The U.S. dollar’s recent rally came to an unexpected halt during the early Asian trading hours, as financial markets grappled with the shock of a sovereign credit rating downgrade by Moody’s Investors Service. After four consecutive weeks of gains, the dollar’s momentum slowed, reflecting heightened caution amid persistent geopolitical and economic uncertainties. This pause underscored the delicate balance between positive trade developments and lingering fiscal concerns weighing on market sentiment.

Investor anxiety surrounding the U.S. fiscal outlook intensified last Friday after Moody’s Investors Service downgraded the country’s sovereign credit rating by one notch. The move, which follows similar actions by other leading rating agencies, underscores growing unease about the sustainability of the United States’ ballooning national debt, now approaching $36 trillion.