World Business

Euro plumbs 4 year low; tide firmly against risk

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-05-17 13:59
Large Medium Small
SYDNEY - The euro sank to four-year lows on Monday as angst over Europe's debt crisis led investors to pull more money from stocks in favour of havens such as gold and Asian bonds.

So sour was the mood that markets seemed to take scant notice of solid US retail sales and factory output data that suggested the world's biggest economy was steadily healing.

"The market has gone into fear mode, and we're seeing red across the board," said Justin Smirk, chief economist at St George Bank in New Zealand.

The euro fell 0.9 percent from Friday's close to $1.2313 as investors doubted fiscally weaker euro zone nations can tighten their belts, or do so without stunting growth. Charts suggest the currency may extend losses to $1.23, then $1.2190.

With bets against the euro at an all-time high, traders said the currency looked weak as ever although a brief bounce on short-covering in the near term could not be ruled out.

Worryingly, there are signs that anxiety over Europe was squeezing credit markets, mirroring the days of the financial crisis when anxious investors and banks hoarded cash.

The downbeat mood in markets benefitted the US dollar. It's measure against a basket of currencies was strong near 15-month highs at 86.7 as investors favoured the safety of its liquidity.

Related readings:
Euro plumbs 4 year low; tide firmly against risk 'Uncertainties' damage euro's value
Euro plumbs 4 year low; tide firmly against risk Rogers says bailout is 'nail in the euro's coffin'
Euro plumbs 4 year low; tide firmly against risk Oil extends losses to near $76 on euro concerns
Euro plumbs 4 year low; tide firmly against risk Could huge safety net be strong enough to protect euro?

A stronger US dollar weighed on commodity prices. Oil fell over a dollar to $70.19, and copper futures eased as well.

Underscoring the extent of anxiety in markets, gold was holding up despite the firm US dollar at $1,236.90 an ounce, within earshot of a record high of $1,248.95.

Safe-haven government bonds were also in demand. US Treasuries were mostly up across the curve, while Japanese five-year yields hit five-month lows.

The unease in credit markets is reflected in three-month Libor and Euribor rates , which crept higher after failing to pull back in the wake of the mammoth $1 trillion euro zone aid deal struck a week ago.

The rates, which measure borrowing costs between banks and reflect credit risks, are at eight- and four-month highs respectively.