Daily Afternoon Report 12/11/2012

The U.S. dollar was trading in tight ranges against the other major currencies on Monday, ahead of a meeting of euro zone finance ministers in Brussels to discuss whether to release Greece’s next tranche of financial aid.

During European afternoon trade, the dollar eased back from a two-month high against the euro, since the euro found support after Greece’s government approved a budget of spending cuts and tax increases for 2013 late Sunday, just days after the parliament narrowly approved a EUR13.5 billion austerity package required to secure the country’s next installment of financial aid.

The eurogroup of finance ministers was to hold talks in Brussels later Monday, but no decision was expected to be taken ahead of an economic progress report from the troika. Speaking in Brussels ahead of the meeting, Mr. Juncker said he doesn't expect any "definitive" decisions on Greece on Monday, but he said Greece is in the process of meeting its commitments and he hopes the next tranche of financial aid will be agreed "as soon as possible."

Without the next aid installment, Greece risks default on November 16, when Athens must repay EUR5 billion of debts.

In other news, general strikes were called in Greece, Portugal, Spain and Italy on November 14^th.

Meanwhile, ongoing concerns over the U.S. fiscal cliff continued to underpin demand for the dollar.

The dollar was little changed against the yen earlier in the session after official data showed that Japan’s economy contracted by 3.5% in the third quarter compared to a year earlier as exports, consumption and business investment tumbled.

The report was offset by official data from China over the weekend showing that exports increased by 11.6% from a year earlier in October, while the trade surplus widened to the largest in almost four years.

In Australia, official data showed that home loan demand rose less-than-expected in September, increasing 0.9% slightly below expectations for a 1.0% rise.

Later Monday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel was to travel to Lisbon to hold talks with Portuguese political leaders, amid public opposition to the country’s austerity cuts.