- Dollar index drops from 2-1/2-year high
- U.S. ISM manufacturing index falls in September
- U.S. construction spending rises less than expected
- Graphic: World FX rates in 2019 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
(New throughout, updates prices and market activity, adds construction spending)
The dollar fell on Tuesday from its highest level in more than two years, undermined by data showing weakness in the U.S. manufacturing sector and a lower-than-expected rise in construction spending.
Against the yen, the dollar slid from two-week highs, as the weak manufacturing report fueled concerns the United States may be headed for recession.
Data showed the U.S. manufacturing sector contracted in September to its weakest level in more than a decade as business conditions worsened amid U.S.-China trade tensions.
The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said its index of national factory activity fell to 47.8, the lowest reading since June 2009. A reading below 50 signals the domestic factory sector is contracting.
"Our guess is that this weakness is at least partly due to the all-out strike at GM, which began in mid-September," said Paul Ashworth, chief U.S. economist at Capital Economics in Toronto.
The United Auto Workers a few weeks ago launched the first company-wide strike at General Motors Co GM.N in 12 years.
Ashworth added that the ISM report reinforces the firm's belief "despite the hawkish protestations of some officials in recent days, the Federal Reserve will still cut interest rates by a further 25 basis points" at the December meeting.
The dollar was also pressured by a report showing U.S. construction spending barely rose in August. The greenback's outlook though remained solid despite Tuesday's weak data, analysts said. "Even though the Fed is lowering interest rates, the dollar is not exactly losing ground because of the domino effect: everybody is following the Fed in cutting rates," said Juan Perez, senior currency trader at Tempus Inc in Washington.
"With an economy that's growing at 2% on a quarterly basis while the rest of the world is struggling, the dollar looks like to be the safer asset."
Elsewhere, the Australian dollar also underperformed on Tuesday after the Reserve Bank of Australia cut interest rates and expressed concern about job growth .
With rate cuts in Australia, final PMI readings in Europe at seven-year lows, and weak confidence readings in Japan, the dollar scored its biggest quarterly gain in the third quarter since June 2018.
On Tuesday, a September survey showed euro zone manufacturing activity had contracted the most in almost seven years.
In late afternoon trading, the dollar index .DXY was down 0.3% at 99.12, after earlier touching 99.58, its highest since May 2017.
The euro was up 0.3% against the dollar at $1.0935 EUR= . In Japan, its big manufacturers' business confidence worsened to a six-year low in the July-September quarter, the Bank of Japan's closely-watched Tankan survey showed.
The yen initially weakened after the Tankan data, but firmed against the dollar after the weak U.S. manufacturing report. The dollar was last down 0.4% against the yen at 107.70 yen JPY= .
The Australian dollar AUD=D3 fell 0.7% to US$0.6710 after the RBA cut its cash rate to a record low of 0.75%.
======================================================== Currency bid prices at 4:33PM (2033 GMT)Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid Previous Change Session Euro/Dollar EUR= $1.0936 $1.0898 +0.35% -4.65% +1.0942 +1.0880 Dollar/Yen JPY= 107.6900 108.0600 -0.34% -2.33% +108.4600 +107.6400 Euro/Yen EURJPY= 117.78 117.79 -0.01% -6.69% +118.1600 +117.6800 Dollar/Swiss CHF= 0.9924 0.9978 -0.54% +1.12% +1.0016 +0.9924 Sterling/Dollar GBP= 1.2306 1.2287 +0.15% -3.54% +1.2340 +1.2208 Dollar/Canadian CAD= 1.3222 1.3239 -0.13% -3.04% +1.3290 +1.3209 Australian/Doll AUD= 0.6703 0.6749 -0.68% -4.91% +0.6775 +0.6673 arEuro/Swiss EURCHF= 1.0852 1.0876 -0.22% -3.57% +1.0920 +1.0853 Euro/Sterling EURGBP= 0.8886 0.8867 +0.21% -1.09% +0.8936 +0.8847 NZ NZD= 0.6241 0.6261 -0.32% -7.09% +0.6272 +0.6204 Dollar/DollarDollar/Norway NOK= 9.1283 9.0935 +0.38% +5.67% +9.1476 +9.0913 Euro/Norway EURNOK= 9.9835 9.9127 +0.71% +0.78% +9.9843 +9.9082 Dollar/Sweden SEK= 9.8787 9.8408 +0.73% +10.21% +9.9303 +9.8405 Euro/Sweden EURSEK= 10.8041 10.7261 +0.73% +5.26% +10.8110 +10.7209 <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ CESI and euro positions http//tmsnrt.rs/2nMxsQe^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>
