Asian session: The yen fell

00:30 Australia ANZ Job Advertisements (MoM) December -2.9% -3.9%

00:30 Australia Home Loans November +0.1% +0.5% -0.5%

The yen fell to the lowest level in more than two years on prospects Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will select a central bank chief who will expand monetary easing efforts to accelerate the currency’s decline.

The Japanese currency weakened beyond 120 per euro for the first time in 20 months after Abe said he wants someone “who can push through bold monetary policy” as the next governor of the Bank of Japan, which meets next week.

The dollar sank to a more than 10-month low against the euro as Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Charles Evans said the U.S. should keep policy accommodative to support the economy. Demand for the greenback was also limited before data tomorrow that may show manufacturing in the New York region failed to expand.

Japan’s markets are shut today for a national holiday.

EUR/USD: during the Asian session, the pair rose to $1.3405.

GBP/USD: during the Asian session, the pair rose to $1.6155.

USD/JPY: during the Asian session, the pair rose to Y89.60.

The European calendar gets underway at 1000GMT, with the release of the EMU November industrial output data. Analysts are looking for industrial production to rise 0.2% on month, down 3.1% on year. At 1100GMT, the EMU November OECD leading indicator numbers will cross the wires. Back on the continent, at 1830GMT, ECB Executive Board member Peter Praet participates in a panel discussion, in Brussels.