(New throughout, updates prices, market activity and comments to U.S. market open, new byline, changes dateline, previous LONDON)
The safe-haven Japanese yen weakened on Friday as record high stocks showed stronger risk appetite, while the greenback gained against the euro after data on Thursday showed solid U.S. economic momentum.
U.S. stock indexes were driven higher by optimism over corporate earnings, upbeat economic data and indications of resilience in China's economy.
Data on Friday showed that China’s economy ended the year on a firmer note, even as economic growth cooled to its weakest in nearly 30 years.
"December data signaled a strong finish for the Chinese economy and that suggests the Chinese economy may be primed for a rebound in 2020," said Lee Hardman, a currency strategist at MUFG in London.
The yen rose as high as 110.28, the highest since May, before falling back to 110.10.
The offshore Chinese yuan CNH= also strengthened as far as 6.8567, the strongest since July.
The dollar continued to gain against the euro, after being buoyed on Thursday by data showing that U.S. retail sales increased for a third straight month in December.
A gauge of manufacturing activity in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region also rebounded in January to its highest level in eight months.
Data on Friday showed that U.S. manufacturing output rose unexpectedly in December, though industrial production fell.
The euro was last down 0.32% at $1.1099.
======================================================== Currency bid prices at 9:54AM (1454 GMT)Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid Previous Change Session Euro/Dollar EUR= $1.1099 $1.1135 -0.32% -0.99% +1.1142 +1.1096 Dollar/Yen JPY= 110.1000 110.1400 -0.04% +1.14% +110.2800 +110.1000 Euro/Yen EURJPY= 122.20 122.67 -0.38% +0.21% +122.8300 +122.2200 Dollar/Swiss CHF= 0.9680 0.9644 +0.37% +0.02% +0.9689 +0.9646 Sterling/Dollar GBP= 1.3029 1.3076 -0.36% -1.73% +1.3117 +1.3028 Dollar/Canadian CAD= 1.3054 1.3040 +0.11% +0.52% +1.3058 +1.3034 Australian/Doll AUD= 0.6886 0.6898 -0.17% -1.92% +0.6911 +0.6884 arEuro/Swiss EURCHF= 1.0745 1.0743 +0.02% -0.99% +1.0757 +1.0736 Euro/Sterling EURGBP= 0.8517 0.8513 +0.05% +0.75% +0.8531 +0.8488 NZ NZD= 0.6621 0.6638 -0.26% -1.74% +0.6650 +0.6616 Dollar/DollarDollar/Norway NOK= 8.9022 8.8859 +0.18% +1.41% +8.9119 +8.8825 Euro/Norway EURNOK= 9.8814 9.8942 -0.13% +0.44% +9.9035 +9.8843 Dollar/Sweden SEK= 9.5041 9.4873 -0.19% +1.68% +9.5056 +9.4817 Euro/Sweden EURSEK= 10.5491 10.5695 -0.19% +0.76% +10.5767 +10.5380
