Investing.com - The U.S. dollar was up against most of its major counterparts on Monday, as ongoing concerns over the debt crisis in the euro zone ahead of an Italian bond auction boosted demand for the safe haven greenback.
During European morning trade, the dollar was sharply higher against the euro, with EUR/USD shedding 0.42%% to hit 1.3690.
Investors were jittery ahead of a EUR3 billion Italian 5-year bond auction, in what was seen as a key test of investor confidence in Italian debt.
Also Monday, official data showed that industrial production in the single currency bloc fell slightly less-than-expected in September, declining 2.0% after a 1.6% rise the previous month.
The greenback was also sharply higher against the pound, with GBP/USD falling 0.76% to hit 1.5941.
Meanwhile, the greenback was lower against the yen and higher against the Swiss franc, with USD/JPY declining 0.32% to hit 76.89, and USD/CHF advancing 0.40% to hit 0.9037.
In Switzerland, government data showed that producer price inflation declined less-than-expected in October, ticking down 0.2% after falling by 0.1% the previous month.
Analysts had expected a decline of 0.3% in October.
Earlier Monday, a preliminary government report said that Japan's GDP rose 1.5% in the third quarter, in line with expectations. The previous quarter's figure was revised down from minus 0.3% to minus 0.5%.
Elsewhere, the greenback was higher against its Canadian, Australian and New Zealand counterparts, with USD/CAD rising 0.71% to hit 1.0173, AUD/USD falling 0.16% to hit 1.0259 and NZD/USD declining 0.21% to hit 0.7838.
In New Zealand, official data showed that core retail sales rose far more-than-expected in the third-quarter, jumping 2.4%, while retail sales advanced 2.2%, beating expectations for a 0.6% rise.
The dollar index, which tracks the performance of the greenback versus a basket of six other major currencies, was up 0.41% to hit 77.42.
Over the weekend, Italy's president appointed former European Commissioner Mario Monti to head a new government charged with implementing urgent reforms to end a crisis that has endangered the whole euro zone.
During European morning trade, the dollar was sharply higher against the euro, with EUR/USD shedding 0.42%% to hit 1.3690.
Investors were jittery ahead of a EUR3 billion Italian 5-year bond auction, in what was seen as a key test of investor confidence in Italian debt.
Also Monday, official data showed that industrial production in the single currency bloc fell slightly less-than-expected in September, declining 2.0% after a 1.6% rise the previous month.
The greenback was also sharply higher against the pound, with GBP/USD falling 0.76% to hit 1.5941.
Meanwhile, the greenback was lower against the yen and higher against the Swiss franc, with USD/JPY declining 0.32% to hit 76.89, and USD/CHF advancing 0.40% to hit 0.9037.
In Switzerland, government data showed that producer price inflation declined less-than-expected in October, ticking down 0.2% after falling by 0.1% the previous month.
Analysts had expected a decline of 0.3% in October.
Earlier Monday, a preliminary government report said that Japan's GDP rose 1.5% in the third quarter, in line with expectations. The previous quarter's figure was revised down from minus 0.3% to minus 0.5%.
Elsewhere, the greenback was higher against its Canadian, Australian and New Zealand counterparts, with USD/CAD rising 0.71% to hit 1.0173, AUD/USD falling 0.16% to hit 1.0259 and NZD/USD declining 0.21% to hit 0.7838.
In New Zealand, official data showed that core retail sales rose far more-than-expected in the third-quarter, jumping 2.4%, while retail sales advanced 2.2%, beating expectations for a 0.6% rise.
The dollar index, which tracks the performance of the greenback versus a basket of six other major currencies, was up 0.41% to hit 77.42.
Over the weekend, Italy's president appointed former European Commissioner Mario Monti to head a new government charged with implementing urgent reforms to end a crisis that has endangered the whole euro zone.