Investing.com - The dollar was little changed against the other major currencies on Friday, as markets eyed the release of U.S. consumer sentiment data, while Thursday's spending report added to expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep rates on hold for longer.
The dollar was steady against the euro, with EUR/USD up 0.07% to 1.3621.
The dollar remained under pressure after data on Thursday showed that U.S. personal spending rose 0.2% last month, below expectations for an increase of 0.4%. Personal spending for April was revised to a flat reading from a previously reported decline of 0.1%.
At the same time, the U.S. Department of Labor showing that the number of individuals filing for initial jobless benefits in the week ending June 21 declined by 2,000 to 312,000 from the previous week’s revised total of 314,000.
In the euro zone, official data earlier showed that French consumer spending rose 1% in May, exceeding expectations for a 0.4% gain, after a 0.2% fall in April, whose figure was revised from a previously estimated 0.3% decline.
The pound was little changed against the dollar, with GBP/USD inching up 0.04% to 1.7033.
The Office for National Statistics said U.K. gross domestic product expanded by 0.8% in the first quarter, in line with market expectations.
A separate report showed that the U.K. current account deficit narrowed to £18.5 billion in the three months to April, from £23.5 billion in the fourth quarter of 2013 whose figure was revised down from a previously estimated deficit of £22.4 billion.
Analysts had expected the current account deficit to narrow to £17.5 billion in the first quarter.
The dollar was lower against the yen, with USD/JPY shedding 0.28% to 101.44 and steady against the Swiss franc, with USD/CHF dipping 0.06% to 0.8930.
In Japan, official data earlier showed that household spending dropped by an annual rate of 8.0% last month, compared to expectations for a 2.0% decline, after a 4.6% fall in April.
Data also showed that Tokyo core consumer price inflation, which excludes food, remained unchanged at an annual rate of 2.8% in June, in line with expectations.
In addition, a government report showed that Japan retail sales fell 0.4% in May compared to a year earlier, less than the expected 1.8% decline and after a 4.4% drop in April.
Meanwhile, the KOF Economic Research Agency said its economic barometer for Switzerland rose to 100.4 in June, from an upwardly revised reading of 100.1, compared to expectations for a decline to 99.1.
The greenback was steady to higher against the Australian, New Zealand and Canadian dollars, with AUD/USD up 0.05% to 0.9420, NZD/USD slipping 0.20% to 0.8760 and USD/CAD easing up 0.03% to 1.0692.
Earlier Friday, official data showed that New Zealand's trade surplus narrowed to NZ$285 million last month, from NZ$498 million in May, whose figure was revised down from a previously estimated surplus of NZ$534 million.
Analysts had expected the trade surplus to narrow to NZ250 million in June.
The US Dollar Index, which tracks the performance of the greenback versus a basket of six other major currencies, was down 0.07% to 80.21.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to release revised data on consumer sentiment.