🤑 It doesn’t get more affordable. Grab this 60% OFF Black Friday offer before it disappears…CLAIM SALE

FOREX-Currencies subdued in Christmas holiday lull, dollar adrift

Published 24/12/2015, 02:02 pm
© Reuters. FOREX-Currencies subdued in Christmas holiday lull, dollar adrift
EUR/USD
-
USD/JPY
-
AUD/USD
-
USD/CAD
-
NZD/USD
-
EUR/JPY
-
BNPP
-
DX
-
DXY
-

* Euro in very tight range just above $1.0900

* Yen seeing not much action with markets in holiday mode

* Aussie & kiwi still bid, good buying seen this week

By Ian Chua

SYDNEY, Dec 24 (Reuters) - The dollar, euro and yen were subdued on Thursday in a languid session with much of the Western world already shuttered for the Christmas and year-end holidays, but some players are eyeing the potential for more dollar strength next year.

The euro traded at $1.0922 EUR= , having drifted up slowly from a low of $1.0903. Against the yen, the greenback eased to 120.75 JPY= from 121.00.

Many financial centres around the world will shut early and stay closed on Friday for the Christmas holidays. Some won't reopen until Tuesday.

The euro fetched 131.88 yen EURJPY=R and remains hemmed in a 131.83-131.98 range.

The Japanese currency has well and truly gotten over last Friday's move by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to fine tune its massive stimulus program. There was no major reaction to minutes of the BOJ's November meeting. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N14D02H

All that left the dollar index .DXY a touch softer at 98.256, still well off last Thursday's peak of 99.294. It was back at levels seen before the Federal Reserve delivered a highly anticipated hike in interest rates a week ago.

A mixed bag of U.S. data on Wednesday gave the market no real steer. New orders for U.S. manufactured capital goods fell in November, but personal income rose for an eighth straight month. Consumer sentiment hit a five-month high in December. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N14C0P5

Yet, analysts at BNP Paribas (PA:BNPP) see potential for further upside in the greenback.

"If U.S. data remains broadly in line with the Fed's expectations, we suspect the USD will be off to a positive start in 2016 as there is plenty of scope for rates markets to price in more Fed hikes," they wrote in a note to clients.

"We exited our cash USD trade recommendations this week but will be looking to re-establish longs early next year."

The Canadian dollar held onto most of its overnight gains, spurred by a rebound in oil prices. The loonie traded at C$1.3843 per U.S. dollar CAD=D4 , off a near 12-year trough of C$1.4003 set last week.

The Australian and New Zealand dollars were also bid at $0.7252 AUD=D4 and $0.6802 NZD=D4 , respectively, having rallied from last week's lows of $0.7097 and $0.6688.

Traders said the Antipodean pair have been underpinned by heavy buying interest from real money accounts, suggesting the hunt for yield is still in play for some.

(Editing by Shri Navaratnam; Editing by Sam Holmes)

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.