Markets

Euro falls after rallying on Euro debt talks

Published Updated

The euro bought $1.3349 and 103.64 yen in Tokyo morning trade, down from $1.3384 and 103.93 yen late Friday in New York, where the common European currency rose on the tentative fiscal pact struck by European Union leaders.

The dollar was almost unchanged against the Japanese unit, trading at 77.66 yen.

At the meeting in Brussels, EU leaders backed tighter budget policing to contain the eurozone's debt crisis.

A total of 26 of the 27 EU states signalled their willingness to join a "new fiscal compact" to resolve the crisis threatening to break apart the monetary union.

But non-euro Britain resisted a Franco-German drive to enshrine new budget rules in a modified EU treaty.

"Risk-appetite did improve Friday, with stock markets rallying and bond yields in Spain and Italy declining a little," National Australia Bank said in a client note.

"However, the EU summit produced no silver bullet and so investors will be watching for clarification this week on whether the measures announced are likely to be implemented and how effective they may be in stemming the debt crisis."

Debt auctions for Italy and Spain this week will provide an insight into investor sentiment after the announcements, it said.

Also in the spotlight is the extent of International Monetary Fund support to ease Europe's fiscal woes, it added.

EU leaders said they would consider and confirm within 10 days a transfer of 200 billion euros to the International Monetary Fund which could then come to the aid of debt-mired eurozone countries.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011