- Graphic: World FX rates https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E
The U.S. dollar maintained its biggest loss in 10 days on Friday after disappointing U.S. labour market data bruised optimism for the country's speedy recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The greenback continued to buck its traditional role as a safe-harbour currency, falling in sympathy with U.S. stocks overnight after an unexpected increase in weekly jobless claims soured the economic outlook.
The British pound traded near an almost three-year high reached overnight, when it surged the most in more than a month, amid Britain's aggressive vaccination programme.
The dollar index =USD was little changed at 90.584 early in the Asian session, after a 0.4% decline overnight cut short a two-day winning streak. For the week, the gauge is now back to more or less break-even.
The string of soft labour data is weighing on the dollar even as other indicators have shown resilience, and as President Joe Biden's pandemic relief efforts take shape, including a proposed $1.9 trillion spending package.
"The prospect of a massive U.S. fiscal stimulus plus a successful vaccine roll-out are solid arguments to bet on a U.S. recovery this year," Rodrigo Catril, senior foreign exchange strategist at National Australia Bank in Sydney, wrote in a client note.
"But the overnight jobless claims data serve as a reminder of the unevenness of the recovery so far."
Sterling GBP= was mostly flat at $1.3965 on Friday following a 0.8% jump in the previous session, when it rose as high as $1.3986 for the first time since April 2018.
The euro EUR=EBS was little changed at $1.2089 after rising 0.4% overnight.
The dollar bought 105.695 yen JPY=EBS , little changed following a two-day retreat from the five-month high of 106.225 reached Wednesday.
In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin BTC=BTSP continued to hover around $51,500, consolidating after hitting a record $52,640 on Wednesday in a rally fuelled by endorsements from Tesla Inc TSLA.O and others. It has risen about 78% so far in 2021, after more than quadrupling last year.
Smaller rival ethereum ETH=BTSP rose to a record $1,951.89 on Friday, just pipping the previous day's high. It has surged some 162% this year.
On Thursday, chipmaker Nvidia Corp NVDA.O announced a new processor designed specifically for mining ethereum.
======================================================== Currency bid prices at 101 GMTDescription RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid Previous Change Session Euro/Dollar EUR=EBS $1.2098 $1.2091 +0.05% -0.99% +1.2098 +1.2087 Dollar/Yen JPY=D3 105.6500 105.6600 +0.07% +2.36% +105.7270 +105.7300 Euro/Yen EURJPY= 127.82 127.79 +0.02% +0.71% +127.8500 +127.7500 Dollar/Swiss CHF=EBS 0.8957 0.8960 +0.01% +1.29% +0.8964 +0.8958 Sterling/Dollar GBP=D3 1.3973 1.3972 +0.00% +2.27% +1.3973 +1.3965 Dollar/Canadian CAD=D3 1.2671 1.2678 -0.04% -0.48% +1.2681 +1.2673 Aussie/Dollar AUD=D3 0.7774 0.7769 +0.08% +1.07% +0.7775 +0.7766 NZ NZD=D3 0.7220 0.7220 +0.01% +0.56% +0.7224 +0.7213 Dollar/DollarAll spots FX= Tokyo spots AFX= Europe spots EFX= Volatilities FXVOL= Tokyo Forex market info from BOJ TKYFX
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