Chua And Reuters Fx

(Reuters) - The Australian dollar hit a two-week trough on Tuesday after soft inflation data bolstered expectations of deep interest rate cuts by the Reserve Bank of Australia, while the euro was subdued ahead of a debt sale in the Netherlands. Australian consumer prices rose by less than expected last quarter while key measures of underlying inflation showed the smallest rise in more than a decade, paving the way for a cut next week and suggesting further cuts were possible. This saw the Aussie dive to $1.0247 - its lowest since April 11 - before it recovered to $1.0265, still 0.6 percent below the late New York levels. A sustained break below 1.0250 would open the door for a fall to the April low of 1.0226. "(A rate cut's) probably a done deal now. The CPI number's so low, it's hard ...

(Reuters) - The yen hovered near its lowest levels in ten days against the dollar on Friday and was set to stay under pressure on expectations of more easing by the Bank of Japan next week, although its outlook further out is less certain. The greenback stood at 81.63 yen, having hit a 9-day high of 81.74 the day before. That brought the April 10 peak of 81.87 into focus. The euro climbed as high as 107.35, staging a powerful comeback from Monday's trough of 104.63. Reinforcing expectations that the central bank could ease its already super-loose monetary policy, governor Masaaki Shirakawa said it will continue powerful monetary easing until a 1 percent inflation target is in sight. Piling more pressure on the bank, a senior International Monetary Fund official said the BOJ should ...

(Reuters) - The euro dipped against the dollar on Wednesday after the French President said a strong euro hurt exporters and should be discussed with the European Central Bank, and it looked set to stay under pressure with investors still wary of Spain's fiscal problems. Traders cited selling by Swiss investors after French leader Nicholas Sarkozy said the euro's exchange rate should be up for discussion with the ECB. The common currency hit a session low of $1.3087, falling around 0.3 percent on the day. The move erased modest gains made the previous day on upbeat earnings from U.S. companies, decent demand at a Spanish bill auction and a better-than-expected German ZEW sentiment survey. Market players said the euro could come under further pressure ahead of a Spanish bond auction on ...

(Reuters) - The safe-haven yen pulled away from multi-week peaks against major currencies on Thursday after the European Central Bank official hinted at the possibility of more bond-buying, but an upcoming Italian debt sale posed more risks to jittery markets. The Australian dollar shot up more than half a percent against the dollar and the yen after unexpectedly strong local employment figures eased worries the Australian economy could suffer from slower global growth. Traders took profits on the Japanese unit which gained the previous session as riskier assets remained pressured with the euro zone debt woes back in focus and Spanish bond yields still close to a four-month high and the crucial six percent level. The yen eased 0.1 percent helping the dollar climb back to 80.90 yen, up ...

(Reuters) - The yen hit multi-week highs against major currencies while the risk-sensitive Australian dollar floundered to a three-month low against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday as worries about global growth rose. A jump in Spanish bond yields exacerbated concerns about the fragility of peripheral euro zone economies in a market already hurt by last week's disappointing U.S. job report and soft reading on Chinese imports. Coupled with a big fall on Wall Street, which could induce more repatriation by Japanese investors, the yen climbed across the board, hitting a five-week high against the U.S. dollar before expectations of fresh easing by the Bank of Japan pushed it back a bit. The dollar fell to 80.60 yen but crept back to around 80.85 yen, having managed to hold above an important ...

(Reuters) - The euro edged higher against the dollar on Wednesday on short-covering, while the yen was mostly weaker with traders eager to add to bearish bets against the Japanese currency. The yen dipped to a fresh five-month low versus the euro and hit a nine-month trough against sterling, staying on the defensive in the wake of the Bank of Japan's monetary easing last month. The euro rose 0.4 percent to $1.3273, after climbing to $1.32835 at one point, its highest level since March 8. "The market is a little bit short euros, so that's what's driving it," said Jesper Bargmann, head of G11 spot FX in Asia for RBS in Singapore. The euro's rise may stall at around $1.3280 to $1.3300 in the near term, Bargmann said, adding that the single currency could squeeze a bit higher if $1.3300 is ...

(Reuters) - The dollar hovered near a one-week low against a basket of currencies on Tuesday, but recent signs of improvement in the U.S. economy and rising Treasury yields were likely to lend it some support. The dollar index was marginally higher at 79.533 .DXY by 0540 GMT, regaining a bit of ground after dipping to 79.354 on Monday, its lowest level since March 9. One possible support level lies roughly around 79.30, its 100-day moving average. "I don't expect to see the dollar pull back significantly," said Mitul Kotecha, head of global foreign exchange strategy for Credit Agricole in Hong Kong. "It's probably going to be a consolidation week for the dollar." The euro eased 0.1 percent to $1.3231, inching away from a one-week high near $1.3266 hit on Monday. A trader for a major ...

(Reuters) - The yen stayed on the defensive on Monday with the euro reaching a fresh five-month high against the Japanese currency, while the dollar nursed losses following a setback late last week. The euro rose as high as 110.15 yen at one point on trading platform EBS, its highest level since late October. It later pared its gains and was last changing hands at 109.81 yen, down 0.1 percent from late U.S. trade on Friday. In another sign of the yen's recent weakness, the Australian dollar rose to 88.62 yen, its highest level since May 2011. The Australian dollar last stood at 88.37 yen, up 0.1 percent from late U.S. trade on Friday. The yen's status as the currency of choice in funding carry trades was cemented last month after a surprise easing by the Bank of Japan. Additionally, ...

(Reuters) - The dollar hit an 11-month high against the yen on Wednesday, building on its broad gains after a modest brightening of the Federal Reserve's economic forecasts nudged traders to downplay expectations of further monetary easing. U.S. 10-year Treasury yields hovered near a 3-1/2-month high hit after solid retail sales data, making the dollar less attractive as a funding currency for carry trades. Tokyo exporters were also reluctant to sell it now, expecting more strength, traders said. These factors saw the dollar hit a session high at 83.22 yen, its highest level since April 2011, before steadying around 25 pips above late New York levels at 83.14. "The move in the yields was essential for the dollar rally to continue," said Sumino Kamei, senior currency analyst at the Bank ...