China devalues yuan by 1.9 pct against dollar

Aug 11, 2015 (LBO) - Calling it a one-time fix, China's central bank devalued its tightly-controlled currency, the yuan, by 1.

9 percent on Tuesday. The midpoint for the yuan is now set at 6.2298 against the dollar, compared with 6.1162 yuan on Monday, the lowest rate for the yuan against the US dollar in almost three years.

The central bank said this was a "one-off depreciation" to make the exchange rate more market-oriented. Analysts believe the devaluation is a move to support the economy after signs that it was weakening.

In July exports fell by 8.3% and the producer price index was down 5.

4% from a year earlier. China's stock market also crashed from its peak in June, although the market remains up 21 percent for the year.

Regional currencies such as the Singapore, New Zealand and Australian dollars, and the South Korean won were weaker on Tuesday after the announcement.