Investing.com - The euro pared back losses against the U.S. dollar and the yen on Monday, following the release of better-than-expected euro zone trade data, but the single currency remained under broad selling pressure as concerns over Spain’s fiscal woes weighed.
During European morning trade, the euro was lower against the U.S. dollar, with EUR/USD shedding 0.41% to hit 1.3022, off an earlier low of 1.2996.
Official data showed that the euro zone posted an external trade surplus of EUR2.8 billion in February, against a deficit of EUR2.8 billion in the same month last year, as exports increased by 11%, while imports rose 7%.
But sentiment on the euro remained downbeat after the cost of insuring Spanish sovereign debt against default rose to a fresh record earlier, pushing the yield on the country’s 10-year bonds back above the 6% level, amid concerns that the government will be unable to meet deficit reduction targets.
Investors looked set to remain cautious ahead of an auction of two and 10-year Spanish governments bonds later in the week, which was being seen as a key test of market appetite for the country’s debt.
The single currency was trading close to a 19-month trough against sterling, with EUR/GBP shedding 0.40% to hit 0.8219.
Sterling remained supported after recent economic data indicated that the recovery in the U.K. is gaining momentum, easing concerns the Bank of England may implement fresh stimulus measures.
Sentiment on the pound was also boosted after ratings agency Standard & Poor's reaffirmed its triple-A rating on the U.K. on Friday, saying the government will be able to stick to its austerity program.
The euro trimmed losses against the yen, with EUR/JPY down 0.66% to hit 105.12 after touching a two-month low of 104.66 earlier.
The euro was little changed against the Swiss franc, with EUR/CHF dipping 0.03% to hit 1.2021.
In Switzerland, official data showed that the producer price index rose less-than-expected last month, climbing 0.3%, disappointing expectations for a 0.5% gain after increasing by 0.8% in February.
The shared currency was broadly lower against the Canadian, Australian and New Zealand dollars, with EUR/CAD losing 0.46% to hit 1.3010, EUR/AUD sliding 0.23% to hit 1.2578 and EUR/NZD adding 0.16% to hit 1.5916.
Later Monday, the U.S. was to release government data on retail sales and a report on manufacturing activity in New York, as well as official data on net long-term securities transactions and business inventories.
During European morning trade, the euro was lower against the U.S. dollar, with EUR/USD shedding 0.41% to hit 1.3022, off an earlier low of 1.2996.
Official data showed that the euro zone posted an external trade surplus of EUR2.8 billion in February, against a deficit of EUR2.8 billion in the same month last year, as exports increased by 11%, while imports rose 7%.
But sentiment on the euro remained downbeat after the cost of insuring Spanish sovereign debt against default rose to a fresh record earlier, pushing the yield on the country’s 10-year bonds back above the 6% level, amid concerns that the government will be unable to meet deficit reduction targets.
Investors looked set to remain cautious ahead of an auction of two and 10-year Spanish governments bonds later in the week, which was being seen as a key test of market appetite for the country’s debt.
The single currency was trading close to a 19-month trough against sterling, with EUR/GBP shedding 0.40% to hit 0.8219.
Sterling remained supported after recent economic data indicated that the recovery in the U.K. is gaining momentum, easing concerns the Bank of England may implement fresh stimulus measures.
Sentiment on the pound was also boosted after ratings agency Standard & Poor's reaffirmed its triple-A rating on the U.K. on Friday, saying the government will be able to stick to its austerity program.
The euro trimmed losses against the yen, with EUR/JPY down 0.66% to hit 105.12 after touching a two-month low of 104.66 earlier.
The euro was little changed against the Swiss franc, with EUR/CHF dipping 0.03% to hit 1.2021.
In Switzerland, official data showed that the producer price index rose less-than-expected last month, climbing 0.3%, disappointing expectations for a 0.5% gain after increasing by 0.8% in February.
The shared currency was broadly lower against the Canadian, Australian and New Zealand dollars, with EUR/CAD losing 0.46% to hit 1.3010, EUR/AUD sliding 0.23% to hit 1.2578 and EUR/NZD adding 0.16% to hit 1.5916.
Later Monday, the U.S. was to release government data on retail sales and a report on manufacturing activity in New York, as well as official data on net long-term securities transactions and business inventories.