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Euro slips with all eyes on Greece
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The euro fell against the dollar in European deals on Tuesday as investors awaited fresh details on Greece's plans to resolve the nation's debt crisis, analysts said.

In morning deals here, the European single currency slid to 1.3592 dollars from 1.3631 dollars late in New York on Monday.

Against the Japanese currency, the dollar sank to 89.76 yen from 90.27 yen on Monday.

Persistent uncertainty over Greece's debt crisis weighed on European currencies as investors waited for specific measures on tackling the eurozone member's public deficit woes, dealers said.

Traders were cautious before talks between Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou and US President Barack Obama, after the Greek leader raised concerns that speculators were undermining efforts to overcome a debt crisis.

Papandreou urged the United States to crack down on currency speculators amid reports that some US funds have placed big bearish bets against the euro.

The Greek leader, who arrived in Washington after visits to France and Germany to drum up international backing for his debt-hit nation, has adopted major austerity measures in a bid to cut the 12.7 percent public deficit.

In his first public address on Monday, Papandreou said: "Unprincipled speculators are making billions every day by betting on a Greek default."

Reports have said hedge funds have placed major bets against the euro, which is used by 16 European states, including Greece.

Meanwhile, investors were also eyeing upcoming events in Asia, including three central bank meetings and Chinese inflation data due this week.

Although the central banks of South Korea, the Philippines and Thailand will probably leave their interest rates unchanged, analysts said they may withdraw some of their stimulus measures as regional growth picks up.

The prospect of eventual interest rate rises in those countries is likely to support their currencies against the lower-yielding dollar and the yen, dealers said.

Japan has kept its interest rates at 0.1 percent since December 2008 and is expected to be one of the last industrialised nations to tighten monetary policy as the country faces deflation and weak domestic demand.

Speculation is mounting that the Bank of Japan will extend its special corporate funding facility when it meets next week.

In London on Tuesday, the euro was changing hands at 1.3592 dollars against 1.3631 dollars on Monday, at 122.06 yen (123.07), 0.9080 pounds (0.9047) and 1.4626 Swiss francs (1.4629).

The dollar stood at 89.76 yen (90.27) and 1.0762 Swiss francs (1.0728).

The pound was at 1.4969 dollars (1.5062).

On the London Bullion Market, the price of gold edged lower to 1,121.19 dollars an ounce from 1,125.75 dollars an ounce on Monday.


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