Sterling hit the highest level against the euro for nearly 10 months yesterday, breaking through €1.19/£1 as a lack of confidence in a solution to the debt crisis and the risk of downgrades gathered pace. Negative sentiment towards the euro did however drive sterling lower against the US dollar as investors looked to the safer haven of the US currency. Sterling is not necessarily being driven by any UK data, more the lack of confidence in the euro. One slight positive for sterling was that Spencer Dale, chief economist at the Bank of England, felt that inflation would not fall as fast as predicted and as such he would not necessarily support further Quantitative Easing. Call in now for a live price.

In the euro zone, the euro suffered yesterday again falling to a 10 month low against sterling and an 11 month low against the US dollar. Concerns are high over the impact of potential sovereign debt rating downgrades after several rating agencies this week warned of possible European wide cuts to credit ratings. Italy also struggled to auction a round of 5 year bonds and ended up paying record costs for its 5 year borrowing. Call in now for a live exchange rate as we could conceivably be over 1.20 very soon.

In the USA, stock markets dropped for a 3rd straight day as investors concerns that Europe was not containing the debt crisis impacted on stock purchases. The US dollar strengthened against most currencies as investors looked to the safer haven of the currency to avoid losing out.

Elsewhere, the Swiss franc dropped to the weakest level in 9 months ahead of a meeting later today where the Swiss National Bank will decide whether to further weaken the currency. Call in now for a live exchange rate.

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