Investing.com - The dollar held steady near two-and-a-half week highs against the other major currencies on Friday, as investors awaited the release of a string of U.S. economic reports later in the day.
USD/JPY was down 0.29% at 109.13, pulling away from a one-week high of 109.73 hit earlier.
Investors were eyeing the release of U.S. reports on industrial production and consumer sentiment due later Friday for further indications on the strength of the economy.
On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Labor said the number of individuals filing for initial jobless benefits in the week ending April 9 decreased by 13,000 to 253,000, the lowest level since March 1973.
A separate report showed that the U.S. consumer price index rose 0.1% in March, disappointing expectations for a 0.2% gain. Year-on-year, consumer prices rose 0.9% last month, confounding expectations for an increase of 1.0%.
EUR/USD was little changed at 1.1261, near the previous session’s two-and-a-half week low of 1.1233.
Meanwhile, the dollar was lower against the pound, with GBP/USD up 0.10% at 1.4168 and was fractionally higher against the Swiss franc, with USD/CHF easing up 0.08% to 0.9677.
The Australian and New Zealand dollars were stronger, with AUD/USD up 0.39% at 0.7723 and with NZD/USD advancing 0.96% to 0.6913.
Elsewhere, USD/CAD slipped 0.09% to 1.2832, not far from Wednesday’s nine-month low of 1.2743.
Elsewhere, data earlier showed that China’s gross domestic product rose by an annualized rate of 6.7% in the first quarter, in line with market expectations, following a growth rate of 6.8% in the three months to December.
Another report showed that Chinese industrial production increased by an annual rate of 6.8% in March, exceeding expectations for a 5.9% gain, after a 5.4% rise the previous month.
The positive data eased concerns over slowdown in the world’s second largest economy.
The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, was little changed at 94.89, just below Thursday’s two-and-a-half week peak of 95.21.