[IMAGE] Forums Discuss these points in the Forums:  Forexnews Forum       Technicals Live Charts Analysis available from: Cornelius Luca   J.P. Chorek   Technical Research Ltd.   Charts & News featuring Standard & Poor's       Interest Rates   US: Japan: Eurozone: UK: Switzerland:   1.75%  0.15%  3.25%  4.0%  1.25-2.25%       [IMAGE] 	 [IMAGE]  Japanese Forex Trading Preview  December 30, 7:00 PM: EUR/$..0.8841 $/JPY..131.32 GBP/$..1.4498 $/CHF..1.6738  Japanese Forex Trading Preview by Stacey Yang  No key data.  The dollar remains weaker against the European currencies in thin trading ahead of the New Year's holiday and in the absence of key economic data. Despite better-than-expected US consumer confidence, home sales and jobless claims released on Friday, the dollar fell due to profit-taking. The Conference Board Confidence Index rose unexpectedly for the first time in 5 months to 93.7 in December from the previous 84.9, as did the consumer expectations index, which soared to 91.5 from 77.3. Both the headline and forward-looking figures suggest that US consumer confidence, which had been undermined by the terrorist attacks and the slowing economy, has bottomed and will lead the way to a recovery by inspiring consumer spending next year.     Furthermore, the rise in US jobless claims to 392k was also a positive signal for the US economy, since it was smaller than the 400k rise that economists had projected. Not only did last week's jobless claims undershoot estimates for the fourth straight time, but also it marked the seventh time out of the last eight weeks for which it remained below the key 400k figure. Recall that jobless claims had surged above 500k in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks that halted business activity, and thus the retreat in the jobless claims bodes well for both consumer sentiment and the dollar.    In addition, other favorable signs were seen in the 0.6% rise in existing home sales to 5.2 mln units for November. Despite the easing pace of home sales, the housing sector continues to reflect considerable strength amidst an economic contraction. Also indicative of a bottoming in the heretofore ailing manufacturing sector was the modest improvement in the Chicago PMI to 41.4 in December vs. the previous 41.1.   The euro is trading around .8841 against the dollar, overcoming what should have been dollar-supportive data to regain lost ground after the overnight release of Eurozone M3 for November which surged above and beyond the ECB's 4.5% target to 8.0% y/y in October from the previous 7.4%. The 3-month moving average also climbed to 7.4% from 6.7%, thwarting market hopes for another rate cut by the European Central Bank in the near future.   The Japanese currency is trading around 131.32 against the dollar, stronger because of dollar weakness rather than because of inherent fundamental strength. The yen continues to be mired by pessimism about Japan's deflationary spiral, as well as the rise in Japanese unemployment to a record high of 5.5% in November.   Key economic indicators due from the US this week include the ISM (formerly known as NAPM), jobless claims, construction spending, labor market report and ISM non-manufacturing (formerly NAPM). Highlights from the Eurozone consist of Euroarea PMI, German PMI, French PMI, Spanish Unemployment, ECB rate announcement and press conference, French INSEE Household survey, Italian CPI, Euroarea Business and Consumer Confidence survey, Euroarea unemployment, HICP, Eurozone Services PMI, German Services PMI, French Services PMI and Italian Services PMI.  	[IMAGE] Audio Mkt. Analysis USD Ignores Rise in Consumer Confidence Index       Articles & Ideas  A Look Back at 2001, Forex Themes for 2002   2002: Euro Deja Vu?       Articles & Ideas Forex Glossary   Economic Indicators   Forex Guides   Link Library      [IMAGE] 	
		[IMAGE][IMAGE] [IMAGE][IMAGE]	
		  This e-mail is never sent unsolicited. If you wish to unsubscribe from this or any other Forexnews.com newsletters, please click here .