Do More With Reuters
Partner Services

FOREX-Dollar, yen hold gains as job losses cloud outlook

Fri Jul 3, 2009 6:30am IST
 
Email | Print | | Single Page
[-] Text [+]

* Dollar holds ground made on bleak U.S. jobless numbers

* U.S. on holiday, volumes likely to be light

* Yen also keeps gains after investors take risk off table

TOKYO, July 3 (Reuters) - The dollar held gains made in the wake of bleaker-than-expected U.S. jobs numbers, hovering near its highest levels in a week against the euro on Friday and pressuring commodity currencies such as the Australian dollar.

U.S. Treasury bonds rose and stocks fell more than 2 percent after a government report showed U.S. employers cut 467,000 jobs in June, far more than expected, while the unemployment rate rose to 9.5 percent. [ID:nN01210643]

The data underscored the likelihood that recovery from recession would be long and slow, reducing the attraction of currencies such as the Australian dollar which have rallied this year along with stock markets on optimism about a turnaround.

"Worries that the global economy may not recover so quickly have been lingering but they were subdued as so many people had supported the 'green shoots' theory," said Hideki Amikura, deputy general manager of forex trading at Nomura Trust and Banking.

"But the U.S. jobs data damaged such economic optimism, prompting investors to buy back the yen and the dollar in risk aversion."

The euro fell 0.3 percent to $1.3960 EUR= in early Asian trade, after shedding more than 1 percent on Thursday and beating a retreat from this week's one-month high above $1.4200.  Continued...

Dubai Debt Fears

Villas are seen on the The Palm, Jumeirah, with Atlantis, The Palm, under construction on the breakwater (crescent), May 3, 2008.  REUTERS/Jumana El Heloueh

Banks outside the Gulf played down their exposure to Dubai debt, after fears the emirate could default and even derail world economic recovery prompted a sell-off in global markets.  Full Article | Slideshow 

People light candles at a vigil to commemorate the victims of last year's militant attacks in Mumbai, in front of the India Gate in New Delhi November 26, 2009. Mumbai held tearful memorials and police staged a show of strength on Thursday as India's financial hub marked the first anniversary of militant raids that killed 166 people and pushed up tensions with Pakistan. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri
One Year Later

Mumbai held tearful memorials and police staged a show of strength as it marked the first anniversary of militant raids that killed 166 people and pushed up tensions with Pakistan.  Slideshow | Full Coverage