American focus: euro and pound declined

The euro rose in early U.S. session amid falling yields of government bonds from the Italian medium term and there were rumors that the IMF is preparing a preemptive bailout for Italy in the amount of 400-600 million euros. But then quickly followed by denials,including an official from the IMF. Negative background outweighed the sentiment and the euro fell. Thus, Moody's warned that the rapid development of the sovereign and banking crisis threatening the region's rankings of European government bonds. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said that France needed to take more stringent economic measures in order to achieve the goal of a budget deficit for 2012, as GDP growth may not reach projected levels due to the recession.

Investors are awaiting tomorrow's meeting of Ministers of the euro area, which may adopt the rules of the European Foundation for financial stability. Their approval would allow the fund to $ 440 billion euros to attract funds from investors.

The pound weakened versus higher- yielding peers after data showed U.K. house prices dropped last month and retail sales fell, and as the British Chambers of Commerce cut its economic-growth forecasts. Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne presents updated economic and fiscal forecasts to Parliament tomorrow amid speculation government growth estimates will be cut and budget shortfalls will be greater than predicted. The central bank said last week that the threat of the euro-area debt crisis on the U.K. economy has increased. Minutes of the central bank’s Nov. 9-10 meeting released on Nov. 23 showed some policy makers said an increase in stimulus may be needed to support the economy. The minutes also revealed the nine-member Monetary Policy Committee voted unanimously to keep its key interest rate at a record low of 0.5 percent.