China’s trade surplus narrowed to $4.8 billion, against expectations of $27.3 Billion as imports fell 24.1% from a year earlier. This was the fourth straight month of decline in China’s trade balance, but today’s data was particularly shocking as it dropped to only one eight of the amount of the previous month.

Trade data from both Germany and France printed worse than expected suggesting that Eurozone economic output figures will likely prove to be weaker than the current government estimates. German Trade Balance recorded a 8.3 Billion euro surplus less than the 10.0 Billion number that the market was expecting while French data showed a deficit of -4.5 Billion against forecasts of -3.0 Billion.

The EZ Trade Balance for November registered its ninth negative reading in 2008 as higher exchange rates and significant slowdown in global demand continued to pose difficulties for the export driven region.

The US trade deficit narrowed materially in the month of November to the smallest since June 2003. Although the narrower trade deficit is normally something to cheer about, the details of the report indicate that the only reasons why trade improved was because of the fall in oil prices and slower domestic demand.

The EUR/USD gave up all of it late Asian session gains slipping below the 1.3600 figure in early European trade as news of a much sharper than expected contraction in German Trade surplus weighed on the unit. German trade surplus shrank to 10.7 Billion euros - far worse than the 14.0 Billion euro expected by the market, as exports collapsed by more than 10% in November due to massive pullback in global demand for capital goods.

The euro hit a three week low against the dollar in active trade today as the unwind of the EURGBP long positions weighed on the currency throughout early European trade. In a session essentially empty of any key economic data trading was dominated by technical factors as cross selling and continued dollar strength took the EURUSD below 1.3500 figure.

With Japanese markets closed for Emperors birthday, currencies spent the night in quiet pre-holiday trade essentially marking time until dealing desks close tomorrow evening for the Christmas holiday. The euro made another run at the 1.4000 level boosted by better than expected French consumer spending and Current Account data, but the rally fizzled into the early European session as traders continued to square up their books.

Evidence of oncoming holidays was all around the currency market tonight, as trading slowed to a crawl and the economic calendar was essentially barren of any significant data. Nevertheless, the euro managed to stage a rebound rally pushing above 1.4000 once again as better risk appetite in Asian markets and the oversold conditions in the unit created a perfect set up for a short covering bounce.

As we approach the holidays the currency market has taken on all the characteristics of Florida weather – just wait a minute and it changes. After completing a spectacular parabolic rise yesterday, the unit reversed course and produced an almost as impressive a fall in today’s early European trade. The pair went into a nose dive dropping more than 200 points in 20 minutes as it hit a low of 1.4040 before bouncing above 1.4100.