By Hannah Lang
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Euro and sterling rose against the safe-haven dollar on Monday, supported by a risk-on sentiment across markets as investors digested positive euro zone data and looked to cash in on the strength of the U.S. currency.
A survey showed on Monday that investor morale in the euro zone improved in November, the first time it rose in three months, reflecting hopes that recent warmer temperatures and falling energy prices will prevent gas rationing on the continent this winter.
The euro was up 0.69% to $1.0029, its highest level since Oct. 27, while sterling was last trading at $1.1534, up 1.40% on the day.
Investors were also cheered by a readout on Monday showing that German industrial production grew in September, beating analyst expectations. Industrial output was up 0.6% on the previous month, the Federal Statistical Office said.
Against a basket of currencies, the dollar index fell 0.91% to 110.070.
Though it had lost almost 2% at the end of last week after reports that China would make substantial changes to its COVID-19 policy in coming months, the downward move in the dollar on Monday was likely more about positioning, said Bipan Rai, North America head of FX Strategy at CIBC Capital Markets.
“I think the market’s got really long US dollars, and is now just taking profits here. That’s behind the move for today,” he said.
Investors were also assessing Friday’s U.S. jobs report which showed that firms added a more-than-expected 261,000 jobs in October and hourly wages continued to rise, evidence of a still-tight labour market.
But hints of some easing of market conditions, with the unemployment rate rising to 3.7%, fuelled hopes that the much sought-after Federal Reserve pivot could be on the horizon, capping potential gains for the dollar.
Four Fed policymakers on Friday also indicated they would still consider a smaller interest rate hike at their next policy meeting.
Investors are now eagerly waiting for a readout of U.S. consumer price index data on Thursday. Analysts surveyed by Reuters expect headline CPI to land at an annual 8% for October, down slightly from 8.2% in September.
“If we do get a stronger than expected print, I think the release valve there will be for a higher terminal rate in the United States, and ultimately, that’s going to matter for the dollar,” said Rai.
In crytocurrencies, bitcoin last fell 1.41% to $20,837.00 and ethereum last fell 2.76% to $1,600.30.
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Currency bid prices at 2:45PM (1945 GMT)
Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid
Previous Change
Session
Dollar index 110.0700 111.0900 -0.91% 15.060% +111.2800 +110.0400
Euro/Dollar $1.0029 $0.9960 +0.68% -11.80% +$1.0035 +$0.9898
Dollar/Yen 146.4950 146.6700 -0.12% +27.25% +147.5600 +146.0950
Euro/Yen 146.91 145.99 +0.63% +12.73% +147.0000 +145.6800
Dollar/Swiss 0.9878 0.9942 -0.63% +8.30% +0.9981 +0.9876
Sterling/Dollar $1.1537 $1.1372 +1.45% -14.70% +$1.1541 +$1.1291
Dollar/Canadian 1.3488 1.3481 +0.05% +6.67% +1.3552 +1.3465
Aussie/Dollar $0.6480 $0.6470 +0.12% -10.88% +$0.6490 +$0.6401
Euro/Swiss 0.9907 0.9897 +0.10% -4.46% +0.9919 +0.9865
Euro/Sterling 0.8691 0.8756 -0.74% +3.46% +0.8790 +0.8691
NZ $0.5939 $0.5930 +0.16% -13.22% +$0.5945 +$0.5866
Dollar/Dollar
Dollar/Norway 10.2070 10.2350 -0.21% +15.94% +10.3245 +10.2130
Euro/Norway 10.2393 10.2014 +0.37% +2.26% +10.2853 +10.1872
Dollar/Sweden 10.8199 10.8952 +0.10% +19.99% +10.9699 +10.8108
Euro/Sweden 10.8524 10.8416 +0.10% +6.04% +10.8746 +10.8020
(Reporting by Hannah Lang in Washington; Editing by Ed Osmond, Chizu Nomiyama, Andrea Ricci and Tomasz Janowski)
