By Anchalee Worrachate
Sept. 28 (Bloomberg) -- The dollar fell to a record low against the euro before economic reports that may add to evidence the U.S. economic slowdown is deepening, suggesting the Federal Reserve may lower interest rates again this year.
The dollar declined against 15 of 16 most-actively traded currencies today as personal income growth is forecast to slow in August and consumer confidence to stay at a one-year low. The U.S. currency traded near an all-time low against a basket of six major peers as reduced interest rates made dollar-denominated assets less attractive to international investors.
The dollar declined to a record low of $1.4190 per euro and last traded at $1.4185 at 7:33 a.m. in New York, setting a record for a seventh day, from $1.4153 yesterday.
``The U.S. economic outlook is pointing to the dollar falling further,'' said Daragh Maher, senior currency strategist at Calyon in London. ``There's reluctance to buy the dollar even though the dollar is looking undervalued.''
The New York Board of Trade's dollar index fell to 78.134, the weakest since the index began in 1973. The Fed's trade- weighted index comparing the dollar with major currencies fell on Sept. 25 to the lowest since its inception in 1971.
Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan reiterated today in a BBC Radio 4 interview the probability that a recession will hit the U.S. is higher now than a few months ago.
Fed policy makers on Sept. 18 reduced the target rate for overnight loans between banks by a half percentage point to 4.75 percent. The European Central Bank's main rate is 4 percent.
To contact the reporter on this story: Anchalee Worrachate in London at aworrachate@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: September 28, 2007 07:43 EDT
HOME
