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The euro extended losses against the dollar late in the U.S. trading session Tuesday following comments from Greece's former prime minister that the economic impact for Greece of leaving the euro zone would be very high, according to Dow Jones Newswires. His comments came just as European Union leaders begin an informal summit, with politicians trying to downplay the chances of any concrete coordination or action to come out of it. The EURUSD -1.06% fell to $1.2675, from $1.2811 late Monday. The shared currency hasn't closed under $1.27 since January. [+]

Brent crude gained slightly above $109 on Tuesday, as markets awaited the results of two meetings to tackle Europe's debt crisis and Iran's nuclear programme, which could affect global oil demand and supply. European Union leaders may introduce new measures to tackle the euro zone's worsening debt crisis during Wednesday's informal meeting to seek solutions to the Greek political turmoil, mired in conflict over debt and austerity policies.[+]

Gold inched lower on Tuesday after failing to break above $1,600 an ounce, as investors await a European Union summit later in the week at which leaders will try to agree on action to solve the region's debt crisis. Gold made attempts to break above the key resistance level at $1,600 in the past two days but failed, and has since been drifting around $1,590 as investors remained cautious when the fate of Greece and euro zone remains in limbo.[+]

The euro's rebound from four-month lows stalled on Tuesday, failing to break above technical resistance, though traders said selling could be limited at least until an informal meeting of European leaders this week. Traders have been reducing their massive bets against the common currency in the past couple of days, taking note of prospects - however slender - that EU leaders may agree measures to bolster investor confidence in the euro zone on Wednesday.[+]

Crude oil futures fell more than 1 percent on Friday, down for the sixth straight session, as worsening problems in Greece and Spain raised worries of contagion in the euro zone. Oil futures fell on the drumbeat from global stock markets, which erased the year's gains as investors pared holdings for safe-haven assets such as gold, on growing concerns about the euro zone debt crisis.[+]

Gold inched up on Monday to extend last week's rise, tracking a steady euro after world leaders pledged to combat financial turmoil, although worries about Greece and the euro zone debt crisis continued to feed caution in the financial markets. A pledge by the world's leaders to keep Greece in the euro zone offered some relief to the euro, which rose to its highest level in nearly a week against the dollar, while the greenback slipped against a basket of currencies .DXY, lending support to dollar-priced commodities.[+]

The now familiar European cycle of crisis followed by political action, temporary respite, then another crisis enters that crucial second stage next week when leaders of the 27-member European Union seek solutions in Brussels. Investors will also be concerned with how hard the crisis is hitting the euro economy, with flash estimates of business activity due from the latest purchasing managers' surveys, and with the view from Bank of Japan policymakers meeting in Tokyo.[+]

The euro lifted off a four-month low against the dollar on Friday, as investors pared bearish bets after earlier falls but concerns about a Greek euro exit and instability in the Spanish banking system were likely to keep it under pressure. Investors preferred the relative safety of the U.S. dollar and the Japanese yen and were reluctant to buy riskier assets after Moody's cut the credit ratings of 16 Spanish banks on Thursday.[+]

Oil prices slipped below $107 a barrel on Friday and hit a 2012 low as investors fought shy of riskier, growth-oriented assets on fears that Greece would leave the euro, and after a downgrade of 16 Spanish banks by Moody's added to the contagion gloom. Brent crude was down 51 cents to $106.98 a barrel by 1122 GMT after earlier slipping to its lowest level for the year at $106.40. U.S. crude was up 16 cents to $92.72.[+]

Gold reversed course and edged down on Friday after posting its biggest daily rise in more than three months the previous session, as the euro weakened on mounting worries over the euro zone debt crisis. The single currency dropped to a four-month low against the dollar as investors fretted about the possibility of Greece's exit from the euro zone and about Spain's banking sector after Moody's downgraded 16 Spanish banks.[+]