Dollar index rises to almost 20yr peak
AUD, NZD slide as Asia39;s stockmarkets tumble
U.S. CPI data is next upside risk analysts

SINGAPORE, May 9 Reuters The dollar hit a twodecade high on Monday as investors searched for safety and yield in the face of growing concern over slowing global economic growth and rising interest rates.

Surging inflation, the war in Ukraine, and tighter lockdowns against COVID19 in Beijing and Shanghai, have left investors uncertain on many counts, but they are sure that U.S. interest rates are going up and the dollar has been following.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback against six major currencies, is up nearly 9 this year and hit its highest since late 2002 on Monday at 104.090.

The growth sensitive Australian dollar fell 1 to 0.6999, its lowest since February. Sterling and the New Zealand dollar hit 22month lows, while the euro and yen were barely above recent major troughs.

Moves in U.S. interest rates are not the only dollar support, said strategists at NatWest Markets in a note.

Downside risks to global growth stemming from Ukraine and China are more pressing for Europe and Asia relative to the U.S., creating an air of 2018style dollar exceptionalism.

The dollar39;s gains were set against sliding stockmarkets and sent it ahead against other havens, commodity currencies and emerging market currencies alike.

It rose 0.3 to its highest since 2019 on the Swiss franc. It was up 0.4 and near a twodecade high at…