Investing.com - The euro pushed up to eight-month highs against the dollar on Thursday after U.S. service-sector data disappointed investors.
Meanwhile, a U.S. government shutdown entered a third day due to congressional inability to agree on a spending package, which also steered investors away from the dollar.
In U.S. trading on Thursday, EUR/USD was up 0.34% at 1.3626, up from a session low of 1.3578 and off from a high of 1.3632.
The pair was likely to find support at 1.3506, Wednesday's low, and resistance at 1.3711, the high from Feb. 1.
The Institute of Supply Management reported earlier that its non-manufacturing purchasing manager's index fell to a three-month low of 54.4 in September from 58.6 in August.
Analysts were expecting the index to decline to 57.4 last month.
Separately, the U.S. Department of Labor said the number of individuals filing for initial jobless benefits in the week ending Sept. 28 rose by 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 308,000, better than analysts' calls for jobless claims to rise by 6,000 to 313,000 last week.
Jobless claims for the preceding week were revised up to a gain of 307,000 from a previously reported increase of 305,000.
An ongoing U.S. government shutdown continued to dampen demand for the greenback.
President Barack Obama met with Republican and Democratic leaders in Congress on Wednesday, although a solution still seemed unlikely.
Markets were also considering how the political deadlock will affect negotiations to raise the U.S. debt ceiling, which the U.S. Treasury Department has estimated will be reached by Oct. 17.
Meanwhile in the euro zone, retail sales rose 0.7% in August, beating expectations for a 0.2% gain, after an upwardly revised 0.5% increase the previous month, according to official data.
Separately, the Markit research group said its final reading for the euro zone services purchasing managers' index rose to 52.2 in September from 52.1 in August.
Analysts were expecting the index to remain unchanged last month.
Germany's service-sector PMI declined to 53.7 last month from 54.4 in August, compared to expectations for the index to remain unchanged.
Elsewhere, the euro was up against the pound and up against the yen, with EUR/GBP trading up 0.74% at 0.8432 and EUR/JPY trading up 0.23% at 132.52.
On Friday, Germany is to release data on producer price inflation.
The U.S. is scheduled to release a government report on nonfarm payrolls, the unemployment rate and average hourly earnings, though the government shutdown may postpone publication.
Meanwhile, a U.S. government shutdown entered a third day due to congressional inability to agree on a spending package, which also steered investors away from the dollar.
In U.S. trading on Thursday, EUR/USD was up 0.34% at 1.3626, up from a session low of 1.3578 and off from a high of 1.3632.
The pair was likely to find support at 1.3506, Wednesday's low, and resistance at 1.3711, the high from Feb. 1.
The Institute of Supply Management reported earlier that its non-manufacturing purchasing manager's index fell to a three-month low of 54.4 in September from 58.6 in August.
Analysts were expecting the index to decline to 57.4 last month.
Separately, the U.S. Department of Labor said the number of individuals filing for initial jobless benefits in the week ending Sept. 28 rose by 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 308,000, better than analysts' calls for jobless claims to rise by 6,000 to 313,000 last week.
Jobless claims for the preceding week were revised up to a gain of 307,000 from a previously reported increase of 305,000.
An ongoing U.S. government shutdown continued to dampen demand for the greenback.
President Barack Obama met with Republican and Democratic leaders in Congress on Wednesday, although a solution still seemed unlikely.
Markets were also considering how the political deadlock will affect negotiations to raise the U.S. debt ceiling, which the U.S. Treasury Department has estimated will be reached by Oct. 17.
Meanwhile in the euro zone, retail sales rose 0.7% in August, beating expectations for a 0.2% gain, after an upwardly revised 0.5% increase the previous month, according to official data.
Separately, the Markit research group said its final reading for the euro zone services purchasing managers' index rose to 52.2 in September from 52.1 in August.
Analysts were expecting the index to remain unchanged last month.
Germany's service-sector PMI declined to 53.7 last month from 54.4 in August, compared to expectations for the index to remain unchanged.
Elsewhere, the euro was up against the pound and up against the yen, with EUR/GBP trading up 0.74% at 0.8432 and EUR/JPY trading up 0.23% at 132.52.
On Friday, Germany is to release data on producer price inflation.
The U.S. is scheduled to release a government report on nonfarm payrolls, the unemployment rate and average hourly earnings, though the government shutdown may postpone publication.