Euro comes under pressure once again

The euro stayed under pressure Friday during Asian trade although it rebounded from a 15-month dollar low seen overnight following Italys market-testing auction of long-term debt.The dollar meanwhile was well supported by encouraging US data, improving investors risk sentiment.The euro eased to $1.2933 and 100.28 yen in Tokyo trade from $1.2960 and 100.61 yen in New York Thursday.The single currency tumbled to $1.2858 in New York -- the lowest level since September 14, 2010 -- before regaining ground on brighter US economic data as the market digested the news about Italys bond auction.Rome raised 7.0 billion euros ($9.0 billion), less than the maximum 8.5 billion euros but long-term rates held below the danger threshold of 7.0 percent.The rate on bonds due in 2021 was 6.7 percent -- higher than the 5.77 percent for the last similar operation on October 13. The rate on bonds due in 2022 was 6.98 percent compared with 7.56 percent in November.The good news is they sold the required amount they were offering. The bad news is it was basically at seven percent again for the 10-year bond, Auckland-based HiFX Senior Trader Stuart Ive told Dow Jones Newswires.Meanwhile, the dollar might gain against the yen in the coming week as US data is likely to stay firm, Masafumi Yamamoto, chief FX strategist at Barclays Bank in Tokyo, wrote in a note.The dollar bought 77.52 yen in Tokyo, down from 77.62 yen in New York.It moved to Sg$1.3013 from Sg$1.3007 Thursday, to 31.65 Thai baht from 31.69, to 43.79 Philippine pesos from 43.83, to 1,156.50 South Korean won from 1,152.50, to Tw$30.30 from Tw$30.28, and to 9,195.00 Indonesian rupiah from 9,145.00.