What does this mean for the rest of the world?
The most immediate effect is that it signals to the world that Beijing thinks the Chinese economy is sputtering. The move suggests China is looking for ways to get it going again. But it also has major implications for the U.S. and other countries that trade with China because it puts their companies at a disadvantage. In the U.S., it will likely reignite criticism that Beijing keeps the currency artificially low to help its own manufacturers – a charge that could get added impetus during the presidential election campaign.
what is behind global financial markets’ extreme moves since China’s decision to allow its currency to move to a managed float? One explanation is that investors increasingly fear global disinflation is not a dragon that has been slain by muscular central bank measures, but a phoenix that is rising from the ashes.
Certainly, the direct impact of the renminbi fall on US and European inflation and economic activity — even if it extends to 10 per cent — is too small to justify the large falls seen in bond yields and inflation gauges.