Investing.com - The U.S. dollar added to broad gains against its major counterparts on Wednesday, as lingering fears over the threat of sovereign ratings downgrades across the euro zone supported safe have demand.
During U.S. morning trade, the dollar rose to an 11-month high against the euro, with EUR/USD shedding 0.58% to hit 1.2960.
Concerns over mass ratings cuts across the euro zone persisted despite fair investor demand at auctions of Italian and German government debt earlier in the day.
Italy’s Treasury sold the full targeted amount of EUR3 billion of five-year government bonds, but saw bond yields rise to a euro-era highs.
Germany auctioned EUR4.18 billion of two-year bonds at record low yields, reassuring investors after an auction of 10-year bonds last month met with extremely weak investor demand.
The greenback was also higher against the pound, with GBP/USD down 0.28% to hit 1.5434.
In the U.K., official data showed that the number of people claiming unemployment benefits rose less-than-expected in December, advancing by 3,000 after a rise of 2,500 the previous month.
Analysts had expected the number of people claiming unemployment benefits to rise by 16,100 in November.
The report also showed that the U.K. unemployment rate remained unchanged at 8.3%, despite expectations for a rise to 8.4%.
Elsewhere, the greenback was higher against the yen and the Swiss franc, with USD/JPY adding 0.11% to hit 78.07, and USD/CHF advancing 0.7% to hit 0.9521.
Earlier Wednesday, the ZEW institute said that its index of economic expectations in Switzerland deteriorated to the lowest level in three years in December, falling to minus 72.0 from minus 64.3 points last month.
In addition, the greenback was up against its Canadian, Australian and New Zealand cousins, with USD/CAD surging 0.74% to hit 1.0414, AUD/USD tumbling 1.07% to hit 0.9906 and NZD/USD dropping 0.86% to hit 0.7501.
In Canada, official data showed that manufacturing sales fell more-than-expected in October, after rising in each of the three previous months.
A separate report showed that an index of Canadian leading economic indicators rose more-than-expected in November.
The dollar index, which tracks the performance of the greenback versus a basket of six other major currencies, was up 0.48% to hit an 11-month high of 81.37.
Also Wednesday, official data showed that U.S. import prices rose less-than-expected in November.
During U.S. morning trade, the dollar rose to an 11-month high against the euro, with EUR/USD shedding 0.58% to hit 1.2960.
Concerns over mass ratings cuts across the euro zone persisted despite fair investor demand at auctions of Italian and German government debt earlier in the day.
Italy’s Treasury sold the full targeted amount of EUR3 billion of five-year government bonds, but saw bond yields rise to a euro-era highs.
Germany auctioned EUR4.18 billion of two-year bonds at record low yields, reassuring investors after an auction of 10-year bonds last month met with extremely weak investor demand.
The greenback was also higher against the pound, with GBP/USD down 0.28% to hit 1.5434.
In the U.K., official data showed that the number of people claiming unemployment benefits rose less-than-expected in December, advancing by 3,000 after a rise of 2,500 the previous month.
Analysts had expected the number of people claiming unemployment benefits to rise by 16,100 in November.
The report also showed that the U.K. unemployment rate remained unchanged at 8.3%, despite expectations for a rise to 8.4%.
Elsewhere, the greenback was higher against the yen and the Swiss franc, with USD/JPY adding 0.11% to hit 78.07, and USD/CHF advancing 0.7% to hit 0.9521.
Earlier Wednesday, the ZEW institute said that its index of economic expectations in Switzerland deteriorated to the lowest level in three years in December, falling to minus 72.0 from minus 64.3 points last month.
In addition, the greenback was up against its Canadian, Australian and New Zealand cousins, with USD/CAD surging 0.74% to hit 1.0414, AUD/USD tumbling 1.07% to hit 0.9906 and NZD/USD dropping 0.86% to hit 0.7501.
In Canada, official data showed that manufacturing sales fell more-than-expected in October, after rising in each of the three previous months.
A separate report showed that an index of Canadian leading economic indicators rose more-than-expected in November.
The dollar index, which tracks the performance of the greenback versus a basket of six other major currencies, was up 0.48% to hit an 11-month high of 81.37.
Also Wednesday, official data showed that U.S. import prices rose less-than-expected in November.