The euro rose to a high of $1.3652 and last traded at $1.3646, up 0.7 percent on the day, according to Reuters data. Against the traditional safe-haven yen the euro hit a high of 105.98 yen and last traded at 105.92, up 0.5 percent.

Easing Italian bond yields lifted U.S. stock futures after a steep sell-off the previous day while safe-haven Treasuries fell.

Markets gained some relief as Italy moved closer to a national unity government, while former European Central Bank vice-president Lucas Papademos was poised to head a new crisis coalition in Greece.