As Traders Trimmed

(Reuters) - The euro fell for a third straight session against the dollar on Wednesday after soft European data fueled fears about a deep and broader slowdown in the region ahead of key elections in France and Greece. The euro, however, briefly trimmed losses after a report showed the U.S. economy created fewer private-sector jobs than expected last month. It also came off its lows after speculation the European Central Bank could provide euro-zone banks with more liquidity in another long-term refinancing operation. Wednesday's weaker euro zone data, not just in indebted smaller regional economies but in core nations too, raised speculation over possible policy signals at Thursday's ECB monetary policy meeting. Italy's manufacturing sector shrank more than expected, with new orders ...

(Reuters) - The euro fell for a third straight session against the dollar on Wednesday after soft European data rekindled fears about a deep and broader slowdown in the region ahead of key elections in France and Greece. The euro, however, briefly trimmed losses after a report showed the U.S. economy created fewer private-sector jobs than expected last month. It also came off its lows after speculation the European Central Bank could infuse euro-zone banks with more liquidity in another long-term refinancing operation. Wednesday's weaker euro zone data, not just in indebted smaller regional economies but in core nations, too, raised speculation over possible policy signals at Thursday's ECB monetary policy meeting. Italy's manufacturing sector shrank far more than expected, with new ...

The Mexican peso trimmed its losses versus the US dollar today after the nation’s central bank left it key overnight interbank funding rate unchanged for the 26th consecutive meeting, disappointing traders who expected an interest rate cut. The Banco de Mexico left it main interest rate at the record low of 4.5 percent today. The Bank was keeping the target rate at this level since July 2009. Many speculators expected an interest rate cut and were frustrated as the central bank announced its decision. The peso recovered some of its losses as the cut was priced in. The Mexican currency still doesn’t look attractive. The currency has slid 3.8 percent in the past four weeks and was the worst performer among most-traded currencies. The weakness of the peso may be one of the reasons that made ...

The euro ground higher against the dollar and the yen on Monday, recovering from stumbles earlier in the session as the effects of disappointing U.S. jobs data last week faded, although thin holiday trading exacerbated moves. Data on U.S. jobs creation came in sharply lower than expected on Friday, when stock markets were closed and bond markets closed early. While foreign exchange markets were open, the Good Friday holiday had made for particularly light volume. "There's maybe a bit of a soft tone in the dollar on the jobs report," said Mark McCormick, a G-10 currency strategist with Brown Brothers Harriman. But, he cautioned, "price action has been pretty muted." With many European markets still closed on Monday - including London, a major currency trading hub - analysts said the ...

The dollar hit a one-month low versus the yen on Monday, extending losses after last week's lower-than-expected U.S. jobs figures bolstered views the Federal Reserve could yet adopt more monetary easing to support the economy. U.S. job growth slowed to 120,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department said on Friday, the smallest increase since October. The disappointing figures rekindled market speculation that the Fed may eventually launch another bond-buying program, and weighed on the dollar against the yen. Traders said a retreat in equities helped prop up the yen, a safe-haven currency that tends to rise in times of market stress. The greenback could drop to around 80.00 yen in the next week or two, especially when taking into account current market positioning, said Daisuke Karakama, ...

(Reuters) - The dollar hit a one-month low versus the yen on Monday, extending losses after last week's lower-than-expected U.S. jobs figures bolstered views the Federal Reserve could yet adopt more monetary easing to support the economy. U.S. job growth slowed to 120,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department said on Friday, the smallest increase since October. The disappointing figures rekindled market speculation that the Fed may eventually launch another bond-buying program, and weighed on the dollar against the yen. Traders said a retreat in equities helped prop up the yen, a safe-haven currency that tends to rise in times of market stress. The greenback could drop to around 80.00 yen in the next week or two, especially when taking into account current market positioning, said ...

(Reuters) - The euro hovered within shouting distance of a three-week trough on the yen and the dollar on Thursday after a poor Spanish bond auction reignited jitters about the euro zone debt crisis, while commodity currencies were a shade stronger after a sell-off. The euro and risk currencies have been under pressure against the dollar, which climbed broadly after Fed policy meeting minutes released on Tuesday showed the central bank was becoming less eager to print more money to bolster the economy. The euro, which dropped nearly 1 percent to $1.3107 on Wednesday, last stood at $1.3150, up 0.1 percent on the day. Immediate support for the currency loomed around $1.3094, the 76.4 percent retracement of the mid-to-late March rise. "The weaker Spanish auctions on Wednesday provide a ...

(Reuters) - Veteran oil trader Andy Hall said he is betting that a release of emergency oil stockpiles by consumer nations will not provide any lasting relief to high prices, with OPEC spare capacity reduced to a "wafer thin" margin by year-end. Although his $5 billion Astenbeck Capital Management LLC fund trimmed its exposure to commodity markets in March after a run-up in prices earlier in the year, Hall remains confidently bullish and may add to his positions if prices fall much further, he said in a letter to investors this week. Astenbeck is up nearly 13 percent through February this year, according to figures contained in the March letter, more than recovering from last year's 4 percent decline, Hall's first loss in more than a decade. The average energy hedge fund was up 7.5 ...