Investing.com - The U.S. dollar traded mostly higher against its major rivals during Wednesday’s Asian session following a pair of decent though not spectacular U.S. data points and amid ongoing speculation regarding what the future holds U.S. quantitative easing.
In Asian trading Wednesday, EUR/USD inched up 0.04% to 1.3479. Data out Tuesday showed German business confidence improved in September though not in line with expectations.
The German Ifo business climate index ticked up to 107.7 from 107.6 in August, the highest level since March 2012 though still below expectations for a reading of 108.2.
The single currency also remained under pressure after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said Monday the bank is ready to inject a third round of liquidity into the region’s banks if needed, in order to safeguard the bloc’s recovery.
USD/JPY nudged down 0.02% to 98.74 after the Bank Of Japan said that Japan’s corporate services price index remain unchanged last month. The July number was revised up to 0.6% from 0.4%. Analysts expected an August reading of 0.5%.
GBP/USD fell 0.05% to 1.5997 as sterling continues to back away from the eight-month highs it recently touched against the greenback.
USD/CHF rose 0.06% to 0.9136 while USD/CAD inched up 0.04% to 1.0306 after data released earlier Wednesday revealed a smaller-than-expected decline in U.S. oil inventories.
In U.S. economic news out Tuesday, the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index, which measures home prices in 20 U.S. metro areas, rose 12.4% in July on a year-over-year basis.
That was inline with economists’ expectations. Prices rose 0.6% from June to July, but economists expected an increase of 0.8%. Thirty-year mortgage rates have risen to about 4.5% from 3.3% at the start of this year.
The Conference Board said its consumer confidence index fell to 79.7 in September from 81.8 in August. The June reading of 82.1 was the highest in five and a half years.
AUD/USD nudged down 0.04% to 0.9388 while NZD/USD fell 0.37% to 0.8253 after Statistics New Zealand said the country’s trade balance unexpectedly fell to negative NZD1.19 billion last month from negative NZD774 million in the prior month. Analysts expected an August reading of negative NZD743 million.
The U.S. Dollar Index inched down 0.04% to 80.66.
In Asian trading Wednesday, EUR/USD inched up 0.04% to 1.3479. Data out Tuesday showed German business confidence improved in September though not in line with expectations.
The German Ifo business climate index ticked up to 107.7 from 107.6 in August, the highest level since March 2012 though still below expectations for a reading of 108.2.
The single currency also remained under pressure after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said Monday the bank is ready to inject a third round of liquidity into the region’s banks if needed, in order to safeguard the bloc’s recovery.
USD/JPY nudged down 0.02% to 98.74 after the Bank Of Japan said that Japan’s corporate services price index remain unchanged last month. The July number was revised up to 0.6% from 0.4%. Analysts expected an August reading of 0.5%.
GBP/USD fell 0.05% to 1.5997 as sterling continues to back away from the eight-month highs it recently touched against the greenback.
USD/CHF rose 0.06% to 0.9136 while USD/CAD inched up 0.04% to 1.0306 after data released earlier Wednesday revealed a smaller-than-expected decline in U.S. oil inventories.
In U.S. economic news out Tuesday, the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index, which measures home prices in 20 U.S. metro areas, rose 12.4% in July on a year-over-year basis.
That was inline with economists’ expectations. Prices rose 0.6% from June to July, but economists expected an increase of 0.8%. Thirty-year mortgage rates have risen to about 4.5% from 3.3% at the start of this year.
The Conference Board said its consumer confidence index fell to 79.7 in September from 81.8 in August. The June reading of 82.1 was the highest in five and a half years.
AUD/USD nudged down 0.04% to 0.9388 while NZD/USD fell 0.37% to 0.8253 after Statistics New Zealand said the country’s trade balance unexpectedly fell to negative NZD1.19 billion last month from negative NZD774 million in the prior month. Analysts expected an August reading of negative NZD743 million.
The U.S. Dollar Index inched down 0.04% to 80.66.