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FOREX-Strong earnings, data knock dollar to one-month low

Published 07/15/2009, 11:45 AM
Updated 07/15/2009, 11:48 AM
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* US dollar index falls to one-month low

* Euro at two-week high; Canadian dollar hits 1-month peak

* New York state factory activity improves

* Stocks boosted after strong Goldman, Intel earnings (Updates prices, adds detail)

By Steven C. Johnson

NEW YORK, July 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar fell to a one-month low against major currencies on Wednesday, as blockbuster results from Intel and Goldman Sachs boosted confidence about corporate earnings and the economy.

Data showing factories in New York state had nearly recovered from the recession in July also lifted spirits, undermining safe-haven demand for the dollar and pushing investors into higher-yielding currencies and equities. For analysts' views on the data see [ID:nN15328993].

The low-yielding yen struggled while the euro rose along with European shares <.FTEU3> and brushed off a slight annual decline in euro zone inflation. Increased risk appetite and a rise in the price of oil also lifted the Canadian dollar to a one-month high against its U.S. counterpart.

"Intel's earnings got things kicked off yesterday, and the U.S. data just improves the outlook, so all lights are flashing green for investors to take on risk," said Brian Dolan, chief currency strategist at Forex.com in Bedminster, New Jersey.

The euro was up 0.9 percent at $1.4095, near the day's high around $1.4113, the highest since July 2. It rose 1.3 percent to 132.40 yen while the dollar added 0.4 percent to 93.96 yen .

Sterling rose 0.7 percent to $1.6429 while an index that measures the dollar against six major currencies slipped 0.9 percent to its lowest level since June 11 <.DXY>.

EARNINGS OPTIMISM, EURO AUCTIONS

Analysts said risk appetite was rising on speculation other U.S. firms may post solid second-quarter performance after reports from the two U.S. powerhouse firms exceeded forecasts.

"The market may be expecting more pleasant surprises rather than unpleasant surprises from earnings," said Steve Barrow, head of G10 currency research at Standard Bank in London.

The Australian and Canadian dollars , which tend to do well when investors' taste for risk grows, each rose about 1 percent against the greenback, with the latter hitting a one-month high at C$1.1185 per U.S. dollar.

JPMorgan Chase & Co will announce results Thursday, followed by Bank of America Corp and Citigroup Inc on Friday [RESF/US].

Data from the Bank of New York-Mellon showed the euro was the most strongly net bought major currency on Wednesday, an indication of revived risk appetite.

But Antje Praefke, strategist at Commerzbank in Frankfurt, said euro bond redemptions may limit euro gains. Roughly 60 billion euros of bond redemptions and coupon payments are scheduled this week, with about 36 billion euros due Wednesday.

"If funds from those redemptions go back into euro assets, it won't be an issue, but if for example some of it goes back to Japan, euro-yen may fall," she said.

Elsewhere, data Wednesday showed China's currency reserves surged to $2.13 trillion last month [ID:nSHA63981]. The yuan hit a two-week closing high at 6.8316 per dollar on Wednesday, the highest close since July 2. (Additional reporting by Tamawa Desai in London; Editing by Andrea Ricci)

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