The euro was down over doubts that Greece would win euro-zone aid and concerns about the UK economy hit sterling. Michael Woolfolk, senior currency strategist, at BNY Mellon in New York said: “The tensions surrounding Greece are escalating. This whole IMF situation has become a game of brinkmanship and the whole uncertainty is undermining the euro.” Sterling also fell sharply when a Bank of England policy maker said there was some risk of a double-dip recession in Britain.
The dollar was up 0.2 percent at 90.47 yen while the euro fell 0.4 percent to 1.4346 Swiss francs.