US focus: Euro advances as Greece passes austerity

The euro reached two-week high against the dollar as investors raised bets the European Central Bank will increase interest rates next week after the passage of austerity measures by Greek lawmakers.
The 17-nation currency also gained after Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou won with his 78 billion euro ($112 billion) package of budget cuts and state asset sales.

Canada’s dollar rose as consumer prices in Canada advanced 0.7% in May after a 0.3% gain in the previous month, Statistics Canada said today, making it more likely that the central bank will resume boosting borrowing costs.
The Bank of Canada kept its benchmark overnight lending rate at 1% on May 31, where it has been since September.
The franc slipped versus all of its major peers after the nation’s economic barometer fell in June, adding to signs the franc’s ascent and a faltering euro-region economy may hurt economic growth.
The monthly gauge that aims to predict the economy’s direction about six months ahead dropped to 2.23 from 2.30 in May, the KOF Swiss Economic Institute in Zurich said today.