4 April 2001, 17:08 The dollar continued to be pushed lower
NEW YORK (MktNews) - The dollar continued to be pushed lower vs
most major currencies Wednesday morning on stop-losses triggered by
euro-dollar buying and statements from Japanese officials voicing their
displeasure at a weakening yen, sources said.
In Japan, comments Monday by Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa
voicing concern about recent abrupt moves along with Wednesday's
reported comments by Japanese Vice Finance Minister Haruhiko Kuroda
saying that it is doubtful that the yen's current weakness reflects
economic fundamentals, made it clear Japanese officials may not be
looking to export their way out of their problems.
"Though the market believes Japanese policy-makers are looking for
the yen to weaken, we think that recent comments from Asian authorities
on the adverse effects of the weak yen, coupled with the attitude of the
U.S. government imply that further upside in the U.S. dollar will be met
by stronger verbal support for the yen," said analysts at UBS Warburg in
their daily report.
"Until official attitudes really do change, we think that the
market is wrong to buy dollars here on the assumption that the
authorities are seeking to weaken the yen."
Dollar-yen was trading at Y125.82 at 8:46 a.m. EDT, down from
earlier highs near Y126.27.
Although the dollar-yen was trading with a soft tone, the same
could not be said of euro-yen which had seen "massive amounts" being
purchased according to traders.
Euro-yen was trading at Y113.45 at 8:46 a.m. EDT, after break
through stop-loss euro-yen buy orders on the break of Y113.20.
Traders had been disappointed of late that the euro-yen had not
been able to sustain gains along with the sharp rally in dollar-yen,
leading many traders to be short euros vs the yen.
Wednesday's rally makes for conflicts, with euro-yen technicals
pointing to higher levels, while dollar-yen technicals are pointing to
lower levels.
In Euroland, a weak unemployment report in Germany, seemed to
cement ECB action next week, which was part of the reason for the euro
to move higher overnight, traders said.
German March unemployment data came in line with earlier leaks at
plus 12,000 for the Pan German number, vs expectations of a fall of
5,000.
In the bigger picture traders said the euro-dollar was buoyed by
model-driven funds buying the euro as concerns about the U.S. economic
situation continue to mount.
"There is the realization, that things are not as rosy as had been
hoped in the U.S., " said one Euroland trader.
"The equity market moves have also weighed on the dollar," he
added.
The euro-dollar was trading at $0.9017 at 8:46a.m. EDT.
Foremost on the U.S. agenda on Wednesday will be Federal Reserve
Bank Chairman Alan Greenspan's testimony before the Senate Finance
Committee at 10:00 a.m. EDT.
Greenspan will speak on trade liberalization, and there is to be a
Q&A session.
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