Investing.com –The euro was up against the U.S. dollar for a second day on Thursday, re-approaching a four-day high after the U.S.’s credit rating was put under review for a downgrade, while the Italian Senate approved a EUR48 million austerity package.
EUR/USD hit 1.4281, the pair’s highest since July 8; the pair subsequently consolidated at 1.4228 during U.S. morning trade, gaining 0.46%.
The pair was likely to find support at 1.3950, Wednesday’s low and resistance at 1.4368, the high of July 8.
The greenback was weighed after Moody’s Investors Service said late Wednesday that it placed the U.S. government’s Aaa bond rating on review for possible downgrade for the first time since 1995, citing “a small but rising risk” of a short-lived default, amid a standoff in the U.S. Congress over raising the country's USD14.3 trillion debt ceiling.
The rating would likely be reduced to the Aa range and there is no assurance Moody’s would return its top rating even if a default is quickly cured.
Meanwhile, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Wednesday that the central bank was examining several untested means to stimulate growth if conditions deteriorate, including another round of asset purchases or quantitative easing.
In Italy, the country’s Senate approved a EUR48 billion austerity budget earlier in the day, overcoming its first parliamentary hurdle.
The four-year package, which is aimed at balancing the budget by 2014, passed with 161 votes in favor, 135 votes against and three abstentions.
The package now moves to the lower house of parliament where it is expected to be passed on Friday evening.
Earlier in the day, Italy auctioned EUR1.25 billion of five-year bonds at an average yield of 4.93%, the highest since June 2008 and up significantly from 3.9% in June.
The country also sold EUR1.71 billion of 15-year bonds at a record-high yield of 5.9%, compared to 5.34% from a previous auction.
The euro was also higher against the pound, with EUR/GBP gaining 0.18% to hit 0.8810.
Earlier Thursday, official data showed that the number of individuals filing for initial jobless benefits in the week ending July 8 declined by 22,000 to a seasonally adjusted 405,000, the lowest amount since mid-April.
A separate report showed that retail sales in June rose by 0.1%, confounding expectations for a flat reading.
Also Thursday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said that producer price inflation declined by a seasonally adjusted 0.4% in June, after rising by 0.2% in May. Analysts had expected PPI to decline by 0.2% in June.
EUR/USD hit 1.4281, the pair’s highest since July 8; the pair subsequently consolidated at 1.4228 during U.S. morning trade, gaining 0.46%.
The pair was likely to find support at 1.3950, Wednesday’s low and resistance at 1.4368, the high of July 8.
The greenback was weighed after Moody’s Investors Service said late Wednesday that it placed the U.S. government’s Aaa bond rating on review for possible downgrade for the first time since 1995, citing “a small but rising risk” of a short-lived default, amid a standoff in the U.S. Congress over raising the country's USD14.3 trillion debt ceiling.
The rating would likely be reduced to the Aa range and there is no assurance Moody’s would return its top rating even if a default is quickly cured.
Meanwhile, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Wednesday that the central bank was examining several untested means to stimulate growth if conditions deteriorate, including another round of asset purchases or quantitative easing.
In Italy, the country’s Senate approved a EUR48 billion austerity budget earlier in the day, overcoming its first parliamentary hurdle.
The four-year package, which is aimed at balancing the budget by 2014, passed with 161 votes in favor, 135 votes against and three abstentions.
The package now moves to the lower house of parliament where it is expected to be passed on Friday evening.
Earlier in the day, Italy auctioned EUR1.25 billion of five-year bonds at an average yield of 4.93%, the highest since June 2008 and up significantly from 3.9% in June.
The country also sold EUR1.71 billion of 15-year bonds at a record-high yield of 5.9%, compared to 5.34% from a previous auction.
The euro was also higher against the pound, with EUR/GBP gaining 0.18% to hit 0.8810.
Earlier Thursday, official data showed that the number of individuals filing for initial jobless benefits in the week ending July 8 declined by 22,000 to a seasonally adjusted 405,000, the lowest amount since mid-April.
A separate report showed that retail sales in June rose by 0.1%, confounding expectations for a flat reading.
Also Thursday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said that producer price inflation declined by a seasonally adjusted 0.4% in June, after rising by 0.2% in May. Analysts had expected PPI to decline by 0.2% in June.