The euro was clinging to broad-based gains on Wednesday, surging higher versus the yen and sterling, while the dollar got injured from dull economic data and news the foreign investors had been heavy dealers of US assets.

The euro went up $1.3758 in Asian trade, prolonging at $1.3769 overnight, its highest level in seven weeks and breaking a key resistance barrier at $1.3740. Disappointing report on New York manufacturing and US housing agitated the Federal Reserve to be more patient in its tapering actions and drived Treasury yields lower, eroding the dollar’s yield advantage.

Data from Treasury reflected overseas investors sold about $120 billion of US assets in December. On the other hand, the euro zone pulled inflows into stocks of 111 billion euros and took pleasure in its record present account surplus of 216 billion euros in 2013. But the United States had a deficit of about $400 billion.

As of now, the euro was battling to retain its title as the strongest currency. It bounced 0.6% versus the pound to 0.8362 sterling, following a calm reading on UK inflation argued against an early gain in interest rates there.

It also ascended 0.8% versus the yen to 140.86, partly backed by the Bank of Japan’s decision to stretch and expand a system to promote bank lending. The decision was taken as a cue the central bank was open to additional easing steps, which many anticipated will be needed once an increment in Japan’s sales tax take effect in April.

Even the dollar dealt to gain some ground on the yen at 102.39, although it could not uphold its 102.75 peak. The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) is attempting to engineer a gradual upward shift in the cost of money to encourage firms to deleverage and dissuade high-risk shadow banking activity. Investors are uneasy in case the tightening goes too far and wounds economic progress, worries that have frequently put pressure on currencies throughout the Asian region.

The Fed will report minutes of its January policy meeting today when it decided to cut down its asset buying by $10 billion. Since then, Fed Chair Janet Yellen has inclined the tapering will go on, as long as the US economy recovers as expected.

The material has been provided by InstaForex Company – www.instaforex.com

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