• US nonfarm payrolls fall 467,000 in June; unemployment rate rises 0.1% to 9.5%
  • US weekly jobless claims fall to 614,000; continued claims fall to 6.702 from 6.755
  • ECB leaves rates unchanged at 1.0%
  • Trichet: Eurozone economy weak, but less weak than in Q1
  • US May factory orders rise 1.2%
  • IMF deputy: Next global growth projection to be higher
  • Obama: “Deeply concerned” about unemployment rise
  • Putin aid says he, Obama to discuss currencies, WTO entry, crisis at Moscow summit next week
  • White House sees unemployment reaching 10% in next 2-3 months
  • US equities shed 2.7%, Oil falls $2.58 to $66.70

Currencies were already on the defensive when the weak US employment report sent the reflation trade lower. EUR/USD slid to the 1.4015 level after the data but was met by buying from Asian central banks. A rebound to 1.4065 unfolded but prices soon headed back toward their lows. Bids at 1.4000 were eventually worn away with prices pipping as low as 1.3989.The ECB meeting was a relative non-factor today, though it did remind traders of the massive liquidity injections by the ECB last week.

USD/JPY was sent lower by the data as the safe-haven aspect of the JPY came to the fore. USD/JPY dipped as low as 95.75 as EUR/JPY slumped to 134.15. Stops were triggered below the 134.75.

Cable was in demand by Asian central banks on the post-data dips. That, combined with selling of EUR/GBP helped keep cable relatively well supported during the US session. It spent much of the US afternoon above the 1.64 level after touching 1.6325 during the morning dollar rally.

AUD/USD was out of favor as complacent longs began to head to the sidelines. Aussie trade data and fears Chinese demand is cooling helped undermine the OZ which slipped as low as 0.7936 and stayed there for much of the US afternoon. USD/CAD retook levels above 1.1600 as oil slumped to its lowest levels in a month and quite close to range lows at 0.6625.

Sean will have normal coverage from Asia this evening while Gerry will cover through to the early afternoon in London. I’ll chip in with some bits and pieces Friday morning but we will not have full coverage during the US session with markets clsed for Independence Day. Good long weekend, everyone.