The euro hit a fresh one-week low against the dollar on Wednesday as concerns over Greece's fiscal problems escalated, while the Australian dollar stayed buoyed on expectations of higher interest rates.
The euro has been pressured in recent sessions following a media report Greece wanted to renegotiate a deal reached last month over joint EU-International Monetary Fund aid.
Greece denied the report but on Tuesday the yield spread between Greek and German government bonds exceeded four percentage points, the widest since the euro's launch.
Sentiment was further dented by news that Greek banks have asked for permission to access remaining funds from a state support package first agreed in 2008.
Worries over Greece's debts and those of other peripheral euro zone countries have knocked the single currency down almost 10% from its January high of $1.4582 U.S.
By afternoon, the euro fell as low as $1.3337 U.S., down 0.4% on the day.
Revised data showing euro zone growth stalled in the last quarter of 2009 also weighed.
Against the yen, the euro lost 0.4% to 125.08 yen after losing over 1.2% on Tuesday.
The Australian dollar remained close to an 11-week high of $0.9288 U.S. set on Tuesday after the Reserve Bank of Australia on Tuesday raised its cash rate to 4.25% and flagged more hikes in the coming months.
The Federal Reserve said subdued inflation trends were likely to warrant an exceptionally low federal funds rate for an extended period.
The Aussie topped 87.50 yen after breaching its 200-week moving average at 87.06 yen but pulled back later after nearing resistance at 87.70, a 61.8% retracement of its fall in 2007 from above 107.80 to 55.11 in late 2008.
The yen was steady at 93.78 per U.S. dollar with rising short-term dollar rates and Treasury yields supporting the greenback.
The Bank of Japan said after keeping its monetary policy unchanged that the economy was picking up further, but analysts say prolonged deflation is likely to keep the government pressing the bank for more monetary easing.
