Euro falls for 5th day on bets of ECB easing

London

THE euro extended losses into a fifth day on Thursday, reaching another nine-year low, as investors ramped up bets that the European Central Bank (ECB) was getting closer to adopting quantitative easing to ward off deflation.

A slump in German industrial orders in November and a drop in eurozone consumer inflation expectations reinforced bearish views of the single currency. So did concern that a Greek general election on Jan 25 would lead to a stand-off between Berlin and Athens over the austerity imposed on Greece.