Investing.com – The U.S. dollar was broadly lower against its major counterparts on Thursday, as market sentiment recovered after euro zone policymakers declared their support for Greece and as investors awaited a host of U.S. data later in the day.
During European afternoon trade, the greenback was lower against the euro, with EUR/USD rising 0.30% to hit 1.3796.
The single currency firmed up after French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel issued a joint statement late Wednesday saying they were “convinced the future of Greece is in the euro zone.”
Meanwhile, Spain’s Treasury sold EUR3.95 billion of long term bonds in an auction which attracted solid investor demand.
The greenback was also lower against the pound, with GBP/USD adding 0.25% to hit 1.5707.
Earlier Thursday, official data showed that retail sales in the U.K. declined in line with expectations in August, slipping 0.2%.
Meanwhile, the greenback was unchanged against the yen but slipped lower against the Swiss franc, with USD/JPY trading at 76.63 and USD/CHF losing 0.12% to hit 0.8748.
The Swiss National Bank said earlier that it had left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at zero for September and reiterated its commitment to defend the minimum exchange rate of 1.20 per euro” with utmost determination.”
Elsewhere, official data showed that Swiss industrial production rose more-than-expected in the second quarter.
The greenback was also lower against its Canadian counterpart but inched higher against its Australian and New Zealand cousins, with USD/CAD slipping 0.12% to hit 0.9881, AUD/USD dipping 0.02% to hit 1.0282 and NZD/USD sliding 0.17% to hit 0.8217.
Earlier in the day, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.5% and indicated that rates are likely remain on hold in the coming months, amid risks that the global recovery could slow “sharply.”
The dollar index, which tracks the performance of the greenback versus a basket of six other major currencies, was down 0.25% to hit 77.18.
Later Thursday, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke was to speak, while the U.S. was to publish a string of data, with government reports on consumer price inflation and initial jobless claims. The country was also to publish official data on manufacturing activity in New York and Philadelphia.
During European afternoon trade, the greenback was lower against the euro, with EUR/USD rising 0.30% to hit 1.3796.
The single currency firmed up after French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel issued a joint statement late Wednesday saying they were “convinced the future of Greece is in the euro zone.”
Meanwhile, Spain’s Treasury sold EUR3.95 billion of long term bonds in an auction which attracted solid investor demand.
The greenback was also lower against the pound, with GBP/USD adding 0.25% to hit 1.5707.
Earlier Thursday, official data showed that retail sales in the U.K. declined in line with expectations in August, slipping 0.2%.
Meanwhile, the greenback was unchanged against the yen but slipped lower against the Swiss franc, with USD/JPY trading at 76.63 and USD/CHF losing 0.12% to hit 0.8748.
The Swiss National Bank said earlier that it had left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at zero for September and reiterated its commitment to defend the minimum exchange rate of 1.20 per euro” with utmost determination.”
Elsewhere, official data showed that Swiss industrial production rose more-than-expected in the second quarter.
The greenback was also lower against its Canadian counterpart but inched higher against its Australian and New Zealand cousins, with USD/CAD slipping 0.12% to hit 0.9881, AUD/USD dipping 0.02% to hit 1.0282 and NZD/USD sliding 0.17% to hit 0.8217.
Earlier in the day, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.5% and indicated that rates are likely remain on hold in the coming months, amid risks that the global recovery could slow “sharply.”
The dollar index, which tracks the performance of the greenback versus a basket of six other major currencies, was down 0.25% to hit 77.18.
Later Thursday, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke was to speak, while the U.S. was to publish a string of data, with government reports on consumer price inflation and initial jobless claims. The country was also to publish official data on manufacturing activity in New York and Philadelphia.