American focus: euro fell

The euro fell to a one-month low against the yen as European bond yields surged at auctions and Mario Monti, Italy’s premier-in-waiting, faced resistance to forming a cabinet. The 17-nation currency slid below $1.35 as Italy’s 10-year yields surpassed the 7 percent threshold that prompted other nations to seek bailouts. Italian 10-year yields climbed as high as 7.07 percent after rising to a euro-era record of 7.48 percent on Nov. 9. The extra yield investors demand to hold the 10-year debt of Spain, France, Austria and Belgium instead of German bunds widened to the most since the euro was introduced in 1999. The ZEW Center for European Economic Research said its index of German investor and analyst expectations, which aims to predict developments six months in advance, decreased to minus 55.2 this month, the lowest since October 2008.

The Swiss franc dropped versus the dollar after the central bank’s Vice Chairman Thomas Jordan said the currency remains “very strong.” Hans Hess, president of the country’s industry group Swissmem, told reporters today in Bern that the central bank should raise the ceiling. Fair value, the measure for currencies using prices for similar goods and services in two countries, is 1.35 to 1.40 francs per euro.

The dollar got a boost as Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Richard Fisher said he sees decreasing odds the central bank will need to ease policy further on signs the U.S. economy is poised for growth. U.S. retail sales rose in October more than forecast, and manufacturing in the New York region unexpectedly expanded this month, reports showed today.