- ECB meeting on Thursday in focus
- Yen weakens on U.S.-China trade optimism
- U.S. producer prices rose in August
(New throughout, updates trading and comments to U.S. market open, new byline, changes dateline, previous LONDON)
The euro fell to a one-week low against the greenback on Wednesday, a day before the European Central Bank is expected to add further stimulus in a bid to boost the region's economy.
ECB policymakers are leaning toward a package that includes a rate cut, a beefed-up pledge to keep rates low for longer and compensation for banks over the side-effects of negative rates, five sources familiar with the discussion said last week.
Many also favor restarting asset buys, but opposition from some northern European countries is complicating this issue.
“The mere thought of easing is probably keeping the euro on the defensive at the moment,” said Shaun Osborne, chief currency strategist at Scotiabank in Toronto. However, “we’re not completely on side with expectations of an aggressive ease… we think there may be a rebound in the euro after the policy meeting tomorrow.”
The euro EUR= was last down 0.43% on the day at $1.0995. The yen was the weakest since Aug. 1 as optimism over U.S.-China trade talks boosted risk sentiment and reduced demand for safe havens.
China announced its first batch of tariff exemptions for 16 types of U.S. products, days ahead of a planned meeting between the two countries to try and de-escalate their bruising tariff row.
The dollar gained 0.20% to 107.74 yen JPY= . Sterling also dipped after a Scottish court ruled on Wednesday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's suspension of the British parliament was unlawful, prompting immediate calls for lawmakers to return to work as the government and parliament battle over the future of Brexit.
The British pound GBP= fell 0.19% to $1.2322. U.S. data on Wednesday showed that U.S. producer prices unexpectedly rose in August and underlying producer prices rebounded, but that data will not change financial market expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates again next week to support a slowing economy.
This week’s major economic focus will be consumer price inflation data on Thursday and retail sales data on Friday.
======================================================== Currency bid prices at 9:31AM (1331 GMT)Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid Previous Change Session Euro/Dollar EUR= $1.0995 $1.1043 -0.43% -4.13% +1.1055 +1.0994 Dollar/Yen JPY= 107.7400 107.5300 +0.20% -2.29% +107.8400 +107.5100 Euro/Yen EURJPY= 118.47 118.75 -0.24% -6.14% +119.1700 +118.4600 Dollar/Swiss CHF= 0.9936 0.9919 +0.17% +1.24% +0.9943 +0.9913 Sterling/Dollar GBP= 1.2322 1.2346 -0.19% -3.41% +1.2370 +1.2323 Dollar/Canadian CAD= 1.3152 1.3149 +0.02% -3.56% +1.3160 +1.3140 Australian/Doll AUD= 0.6859 0.6859 +0.00% -2.70% +0.6884 +0.6849 arEuro/Swiss EURCHF= 1.0928 1.0953 -0.23% -2.90% +1.0970 +1.0925 Euro/Sterling EURGBP= 0.8921 0.8939 -0.20% -0.70% +0.8951 +0.8908 NZ NZD= 0.6410 0.6423 -0.20% -4.57% +0.6439 +0.6408 Dollar/DollarDollar/Norway NOK= 8.9781 8.9543 +0.27% +3.93% +8.9819 +8.9393 Euro/Norway EURNOK= 9.8728 9.8878 -0.15% -0.34% +9.9013 +9.8701 Dollar/Sweden SEK= 9.6956 9.6839 -0.31% +8.16% +9.6987 +9.6649 Euro/Sweden EURSEK= 10.6607 10.6940 -0.31% +3.87% +10.6987 +10.6520
