- Dollar little change, COVID cases a worry
- Bitcoin, ether rise
(Updates to early U.S. activity, changes dateline, previous LONDON)
The U.S. dollar index was little changed on Monday as investors assessed how rising COVID-19 cases in the United States might affect the outlook for the economy.
Earlier, bitcoin BTC=BTSP hit its highest in nearly three months. It was last up 4.3% at $45,726.71, while Ether was up 3.4% at $3,117.10.
The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, was last up 0.07% at 92.916 =USD , near its four-month high of 93.194.
Data Monday showed U.S. job openings jumped to a fresh record high in June and hiring increased. That came on the heels of Friday's U.S. monthly jobs report that showed U.S. employers hired the most workers in nearly a year in July and continued to raise wages.
The report pushed bond yields higher on the view that the Federal Reserve may act more quickly to tighten U.S. monetary policy. Fed officials have made a jobs market recovery a condition of tighter monetary policy.
"The market is struggling to balance signs of a stronger jobs market with rising Delta concerns," said Adam Button, chief currency analyst at ForexLive. "Those opposing forces have left it largely unchanged."
The dollar rose sharply following Friday's jobs report. COVID-19 infections in the United States rose by at least 22,783 on Sunday to 35.94 million total cases, according to a Reuters tally. The impact of the Delta variant in the United States has added to concerns as COVID-19 cases also are rising across Asia.
Against the dollar, the euro EUR= was down 0.2%. The Japanese yen was little changed versus the greenback at 110.26 per dollar, while sterling GBP= was last trading at $1.3852, down 0.14% on the day.
Sharply lower oil prices weighed on the commodity-linked Australian dollar AUD=D3 , which eased 0.2% to US$0.7334.
Speculators cut their net long dollar positions in the latest week, data showed on Friday, but they are still positioned for its gains.
======================================================== Currency bid prices at 11:03AM (1503 GMT)Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid Previous Change Session Dollar index =USD 92.9160 92.8710 +0.07% 3.262% +92.9620 +92.7180 Euro/Dollar EUR=EBS $1.1744 $1.1763 -0.16% +0.00% +$1.1769 +$1.1741 Dollar/Yen JPY=EBS 110.2650 110.2350 +0.05% +0.00% +110.3300 +110.0300 Euro/Yen EURJPY= 129.49 129.65 -0.12% +0.00% +129.6700 +129.4000 Dollar/Swiss CHF=EBS 0.9193 0.9152 +0.48% +0.00% +0.9197 +0.9147 Sterling/Dollar GBP=D3 $1.3852 $1.3875 -0.18% +0.00% +$1.3894 +$1.3846 Dollar/Canadian CAD=D3 1.2581 1.2552 +0.24% +0.00% +1.2588 +1.2532 Aussie/Dollar AUD=D3 $0.7335 $0.7355 -0.27% +0.00% +$0.7364 +$0.7329 Euro/Swiss EURCHF= 1.0797 1.0758 +0.36% -0.09% +1.0799 +1.0757 Euro/Sterling EURGBP= 0.8476 0.8475 +0.01% -5.16% +0.8486 +0.8462 NZ NZD=D3 $0.7000 $0.7011 -0.14% -2.51% +$0.7026 +$0.6980 Dollar/DollarDollar/Norway NOK=D3 8.9485 8.8995 +0.67% +0.00% +8.9570 +8.9075 Euro/Norway EURNOK= 10.5099 10.4590 +0.49% +0.41% +10.5184 +10.4449 Dollar/Sweden SEK= 8.7046 8.6640 +0.25% +6.20% +8.7099 +8.6597 Euro/Sweden EURSEK= 10.2242 10.1985 +0.25% +0.00% +10.2263 +10.1886 <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ World FX rates https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5EEuro vs dollar https://tmsnrt.rs/3yBcP8W
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