Lower yielding currencies like the yen and dollar were favoured, as bad US consumer confidence data and fall in German business figures trickled in. John Doyle, a strategist at currency-trading firm Tempus Consulting Inc. in Washington, said: "We’re seeing a slight breakdown to risk as the poor data sparked a flight to safety. US consumers are not ready to open their wallets if the labor market continues to be so distressed.”
The yen climbed 1 percent to 90.20 per dollar. The greenback rose 0.6 percent to $1.3510 per euro. The euro slid 1.7 percent versus the yen.