The euro was buying $1.2332, compared with $1.2333 in late North American trading on Thursday.

The U.K. pound dropped due to falling U.S. equity markets lifting demand for the safe-haven dollar. After a relatively disappointing week of figures from the U.S., the Dow Jones dropped another one and a half percent with risk aversion on the rise.

The pound slipped to $1.4929, from $1.4936 late Thursday. .

The Canadian dollar remained under pressure as prevailing risk aversion was fueled by Greek credit default swaps rising to a record high, raising concerns that the debt crisis isn’t over. Also, oil prices are trending lower on dimming consumption expectations. and with crude holding a 67% negative correlation; it remains a supportive factor for the pair.

The Canadian dollar opened at $.9586.

- The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 146 points, or 1.4%.
- The Nasdaq Composite Index shed 37 points, or 1.6%.
- The S&P 500 Index fell 18 points, or 1.7%.

The euro was at $1.2287, from $1.2311 late Wednesday

The U.K. pound has been gaining strength since the U.K. released a belt-tightening budget, which two ratings agencies said could protect the U.K.'s AAA credit rating. The rate-hike chatter helped the pound reach a six-week high against the dollar.

The U.K. pound was at $1.4987 from $1.4951.

Canada’s dollar fell for a fourth consecutive session amid declines in stocks and commodities as concern the global economic recovery is faltering lifted such traditional safety assets as the U.S. dollar.

The loonie is trading at $.9592.

- The Dow rose 4.92, or 0.1 percent.
- S&P's 500 index fell 3.27, or 0.3 percent.
- The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 1.66, or 0.3 percent.
- Britain's FTSE 100 fell 1.3 percent.
- Germany's DAX index dropped 1 percent.
- France's CAC-40 fell 1.7 percent.
- Japan's Nikkei 225 stock index fell 1.9 percent

The U.K. pound gained against the dollar after minutes from the Bank of England's latest interest-rate meeting showed one member wanted to raise rates. Andrew Sentance, an external member of the MPC, voted against his fellow committee members in favor of a quarter-point hike due to fears of rising inflation, according to the minutes of the June 10 meeting, released Wednesday.

The pound is trading at $1.4913, up 0.7% from $1.4822 in late Tuesday North American trading.

The Canadian dollar weakened against its U.S. counterpart on Wednesday, tugged lower by weak oil prices, which fell below $78 a barrel after U.S. industry data showed a surprise jump in crude and gasoline stocks.

In early trading, the loonie was at $.9690, slightly lower than Tuesday's finish at $.9717.

The drop was due in part to a report from the National Association of Realtors showing that existing home sales fell by 2.2 percent to an annual rate of 5.66 million units in May from an upwardly revised 5.79 million unit rate in April. The fall in sales came as surprise to economists, who had expected sales to rise to a 6.10 million unit rate from the 5.77 million unit rate originally reported for the previous month.

Dow - down 148.89 (1.43%)
Nasdaq - down 27.29 (1.19%)
S&P - down 17.89 (1.61%)

Close to 9,000 units of five securities traded on the secondary market of the ECSE, driven primarily by Dominica Electricity Services Limited, 5,900 shares of that company traded at $2.50.

On the RGSM, the Government of St. Vincent & the Grenadines’ 91-day Treasury Bill issue was oversubscribed by $8.28 million. Bidding closed the auction at 4.75%. On Monday 21st June, the Government of St. Lucia successfully auctioned $16 million worth of Treasury Bills, at a discount rate of 6%.

TRINIDAD

On the TTSE, all three Indexes declined. The Cross Listed Index declined the most, closing down 0.31%. Overall Market activity resulted from the trading in 19 stocks, of which two advanced, four declined and thirteen traded firm. The advancers were led by a 0.77% increase in Scotiabank Trinidad & Tobago’s price, while Jamaica Money Market Brokers, closing down 12%, led the decliners.

JAMAICA

The major Indexes of the JSE all declined, with the Cross Listed Index remaining unchanged. Market volume amounted to over 22 million units valued at $225.5 million. Sagicor Life Jamaica was the volume leader with 23.1%, followed by Supreme Ventures Limited and Mayberry Investments Ltd.

Urban unemployment statistics throughout 24 countries in the region has positioned Jamaica the fourth worst and Trinidad and Tobago the third best performer, despite both nations being statistically tied seven years ago. This information is cited in a bulletin released by ECLAC and the International Labour Organization.

