The euro rose on the last trading session of the week as German business climate improved and the German economy grew, leading to hopes about economic recovery in the rest of the eurozone. The Ifo Business Climate Index for industry and trade in Germany rose from 107.4 in October to 109.3 this month. Just a small increase to 107.9 was predicted by analysts. Seasonally adjusted gross domestic product expanded 0.3 percent in the third quarter of 2013. It was in line … “Euro Rises, Closes at Highest Since October 2009 vs. Yen”
Month: November 2013
Canadian Dollar Drops, Attempts to Hold Ground
The Canadian dollar fell yesterday’s as the inflation figure disappointed traders with long positions on the currency. By the end of the trading session, the loonie erased most of the losses versus the greenback and rose against the yen. The seasonally adjusted Consumer Price Index fell 0.1 percent in October from September. Not everything was bad, though, as the core CPI was unchanged. Moreover, retail sales jumped 1.0 percent in December. This is more than … “Canadian Dollar Drops, Attempts to Hold Ground”
UK Pound Gets Help from Better Data and the Fed
UK pound is making progress against many of its major counterparts, thanks in part to the economic data coming out of that country, and with the help of the release of the minutes from the last Federal Reserve meeting. The latest Federal Reserve minutes are pointing to the possibility of asset purchase reduction in the United States, and there has been spillover from that announcement to the UK pound. Gilts are underperforming other European sovereigns as a result, … “UK Pound Gets Help from Better Data and the Fed”
More Weakness for the Canadian Dollar
The Canadian dollar continues to weaken. Evidence of economic slowing is weighing on the loonie, and there is speculation that the Bank of Canada will decide to cut interest rates at some point in the near future in order to stimulate the economy a bit. The Canadian dollar has been grinding steadily lower recently, losing value against its major counterparts, especially as things seem to be deteriorating ahead of the holidays. Annual inflation in Canada declined to 0.7 … “More Weakness for the Canadian Dollar”
Aussie Drops on Threat of Intervention
The Australian dollar slid today on the treat of an intervention from the central bank. Policy makers think that the Aussie remains too strong despite the recent drop. Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Glenn Stevens said that he is not fully convinced that an intervention is an effective measure, but he does not discard it completely. Stevens explained: In this episode so far, the bank has not been … “Aussie Drops on Threat of Intervention”
Swiss Franc Gains as Economic Expectations Improve
The Swiss franc gained today as economic expectations continued to improve. The currency maintained the rally even as members of the central bank are convinced that the cap on the Swissie should be kept in place. The ZEW-CS-Indicator of economic expectations for Switzerland rose by 6.7 points to 31.6 in November. Meanwhile, Fritz Zurbruegg, member of the Swiss National Bank Governing Board, complained that the franc remains high and said: The minimum exchange rate will remain a necessary instrument … “Swiss Franc Gains as Economic Expectations Improve”
Euro Climbs as Draghi Refuses to Talk About Negative Rates
The euro jumped against the US dollar and the Japanese yen today on signs that the head of the European Central Bank does not consider implementing negative interest rate yet. The currency sank versus the Great Britain pound. The shared European currency was under pressure from talks about negative rates. Yet ECB President Mario Draghi said today that there are no plans for such action, at least not … “Euro Climbs as Draghi Refuses to Talk About Negative Rates”
Dollar Mixed on Prospects for Fed Tampering & Poor Data
The US dollar weakened against the euro and the Great Britain pound today after yesterday’ rally. At the same time, the currency managed to reverse yesterday’s drop versus the Japanese yen. The dollar strengthened on the previous trading session as the Federal Open Market Committee mentioned in its policy minutes possibility of monetary tightening in the near future: Many members stressed the data-dependent nature of the current asset purchase program, and some pointed out that, if economic … “Dollar Mixed on Prospects for Fed Tampering & Poor Data”
Brazilian Real Falls, Hampered by Budget Concerns
The Brazilian real fell today even after unemployment fell, leading to speculations about probable interest rate hike. Concerns about the budget deficit did not allow the currency to profit from the good news. The Brazilian unemployment rate fell from 5.4 percent in September to 5.2 percent in October. Analysts theorized that falling unemployment and rising inflation will spur the central bank to increase the main interest rate to 10 percent. … “Brazilian Real Falls, Hampered by Budget Concerns”
Rupiah Weaker After Fed Minutes
The Indonesian rupiah fell today as the minutes of its latest Federal Reserve monetary policy meeting showed that policy makers were considering reduction of monetary stimulus. The Fed released its policy minutes yesterday, revealing that quantitative easing tampering may happen rather soon. Prospects for smaller stimulus hurt investors’ confidence, leading to losses among riskier currencies. Previously, the rupiah was rising on hopes that stimulus will … “Rupiah Weaker After Fed Minutes”