By Bo Nielsen Dec. 4 (Bloomberg) -- The euro stayed lower against the dollar after the European Central Bank lowered interest rates by the most in its history to boost the economy. The single currency fell most versus the Japanese yen amid speculation the central bank will signal today further cuts are needed to buoy the recession-mired economy. Policy makers reduced the key refinancing rate by three-quarters of a percentage point to 2.50 percent, the second cut in a month. The reduction follows cuts in the U.K., Sweden and New Zealand today as central banks act to stem the global economic slowdown. “The bigger picture here is that we need sharply lower rates in the future and that will mean even more cuts down the line.” said Paul Robson, a London-based currency strategist at the Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc. “We’ll see the euro-yen and the euro-dollar lower from here.” The euro fell to $1.2622 at 7:52 a.m. in New York, from $1.2717 yesterday. It reached $1.2563 on Dec. 2, the lowest level since Nov. 21. The 15-nation currency weakened to 117.20 yen, from 118.64. ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet is scheduled to hold a press conference to explain today’s decision at 2:30 p.m. in Brussels. The euro-region’s gross domestic product shrank 0.2 percent in the third quarter from the previous three months, matching an initial estimate, the European Union’s Luxembourg-based statistics office said today. ‘May Last Longer’ “Recent data suggests the euro-zone recession may last longer than first anticipated and that adds to the case for the ECB to cut interest rates aggressively,” said Danica Hampton, a currency strategist at Bank of New Zealand Ltd. in Wellington. “For euro-dollar, this suggests a visit to the recent lows of between $1.23 and $1.24 is likely.” The pound traded near to an all-time low against the euro and close to its weakest since 2002 versus the dollar as the Bank of England cut its main interest rate to 2 percent from 3 percent today, the lowest level since 1951, to stave off the ravages of the credit crisis. U.K. house prices fell the most since 1992 in November as banks curtailed credit, HBOS Plc said today. An index based on a survey of about 700 U.K. service companies dropped to 40.1 for November, the lowest since the gauge began in 1996, Markit and the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply said yesterday. Consumer confidence fell to the lowest level since at least 2004, Nationwide Building Society said. Yen Versus Euro The yen rose against the euro on speculation the deepening global slowdown spurred investors to sell higher-yielding assets financed by borrowing in Japan. Investors have been reducing carry trades, in which they get funds in a country with low borrowing costs and invest in one with higher interest rates. Japan’s benchmark rate of 0.3 percent compares with 4.25 percent in Australia and 5 percent in New Zealand. “Investors will likely shun risk amid growing worries over a worldwide recession,” said Yuji Saito, Tokyo-based head of the foreign-exchange group at Societe General SA. “The yen may be bought.” Japanese businesses cut investment at the fastest pace in six years last quarter, a government report showed today. Capital spending excluding software fell 13.3 percent in the three months ended Sept. 30, a sixth quarterly decline, the Ministry of Finance said in Tokyo. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg expected a 10.9 percent decline. New Zealand Cut New Zealand’s central bank cut its benchmark rate by a record 1.5 percentage points to 5 percent and signaled more to come as it attempts to steer the economy out of recession. New Zealand’s dollar fell 0.1 percent to 53.18 U.S. cents and 0.5 percent to 49.40 yen from late in New York, following the central bank’s rate reduction today. Sweden’s krona fell close to a record low against the euro as the Riksbank cut the benchmark interest rate by the most in 16 years to revive the ailing economy. Policy makers, who raised interest rates as recently as September, reduced the repo rate today by 1.75 percentage points to 2 percent, compared with the 1 percentage-point reduction forecast in a Bloomberg survey. “We clearly see the Riksbank providing a guideline to what will come from the other banks today,” Klawitter said. The yuan traded at 6.8837 per dollar, near a five-month low, on speculation U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson’s calls for a stronger yuan during a Beijing visit this week won’t stop China from weakening its currency to support exporters. To contact the reporter on this story: Bo Nielsen in Copenhagen at bnielsen4@bloomberg.net

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