodity index is still up nearly a quarter this year. Eight of the top 30 currency performers this year in a group monitored by Societe Generale are commodity-linked. In a smaller G10 grouping, four of the top five are from commodity exporting countries, Refinitiv data shows. Societe Generale...