AP
Euro higher against dollar
Wednesday August 27, 4:24 am ET
Euro recovers from 6-month low against US dollar


BERLIN (AP) -- The euro recovered some ground against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday after hitting a six-month low the previous day.

The euro bought $1.4692 in morning European trading, up from $1.4650 in New York late Tuesday and well above the $1.4569 it bought earlier in Tuesday's session.

The British pound, which on Tuesday hit a 25-month low, rose to $1.8420 from $1.8389. The dollar also gave up ground against the Japanese currency, declining to 109.22 yen from 109.63 yen.

The dollar slipped as oil prices rose in Asia on concerns that Tropical Storm Gustav may disrupt operations in the Gulf of Mexico, home to a quarter of U.S. crude production.

The dollar had risen sharply on Tuesday as two U.S. economic reports came in better than expected, while surveys showed business and consumer confidence dropping in Germany, the 15-nation euro zone's biggest economy.

In addition, the Federal Reserve released notes from its Aug. 5 meeting indicating that the next move for U.S. interest rates would be upward. Higher interest rates can boost a currency as investors transfer funds to that country's assets in hopes of greater returns.

However, two more reports said U.S. home prices tumbled in the second quarter -- braking the dollar's rise.