Daily currency report

Overview

Improved risk appetite helped lift emerging market currencies as well as the euro, with the eurozone and US open for trade as usual. Upbeat economic data in the US as well as comments from China on European debt purchases helped weigh on the US dollar. The dollar has recovered some of the losses as investors continue to look forward to a heavy week of economic data, which includes US non-farm payrolls on Friday. European markets will face the early morning release of French consumer confidence and German unemployment figures. The data could help limit any euro losses.

Sterling

UK markets will provide greater liquidity for sterling, which came under selling pressure for most of the day. European investors were apt to sell sterling after a UK Telegraph story revealed that Bank of England’s Paul Fisher was less than optimistic on the outlook for the UK economy as he warned that there could be a “second debt crisis”.

US dollar

The dollar came under pressure for most of the holiday-thinned trading session, with UK and Japanese markets closed. Investors shunned the US dollar in favour of riskier assets as upbeat sentiment prevailed in currency and equity markets. Contributing to the positive sentiment was news that Chinese PMI figures slipped, suggesting that the central bank, which surprised markets with a Christmas day rate hike, will leave policy alone for the time being.

Euro

Supporting the euro’s rise was news that the manufacturing sector continues to see surging new orders and an improving labour market. PMI manufacturing figures released rose 57.1, which was up from a flash estimate of 56.8. The jobs component of the release stood at levels not seen since October 2000. Also contributing to the euro’s rise were comments from China, which suggested the country will continue European debt purchases.

Japanese yen

The Japanese yen is lower after improved investor sentiment fuelled a recovery in the US dollar. The drop in the yen has helped lift the Nikkei to seven-month highs.

Travelex Global Business Payments Malta, freephone: 800 733 22, www.travelex.com/mt/

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