2012-01-31 07:00 GMT

Futures traders increase net shorts on the euro-dollar

The yen appreciated by 1% to 100.34 per euro by 5 p.m. New York time on Monday evening having earlier touched 99.99, the lowest level witnessed since Jan. 23. The Japanese currency strengthened 0.5 percent to 76.35 per dollar, reaching 76.22. Traders will recall that the yen touched 75.35 yen on Oct. 31st, this set a post World War II record low. After falling below 76.50 and reaching a 3-month low at 76.20, USD/JPY was unable to bounce above the 76.30 level and has been trading trapped in a tight range between 76.25 and 76.30. Price is currently printing at circa 76.30. The euro declined 0.1 percent to 1.20528 Swiss francs after sliding to 1.20405, the weakest level seen since Sept. 19th. The EUR/CHF did then recover after hitting the 4-month low. The Euro rose up after reaching its lowest level in 4 months versus the Franc, climbing back above the 1.2050 level as investors awaited positive news from the EU summit. After gaining ground for ten successive days, GBP/USD finally managed to end it's secular bullish run trading in New York at 1.5707 on Monday where it remains in consolidation, having lost a moderate 0.13% on the day.

Canada’s dollar, nicknamed the loonie, was little changed at C$1.0015 per U.S. dollar at 5 p.m. Toronto time. It gained versus all but two of its 16 most-traded counterparts. The loonie appreciated 1.1 percent last week, fell as much as 0.5 percent earlier on Monday. It was poised for a 2 percent rise versus the greenback for January, the first monthly advance since October. One Canadian dollar buys 99.85 U.S. cents. The Canadian currency gained 0.6 percent today to C$1.0615 per Australian dollar after climbing 0.8 percent earlier, the biggest intraday jump since Dec. 19th. The loonie appreciated 0.7 percent versus New Zealand’s dollar to 82.04 Canadian cents. AUD/USD ended trade in New York at 1.0596 after trading a very wide 1.0524-1.0650 range overnight and during the European session, finally losing a modest 0.39% on the day after being (at one stage) down by over 1%. The Aussie is up nearly 4% since the beginning of the year.

2012-01-31 00:01 GMT

United Kingdom Gfk Consumer Confidence (Jan)

2012-01-31 07:00 GMT

Germany Retail Sales (YoY) (Dec)

2012-01-31 08:55 GMT

Germany Unemployment Rate s.a. (Jan)

2012-01-31 10:00 GMT

European Monetary Union Unemployment Rate (Dec)

2012-01-31 05:02 GMT

Japan Dec Housing Starts (YoY) -7.3%

2012-01-31 00:31 GMT

Australia National Australia Bank's Business Confidence increase to 3 in Dec.

2012-01-31 00:04 GMT

Japan: Industrial production flat, 2.5% increase predicted in January

2012-01-31 00:02 GMT

UK - Jan Gfk Consumer Confidence rises to -29