It is a dollar story in the foreign exchange market today as the greenback rises against every major currency. Although earlier risk aversion contributed to the strength of the US dollar, the underperformance of the Japanese Yen suggests that revenge of the low yielders is not the theme in the currency market. Since we are still waiting on the economic stimulus package, the market has shifted its focus away from politics and back onto economics. The comments about sovereign debt ratings by ratings agency Moody have spooked currency traders.

To have your credit rating downgraded means higher costs of borrowing. The Euro is slipping as we are seeing an exodus out of Spanish bonds because some global funds are mandated to invest only in AAA debt.

Standard and Poors lowered the sovereign bond rating on the Kingdom of Spain from its highest level of AAA to AA+. S&P noted that “Current economic and financial market conditions have highlighted structural weaknesses in the Spanish economy that are inconsistent with a AAA rating.”