- U.S. dollar index falls to more than one-week low
- Euro rises to three-week peak vs dollar
- Yen, Aussie dollar headed for best day in a month
(Recasts, adds new comment, bullets, FX table, byline, NEW YORK dateline, updates prices)
The dollar fell to a more than one-week low on Friday as investors consolidated gains after a sharp rise against most currencies, ahead of a U.S. inflation report that could determine the size of the Federal Reserve's rate hike at this month's policy meeting.
On the week, the dollar index, which tracks the greenback's value against six major peers, was on pace for its first weekly fall in four on Friday.
"Markets are getting a little nervous about levels, really historic levels, so the market decided not to push the dollar's strength at this juncture and lightened up positions," said Greg Anderson, global head of FX strategy, at BMO Capital Markets in New York.
"Probably position-taking will be light until the FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) meeting. The market looked at everything overnight and decided that this is a good juncture to square up and that process has brought the dollar lower. But this is not a reversal of the trend on dollar strength," he added.
The dollar index dropped as low as 108.35 and was last down 0.5% at 108.96 =USD . Among the big gainers was the euro, which leapt as much as 1.2% to a three-week high of $1.0114 EUR=EBS , a day after the European Central Bank raised its key interest rate by an unprecedented 75 basis points (bps).
It was last up 0.5% at $1.0048. "We have yields in Europe that continue to be well supported following the ECB, that was – as expected - hawkish through all the policy instruments. And on the other hand, U.S. yields are backing down a bit," said Samy Chaar, chief economist at Lombard Odier.
"Putting the two together, that's probably what is behind the retreat of the dollar." Europe still faces a weak economic outlook, with sky-high energy prices squeezing consumers and businesses. European Union energy ministers were split on Friday over whether to cap Russian gas prices, as they met to work out steps to shield citizens.
U.S. rate futures are pricing in an 87% chance of the Fed following the ECB move with its own 75 bps hike this month, with fresh U.S. consumer price data next week likely to be closely watched.
Currencies perceived as riskier bets also benefited from a pick-up in market sentiment to end the week, reflected in gains across European and U.S. stock markets.
Sterling gained 0.8% to $1.1584 GBP=D3 , after a modest dip the previous day following the death of Queen Elizabeth. Britain's King Charles is set to address the nation later on Friday.
The Bank of England said on Friday it would delay its next monetary policy meeting by one week due to the period of royal mourning.
The Japanese yen was headed for its best daily jump in a month, up 1.2% at 142.34 yen per dollar JPY=EBS , as it clawed away from recent 24-year lows.
Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said on Friday rapid yen moves were undesirable after a meeting with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
The Australian dollar was also on track for its best daily gain in a month, up 1.5% versus the dollar to US$0.6850, also rebounding from deep lows. AUD=D3
Even beaten down cryptocurrencies advanced at the dollar's expense, with bitcoin BTC=BTSP up nearly 9% at $21,033.
======================================================== Currency bid prices at 10:12AM (1412 GMT)Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid Previous Change Session Dollar index =USD 108.9200 109.5200 -0.54% 13.858% +109.5400 +108.3500 Euro/Dollar EUR=EBS $1.0049 $0.9999 +0.51% -11.61% +$1.0114 +$0.9993 Dollar/Yen JPY=EBS 142.4300 144.1100 -1.18% +23.71% +144.1000 +141.5050 Euro/Yen EURJPY= 143.14 144.06 -0.64% +9.84% +144.7200 +142.6500 Dollar/Swiss CHF=EBS 0.9599 0.9704 -1.08% +5.23% +0.9702 +0.9548 Sterling/Dollar GBP=D3 $1.1582 $1.1498 +0.76% -14.34% +$1.1647 +$1.1499 Dollar/Canadian CAD=D3 1.3034 1.3092 -0.44% +3.09% +1.3094 +1.2982 Aussie/Dollar AUD=D3 $0.6846 $0.6751 +1.41% -5.81% +$0.6877 +$0.6748 Euro/Swiss EURCHF= 0.9647 0.9701 -0.56% -6.96% +0.9727 +0.9634 Euro/Sterling EURGBP= 0.8674 0.8688 -0.16% +3.26% +0.8707 +0.8670 NZ NZD=D3 $0.6113 $0.6056 +1.01% -10.64% +$0.6152 +$0.6055 Dollar/DollarDollar/Norway NOK=D3 9.9115 10.0530 -1.23% +12.71% +10.0410 +9.8455 Euro/Norway EURNOK= 9.9615 10.0394 -0.78% -0.51% +10.0551 +9.9442 Dollar/Sweden SEK= 10.6040 10.7038 -0.37% +17.59% +10.7093 +10.5194 Euro/Sweden EURSEK= 10.6570 10.6971 -0.37% +4.13% +10.7128 +10.6290 <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ World FX rates https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>