BARBADOS

113,000 shares traded on the Regular Market of the BSE. Fortress Caribbean Property Fund led with 26.56% of volume. Fortress, along with First Caribbean International Bank and Sagicor Financial Corporation, contributed to over 70% of the total volume. The Local and Composite Indexes both increased, while the Cross-List Index was unchanged.

In other news, a shareholder of Sagicor Financial Corporation has filed a civil suit against the company. West India Biscuit Company Ltd (WIBISCO) has alleged that the private sale of 11.76 million of Sagicor’s shares to the National Insurance Board of Barbados in December 2009 was oppressive to existing shareholders and prejudicial to NIB, and also had a negative effect on the other shareholders of the company. The stock price for Sagicor has dropped from $3.50 from the day prior to the private placement, to $3.05 as at June 18th, a 12.9% decline.

INTERNATIONAL

In the U.S., Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan has called for a strategic shift in fiscal policy in an effort to contain borrowing. He predicts that the country may soon face higher borrowing costs on its continued increase in debt as the swing in demand toward American government debt and away from euro-denominated bonds is temporary.

Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase raised $4.25 billion in the bond market as investors show more confidence in the containment of the European debt crisis, averting another credit freeze for financial companies. This sentiment was also reflected in Europe, with a number of entities raising billions of euros through the issue of bonds.

The euro is trading at $1.2293, down from $1.2318 in late North American trading Monday.

The British pound gained on the dollar after Chancellor George Osborne's U.K. emergency budget proposed 40 billion pounds ($59 billion) in spending cuts and tax increases a year by 2015.

The pound rose to $1.4816, up from a low of $1.4686 in earlier trading and up nearly 0.3% from Monday.

The Canadian dollar firmed against the U.S. dollar, supported by domestic inflation data that came in stronger than market expectations but eased from a month earlier. Data showed Canada's annual inflation rate slowed in May from April, suggesting less pressure on the Bank of Canada as it ponders the timing of its second interest rate hike following the recession.

The Canadian dollar is trading at $.9797.

European Indexes
FTSE 100 Index - up 0.92% to 5,299.11
CAC 40 Index - up 1.33% to 3,736.15
Dax Index - up 1.22% to 6,292.97

EUR/USD hit $1.2405 during European morning trade, gaining 0.15%, after pulling back from $1.2466, its highest since May 28.

The U.K. pound gained slightly versus the dollar after risk appetite rose following stress tests in the euro zone and higher than expected mortgage approvals.

GBP/USD is at $1.4835, down from $1.4886.

The Canadian dollar soared to a fresh daily high against its U.S. counterpart as risk appetite sharpened in the wake of China’s yuan float, and oil prices surged.

CDN/USD is at $.9850.

In early trading, the euro is at $1.2372.

The U.K. pound advanced to more than a 5-week high of $1.4889 against the dollar on stronger than expected retail sales. Investors’ confidence was restored by the high demand for British national debt in the stock market when the fear that stock prices would plummet due to eurozone deficits did not materialize.

The Canadian dollar weakened versus its U.S. counterpart for the first time in three days as raw materials such as crude oil and copper declined and as a report showed wholesale sales unexpectedly fell in April.

The loonie was at $.9731 in early trading.

The euro is trading at $1.2375, up from $1.2304 in North American trade late Wednesday.

The U.K. pound was bolstered in part by stronger-than-expected May retail sales data. The Office for National Statistics said sales jumped 0.6 percent from April, exceeding forecasts for a 0.3 percent rise.

The pound is trading at $1.4815, gained ground versus a weakening dollar and up from $1.4791 on Wednesday.

Canada’s dollar erased an earlier gain versus its U.S. counterpart as equities fell, making growth-linked currencies less attractive. The currency rose as much as 0.7 percent after equities rebounded from the day’s lows and Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney suggested economic conditions require steadily increasing interest rates.

The loonie is trading at $.9760.

The euro is trading at $1.2341, up 1 percent.

The U.K. pound has come off its highs against the dDollar, as some investors are awaiting the presentation of the emergency budget on June 22, a factor keeping the currency in check.

The pound is 0.27 percent lower against the dollar, at $1.4774 in early London trading.

The Canadian dollar edged up against the U.S. dollar on moderately firmer energy prices.

The loonie is trading at $.9719.