FOREX-Euro maintains gains against dollar on expectations of U.S. slowdown

Published 01/11/2019, 09:52
Updated 01/11/2019, 09:54
© Reuters.  FOREX-Euro maintains gains against dollar on expectations of U.S. slowdown

* Dollar drops to three-week low vs yen

* New Zealand dollar jumps to seven-week high against U.S.

dollar

* Graphic: World FX rates in 2019 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh

By Olga Cotaga

LONDON, Nov 1 (Reuters) - The euro held its gains against

the dollar on Friday as investors sold the U.S. currency,

expecting the United States will soon join the global economic

slowdown.

The dollar and the Japanese yen, both seen as safe-haven

investments, appreciated equally each time the United States

looked deadlocked in its trade dispute with China.

But the dollar is losing that status, after poor U.S.

economic data. Investors do not share the Federal Reserve's

confidence in the economic outlook because of the risks posed by

the trade war, which contributed to declines by the dollar and

U.S. Treasury yields.

Traders were looking to a U.S. employment report, which was

expected to show job creation has slowed, highlighting concerns

about the health of the world's largest economy.

The Fed cut interest rates this week for the third time this

year, but it indicated further cuts were unlikely, citing

pockets of strength in the U.S. economy.

The euro was last up 0.1% at $1.1165 EUR=EBS , close to a

10-day high.

The dollar also lost against the yen JPY=EBS , last trading

at 107.89 yen, a three-week low, after Bloomberg reported that

Chinese officials have doubts about reaching a comprehensive

solution to the U.S.-Sino trade war.

The U.S. currency is headed for a 0.6% decline against the

yen this week, its biggest weekly loss since Oct. 4.

"Following the Fed rate meeting, the market not only feels

confirmed in its rate cut expectations, it has even raised

them," Commerzbank analysts said in a note to clients, citing

the reports of Chinese doubts about a trade deal.

"The ISM index and the U.S. labour market report today will

be decisive for whether the economic pessimism about the U.S.

and thus the rate cut expectations as well as dollar weakness

will continue short term," the analysts said.

Forecasts are the U.S. economy created 89,000 new jobs in

October, fewer than the 136,000 created in September, according

to a Reuters poll. An ISM manufacturing PMI reading, however, is

expected to rise to 48.9 in October from 47.8 in September.

Elsewhere, the New Zealand dollar NZD=D3 jumped to a

seven-week high of 0.6443 against the dollar, and was last up

0.4% at 0.6436.

The pound GBP=D3 rose 0.3% to $1.2973, poised for a 1%

weekly gain. Sterling EURGBP=D3 was quoted at 86.09 pence per

euro, headed for a 0.2% rise this week.

Sterling has found support as the threat of Britain crashing

out of the European Union without an agreement on trade and

borders begins to fade.

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