Economists say U.S. threat to undermine Hong Kong dollar peg is ࢀ˜self-defeatingࢀ™

The threat of U.S. action to undermine Hong Kongࢀ™s longstanding U.S. dollar peg is highly unlikely to become reality given the practical difficulties of pursing such a path and the damage it would do to U.S. interests, economists say. Economists reacted after a report that some advisers to President Donald Trump want the U.S. to undermine the Hong Kong dollar peg as the administration considers options to punish China for limiting Hong Kongࢀ™s autonomy, according to people familiar with the matter. Hong Kong has pegged its currency to the U.S. dollar since 1983, allowing it to fluctuate within a fairly…