Investing.com -- EUR/USD fell sharply on Monday, slipping to its lowest level in nearly three weeks as currency traders kept a close eye on soft manufacturing data throughout the euro zone, as well as fresh indications that the U.K. could leave the European Union if a historic referendum passes in June.
The currency pair traded in a broad range between 1.1004 and 1.1124 before settling at 1.1027, down 0.0104 or 0.93% on the session. The euro has now closed lower against its American counterpart in seven of the last eight and eight of the previous 10 sessions. Since reaching a three-month high at 1.1378 on February 11, the euro has fallen more than 2.3% against the dollar.
EUR/USD likely gained support at 1.0538, the low from December 3 and was met with resistance at 1.1496, the high from Oct. 15.
Investors on Monday continued to react to geopolitical news involving Britain's possible departure from the EU in the first full day of trading since U.K. prime minister David Cameron reached a deal with EU lawmakers on Friday night, which grants the nation special status with the European bloc. Over the weekend, London mayor Boris Johnson shockingly backed the so-called "Brexit," declaring the June 23 referendum a "vote for real change."
As a result, GBP/USD plunged more than 1.8% to an intraday low of 1.4058, falling to its lowest level since March, 2009. A potential Brexit also weighs on the euro, as a departure by the UK from the EU exacerbates fears that other top nations in the euro zone will look to apply for special considerations.
Elsewhere, financial information services provider Markit said its Flash Euro Zone Composite Output Index fell to a 13-month low in February at 52.7. The index, which measures the combined output of the manufacturing and service sectors, was expected to drop to 53.3, after posting a final reading of 53.6 in January. The disappointing data increases the chances that the European Central Bank could implement more aggressive stimulus measures when it holds its next monetary policy meeting in March, Markit said in a note to investors. Also on Monday, a report in France showed that private sector activity fell into contraction territory last month, while business activity in Germany expanded at the slowest rate in seven months.
The dollar pared some of its early rally after Markit said its Flash U.S. PMI Manufacturing Index fell from 52.4 in January to 51.0 in February, its lowest rate since late-2012. Notably, backlog orders contracted at its highest level since September, 2009, during the depths of the Financial Crisis.
The greenback, though, held onto its gains, as investors digested solid inflation data from Friday's session. In January, the U.S. Department of Labor said its Core Consumer Price Index (CPI), surged by 1.4% from the prior 12 months last month, increasing 0.7% from already strong gains in December. The strong reading may bolster the odds that the Federal Reserve could approve multiple interest rate hikes before the end of the year.
Any rate hikes by the Fed in 2016 are viewed as bullish for the dollar, as foreign investors pile into the greenback in an effort to capitalize on higher yields.
Yields on the U.S. 10-Year gained one basis point to 1.75%, while yields on the Germany 10-Year lost three basis points to 0.17%. Yields on both government bonds have fallen by at least 30 basis points over the last month.
The U.S. Dollar Index, which measures the strength of the greenback versus a basket of six other major currencies, surged more than 0.95% to an intraday high of 97.57, before falling slightly back to 97.38 at the close. At session highs, the index reached its highest level in nearly three weeks.