Investing.com - The dollar remained broadly lower against the other major currencies in holiday-thinned trade on Friday, as risk appetite strengthened ahead of the year end.
During European afternoon trade, EUR/USD jumped 0.98% to 1.3825.
The euro strengthened broadly after European Central Bank Governing Council member Jens Weidmann said keeping interest rates low may endanger political reforms.
According to Germany’s Bild newspaper, Weidmann said low inflation shouldn’t be used to justify loose monetary policy. "We must take care to raise interest rates again in a timely manner should inflation pressures build," he reportedly added.
The pound was higher against the dollar, with GBP/USD up 0.67% to 1.6519.
Elsewhere, the greenback was still near five-year highs against the yen, with USD/JPY up 0.14% to 104.95 and lower against the Swiss franc, with USD/CHF tumbling 1.20% to 0.8858.
Official data earlier showed that household spending in Japan fell 0.2% in November, compared to a year earlier, after a 0.9% rise in October. Analysts had expected household spending to increase by 1.7% last month.
A separate report showed that Tokyo's core consumer price inflation, which excludes fresh food, rose at an annualized rate of 0.7% in December, in line with expectations, after a 0.6% rise the previous month.
Preliminary government data also showed that industrial production in Japan ticked up 0.1% last month, confounding expectations for a 0.4% increase, after a 1% rise in October.
In addition, data showed that Japan's retail sales rose 4% in November, compared to a year earlier, above expectations for a 2.9% gain. October's retail sales rose 2.3%.
The greenback was mixed to lower against the Australian, New Zealand and Canadian dollars, with AUD/USD up 0.15% to 0.8909, NZD/USD adding 0.12% to 0.8176 and USD/CAD up 0.21% to 1.0670.
The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the performance of the greenback versus a basket of six other major currencies, was down 0.69% to 80.11.
Trading volumes were expected to remain light, with no major U.S. data to be released throughout the day.
During European afternoon trade, EUR/USD jumped 0.98% to 1.3825.
The euro strengthened broadly after European Central Bank Governing Council member Jens Weidmann said keeping interest rates low may endanger political reforms.
According to Germany’s Bild newspaper, Weidmann said low inflation shouldn’t be used to justify loose monetary policy. "We must take care to raise interest rates again in a timely manner should inflation pressures build," he reportedly added.
The pound was higher against the dollar, with GBP/USD up 0.67% to 1.6519.
Elsewhere, the greenback was still near five-year highs against the yen, with USD/JPY up 0.14% to 104.95 and lower against the Swiss franc, with USD/CHF tumbling 1.20% to 0.8858.
Official data earlier showed that household spending in Japan fell 0.2% in November, compared to a year earlier, after a 0.9% rise in October. Analysts had expected household spending to increase by 1.7% last month.
A separate report showed that Tokyo's core consumer price inflation, which excludes fresh food, rose at an annualized rate of 0.7% in December, in line with expectations, after a 0.6% rise the previous month.
Preliminary government data also showed that industrial production in Japan ticked up 0.1% last month, confounding expectations for a 0.4% increase, after a 1% rise in October.
In addition, data showed that Japan's retail sales rose 4% in November, compared to a year earlier, above expectations for a 2.9% gain. October's retail sales rose 2.3%.
The greenback was mixed to lower against the Australian, New Zealand and Canadian dollars, with AUD/USD up 0.15% to 0.8909, NZD/USD adding 0.12% to 0.8176 and USD/CAD up 0.21% to 1.0670.
The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the performance of the greenback versus a basket of six other major currencies, was down 0.69% to 80.11.
Trading volumes were expected to remain light, with no major U.S. data to be released throughout the day.