The dollar index, which measures the performance of the US currency against the 6 major currencies, fell 0.059% to 102.02, remaining close to the 102.15 level it touched overnight, the higher since May 2. The index is expected to end a two-week losing streak, up 0.7% this week.
Carol Kong, a currency analyst at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, said weak US economic data may have encouraged the market while factoring in the chances of the US central bank making big interest rate cuts this year. .
The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits last week hit its highest level in a year and a half, indicating cracks in the job market as demand slowed, according to data released Thursday that showed also a slight rebound in producer prices. in April.
The reports are in line with most economists’ expectation of a recession by the end of the year.
Fed policymakers still have about five weeks of data to analyze before their next meeting, and they said they plan to consider it carefully before making a decision.
Meanwhile, the euro rose 0.03% to $1.0917 and the Japanese yen rose 0.03% to 134.53 to the dollar, according to Reuters data.
The Australian dollar fell 0.01% to $0.670, while its New Zealand counterpart fell 0.24% to $0.628.
The British pound registered $1.2512 in the latest trades, up 0.02% on the day, after falling 0.6% yesterday, Thursday.
The Bank of England raised its main interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 4.5% on Thursday, and Governor Andrew Bailey said the Bank of England would “stay the course” as it seeks to contain inflation, which has been the fastest among major economies.
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