Investing.com – The U.S. dollar was mixed against its major counterparts on Wednesday, after the release of better-than-expected U.S. data on initial jobless claims and amid lingering concerns over sovereign debt problems in peripheral euro zone nations.
During European afternoon trade, the greenback was up against the euro, with EUR/USD falling 0.57% to hit a 5-week low of 1.3693.
Earlier in the day, Portugal’s government auctioned EUR 556 million of bonds due in October 2016, offering a yield of 6.156%, up from the 4.371% rate it paid at a similar auction in August.
The greenback was also up against the yen and Swiss franc, with USD/JPY jumping 1.28% to hit a 5-week high of 82.75 and USD/CHF rising 0.68% to hit 0.9748.
Earlier in the day, official data showed that consumer confidence in Japan fell for the fourth consecutive month in October.
But the greenback was down against the pound, with GBP/USD gaining 0.28% to hit 1.6030. Earlier in the day, the Bank of England said in its quarterly inflation report that the chances of inflation being above or below the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee's 2.0% target are "roughly equal".
Elsewhere the greenback was down against its Canadian and New Zealand counterparts, with USD/CAD shedding 0.31% to hit 1.0049 and NZD/USD gaining 0.26% to hit 0.7796. But the U.S. dollar was up against its Australian counterpart, with AUD/USD falling 0.46% to hit 0.9989.
Earlier in the day, official data showed Canada’s trade deficit widened unexpectedly in September.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which tracks the performance of the greenback versus a basket of six other major currencies, was up 0.56%.
Earlier in the day, official U.S. data showed that the number of individuals filing for initial jobless benefits in the week ending November 6 fell more-than-expected, while a separate report showed that the U.S.’s trade deficit narrowed more-than-expected in September, while import price rose less-than-expected.
During European afternoon trade, the greenback was up against the euro, with EUR/USD falling 0.57% to hit a 5-week low of 1.3693.
Earlier in the day, Portugal’s government auctioned EUR 556 million of bonds due in October 2016, offering a yield of 6.156%, up from the 4.371% rate it paid at a similar auction in August.
The greenback was also up against the yen and Swiss franc, with USD/JPY jumping 1.28% to hit a 5-week high of 82.75 and USD/CHF rising 0.68% to hit 0.9748.
Earlier in the day, official data showed that consumer confidence in Japan fell for the fourth consecutive month in October.
But the greenback was down against the pound, with GBP/USD gaining 0.28% to hit 1.6030. Earlier in the day, the Bank of England said in its quarterly inflation report that the chances of inflation being above or below the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee's 2.0% target are "roughly equal".
Elsewhere the greenback was down against its Canadian and New Zealand counterparts, with USD/CAD shedding 0.31% to hit 1.0049 and NZD/USD gaining 0.26% to hit 0.7796. But the U.S. dollar was up against its Australian counterpart, with AUD/USD falling 0.46% to hit 0.9989.
Earlier in the day, official data showed Canada’s trade deficit widened unexpectedly in September.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which tracks the performance of the greenback versus a basket of six other major currencies, was up 0.56%.
Earlier in the day, official U.S. data showed that the number of individuals filing for initial jobless benefits in the week ending November 6 fell more-than-expected, while a separate report showed that the U.S.’s trade deficit narrowed more-than-expected in September, while import price rose less-than-expected.