Real, seasonally and workday-adjusted retail sales: November: -0.8% m/m, -2.5% y/y October: +0.1% m/m (revised from +0.4%) September: -0.6% m/m (unrevised) August: flat m/m (revised from +0.1%) July: +0.2% m/m (unrevised) June: +0.5% m/m (revised from +0.6%) – FRANKFURT (MNI) – Retail sales in the Eurozone fell back in November to their lowest level since [...]

November preliminary: 10.3% MNI survey median: 10.4% MNI survey range: 10.3% to 10.4% Previous: 10.3 Oct, 10.2% Sep, 10.1% Aug, 10.1% Jul, 10.0% Jun PARIS (MNI) – The Eurozone unemployment rate held steady in November at October’s record high of 10.3%, according to seasonally adjusted data released Friday by Eurostat. Most analysts had expected the [...]

EMU DATA: December business climate index -0.31, November rev to -0.42 (-0.44) – For more details, please see MNI Mainwire

EMU DATA: December economic sentiment index down to 93.3; November rev 93.8 (93.7) – EMU December econ sentiment above MNI survey fcast median (93.0) – EMU December consumer confidence down to -21.1, above expected (-21.2) – EMU December industry confidence unch at -7.1, above expected (-7.7) – EMU December services confidence down to -2.1 vs [...]

EMU DATA: November real sa retail sales -0.8% m/m, wda -2.5% y/y – EMU October retail sales rev +0.1% m/m (+0.4%) – EMU October+November avg retail sales -0.7% vs 3q avg; 3q unch q/q – For details see MNI MainWire

Versus revised -0.42 in November (prev -0.44), better than Reuters’ median forecast of -0.50. Elsewhere,  euro zone November unemployment unchanged at 10.3%, as expected.

Well below expectations , but improved business climate data offsetting as EUR/USD remains steady around 1.2800 Oct retail sales revised  to +0.1 m/m from +0.4% and -0.7% y/y from -0.4%

EMU DATA: November sa unemployment rate 10.3%; October unrev 10.3% – EMU November unemployment rate below MNI median fcast (10.4%) – See MNI MainWire for details

LONDON (MNI) – UK car registrations slumped 4.4% in 2011 from the previous year, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said today. The SMMT said that registrations were down 3.7% in December from the same month of 2010. Despite the annual fall, new car demand in 2011 came in better than forecast at 1,941,253 [...]

That ECB is indeed buying 5 year Italian bonds THIS VERY MORNING. I never thought I’d live to see the day Right now good old Joe’s here, I’m off.  Had enough of this bollox. Got some serious meditating to do……..

Been told from a couple of sources that there have been “sharp” and “smart ” buyers around in EUR/AUD this morning around the 1.2480 level but so far nothing  seems to be turning the tide in that cross. AUD/USD’s  nudging up towards some offers reportedly at 1.0280 with a recent high of  1.0268 , but [...]

–Adds Comments On French Auctions, Euro Exchange Rate PARIS (MNI) – The European Central Bank’s unlimited long-term financing of banks is beginning to bear fruit in sovereign funding for Eurozone governments, ECB Governing Council member Christian Noyer said Friday. Recent sovereign debt issues, notably for France and the bailout fund EFSF, have “gone very well,” [...]

Presently at 1.2805.  Talk of sell orders clustered 1.2810/20, light buy stops above there.

What’ll we see first in EUR/USD,   1.2600 or 1.3000?  Reasons behind choice would be nice, but not obligatory.

Must have come as a bit of a shock to all those under-worked USD/JPY traders!! Being told buy stops gathering through 77.40.  We’re presently at 77.12.

Well best you pull your finger out  boy!!! Cannot have the single market being discussed outside the full European Union (good luck with that one pumpkin)

–Prices Down 0.1% In 3 Months To Dec Vs Previous 3-Month Period LONDON (MNI) – UK house prices fell by 0.9% in December from November and were down 1.3% in the three months to last month from the same period a year ago, according to the Halifax House Price Index. Prices were 0.1% down in [...]

PARIS (MNI) – The European Central Bank’s unlimited long-term financing of banks is beginning to bear fruit in sovereign funding for Eurozone governments, ECB Governing Council member Christian Noyer said Friday. Recent sovereign debt issues, notably for France and the bailout fund EFSF, have “gone very well,” the governor of the Bank of France noted [...]

Slightly weaker than Reuters’ median forecasts flat, -0.6%  respectively.