Investing.com - The U.S. dollar remains mixed against the other major currencies in thin trade on Monday, as markets continued to focus on events in the Middle-East although fears of an imminent military strike against Syria eased ahead of a U.S. Congressional debate.
During U.S. morning trade, the dollar was higher against the euro, with EUR/USD slipping 0.23% to 1.3188.
On Sunday, U.S. President Barack Obama launched a political offensive to persuade Congress to approve a military strike against Syria, but faced a struggle to win over lawmakers from both parties.
Congress will only debate a Syria strike when it returns from its summer recess on September 9, delaying any possible response to a chemical gas attackthat is believed to have killed hundreds of civilians last month.
In the euro zone, Markit research group said its final manufacturing PMI rose to 51.4 in August, from a reading of 51.3 the previous month, hitting the highest level since July 2011. Analysts had expected the index to remain unchanged last month.
Markit said Spain's manufacturing PMI rose to 51.1 in August, from a reading of 49.8 the previous month, hitting its highest level since April 2011. Analysts had expected the index to rise to 50.8 last month.
The greenback was lower against the pound, with GBP/USD rising 0.36% to 1.5561.
Sterling strengthened against the dollar after Market said the U.K.'s manufacturing PMI rose to a 30-month high of 57.2 in August from an upwardly revised reading of 54.8 in July.
Analysts had expected the manufacturing PMI to ease up to 55.0 last month.
Elsewhere, the greenback was higher against the yen and the Swiss franc, with USD/JPY jumping 1.21% to trade at 99.31, and with USD/CHF gaining 0.44% to 0.9341.
In Switzerland, data showed that the SVME PMI fell to 54.6 in July, from a reading of 57.4 the previous month, confounfing expectations for a downtick to 55.9.
The greenback was mixed to lower against its Canadian, Australian and New Zealand counterparts, with USD/CAD inching up 0.09% to 1.0542, AUD/USD rallying 0.94% to 0.8988 and NZD/USD jumping 1.16% to 0.7816.
In a report, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said that building approvals increased by 10.8% in July, exceeding expectations for a 4% rise. The previous month's figure was revised up to a 6.3% decline from a previously estimated 6.9% fall.
However, a separate report showed that company operating profits in Australia fell 0.8% in the second quarter, confounding expectations for a 0.7% rise. Company operating profits for the three months to March were revised up to a 3.5% increase from a previously estimated 3% rise.
Separately, the growth-related currencies found support after a report showed that China’s final HSBC Purchasing Managers Index inched up to a four-month high of 50.1 in August, unchanged from a preliminary reading and up from 47.7 in July.
The dollar index, which tracks the performance of the greenback versus a basket of six other major currencies, was up 0.22% to 82.30.
Trading volumes were expected to remain light on Monday, with U.S. markets closed for the Labor Day holiday.
During U.S. morning trade, the dollar was higher against the euro, with EUR/USD slipping 0.23% to 1.3188.
On Sunday, U.S. President Barack Obama launched a political offensive to persuade Congress to approve a military strike against Syria, but faced a struggle to win over lawmakers from both parties.
Congress will only debate a Syria strike when it returns from its summer recess on September 9, delaying any possible response to a chemical gas attackthat is believed to have killed hundreds of civilians last month.
In the euro zone, Markit research group said its final manufacturing PMI rose to 51.4 in August, from a reading of 51.3 the previous month, hitting the highest level since July 2011. Analysts had expected the index to remain unchanged last month.
Markit said Spain's manufacturing PMI rose to 51.1 in August, from a reading of 49.8 the previous month, hitting its highest level since April 2011. Analysts had expected the index to rise to 50.8 last month.
The greenback was lower against the pound, with GBP/USD rising 0.36% to 1.5561.
Sterling strengthened against the dollar after Market said the U.K.'s manufacturing PMI rose to a 30-month high of 57.2 in August from an upwardly revised reading of 54.8 in July.
Analysts had expected the manufacturing PMI to ease up to 55.0 last month.
Elsewhere, the greenback was higher against the yen and the Swiss franc, with USD/JPY jumping 1.21% to trade at 99.31, and with USD/CHF gaining 0.44% to 0.9341.
In Switzerland, data showed that the SVME PMI fell to 54.6 in July, from a reading of 57.4 the previous month, confounfing expectations for a downtick to 55.9.
The greenback was mixed to lower against its Canadian, Australian and New Zealand counterparts, with USD/CAD inching up 0.09% to 1.0542, AUD/USD rallying 0.94% to 0.8988 and NZD/USD jumping 1.16% to 0.7816.
In a report, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said that building approvals increased by 10.8% in July, exceeding expectations for a 4% rise. The previous month's figure was revised up to a 6.3% decline from a previously estimated 6.9% fall.
However, a separate report showed that company operating profits in Australia fell 0.8% in the second quarter, confounding expectations for a 0.7% rise. Company operating profits for the three months to March were revised up to a 3.5% increase from a previously estimated 3% rise.
Separately, the growth-related currencies found support after a report showed that China’s final HSBC Purchasing Managers Index inched up to a four-month high of 50.1 in August, unchanged from a preliminary reading and up from 47.7 in July.
The dollar index, which tracks the performance of the greenback versus a basket of six other major currencies, was up 0.22% to 82.30.
Trading volumes were expected to remain light on Monday, with U.S. markets closed for the Labor Day holiday.