Falling commodity prices give US$ the edge

London

THE struggling US dollar edged up from a 5 1/2-month low on Monday, helped by a fall in oil and copper prices that weakened commodity-related currencies and gave the US currency a foothold after its worst week in two months.

The biggest loser among developed-world currencies was the New Zealand dollar, closely linked to commodity prices and which fell 0.9 per cent against its US counterpart. The Aussie dollar was down 0.7 per cent.