By Garfield Reynolds
Jan. 9 (Bloomberg) — The Australian and New Zealand dollars rose as the number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits surged to a 26-year high, helping weaken the U.S. currency.

By Gonzalo Vina and Brian Swint
Jan. 9 (Bloomberg) — Prime MinisterGordon Brown should buy homes on the verge of repossession to add money to the British economy and save families from being thrown out onto the street, two former Bank of England economists said.

By Jamie McGeeJan. 8 (Bloomberg) — Canada’s dollar gained as its U.S. counterpoint weakened before a report forecast to show unemployment in the nation’s largest trading partner increased to a 16-year high.

By Andrea Jaramillo and Drew Benson
Jan. 8 (Bloomberg) — Colombia’s peso bonds rose on speculation the central bank will cut further its benchmark interest rate as the cooling economy eases inflation pressure.

By Ron Harui and Ye Xie
Jan. 9 (Bloomberg) — The dollar headed for its first weekly loss against the yen in three weeks before a U.S. payroll report that may show the economy lost jobs every month in 2008 and the unemployment rate rose in December to a 16-year high.