Dollar is broadly higher against nearly all of its major rivals during
Friday’s Asian session following monetary policy meetings by the
European Central Bank and the Bank of Japan, among others.
In Asian trading Friday, EUR/USD is lower by 0.02% at 1.2934 after the European Central Bank opted to leave interest rates unchanged at its monetary policy meeting Thursday.
ECB President Mario Draghi tried to lift markets’ spirits by saying the central bank is still considering an array of actions to help the euro zone economy, remarks that traders took to mean ECB could be close to cutting rates or unveiling new stimulus measures.
The ECB’s benchmark interest rate has been 0.75% since July 2012. Draghi did not specify what measures are on the table in terms of helping European economies.
GBP/USD is down 0.07% at 1.5223 after the Bank of England left its benchmark interest rate and quantitative easing program unchanged as well. The U.K.’s interest rate has now resided at 0.5% since March 2009 and its bond-buying program remains at USD568 billion.
Sterling has been under significant pressure this year and is the world’s second-worst performing developed market currency behind the yen.
USD/JPY is up 0.55% at 96.86 after new Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda unveiled what he called a "new phase of monetary easing." Thursday’s moves in USD/JPY and EUR/JPY were the largest for those pairs since 2008.
The Bank of Japan earlier said it will double its asset-purchasing program over the next two years and extend the maturities of the bonds it purchases.
USD/CHF fell 0.02% to 0.9397 while USD/CAD rose 0.02% to 1.0132.
In U.S. economic news, initial claims for jobless benefits rose by 28,000 last week to 385,000, the highest level in four months. That reading is well above the 353,000 claims economists expected. The less volatile four-week moving average increased by 11,250 claims to 354,250. The Labor Department delivers the March non-farm payroll report and U.S. unemployment rate Friday before the open of U.S. markets.
AUD/USD is lower by 0.16% at 1.0418 a day after Australia delivered some solid economic data. USD/NZD is off 0.19% at 0.8408. The U.S. Dollar Index is higher by 0.08% at 82.91.
In Asian trading Friday, EUR/USD is lower by 0.02% at 1.2934 after the European Central Bank opted to leave interest rates unchanged at its monetary policy meeting Thursday.
ECB President Mario Draghi tried to lift markets’ spirits by saying the central bank is still considering an array of actions to help the euro zone economy, remarks that traders took to mean ECB could be close to cutting rates or unveiling new stimulus measures.
The ECB’s benchmark interest rate has been 0.75% since July 2012. Draghi did not specify what measures are on the table in terms of helping European economies.
GBP/USD is down 0.07% at 1.5223 after the Bank of England left its benchmark interest rate and quantitative easing program unchanged as well. The U.K.’s interest rate has now resided at 0.5% since March 2009 and its bond-buying program remains at USD568 billion.
Sterling has been under significant pressure this year and is the world’s second-worst performing developed market currency behind the yen.
USD/JPY is up 0.55% at 96.86 after new Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda unveiled what he called a "new phase of monetary easing." Thursday’s moves in USD/JPY and EUR/JPY were the largest for those pairs since 2008.
The Bank of Japan earlier said it will double its asset-purchasing program over the next two years and extend the maturities of the bonds it purchases.
USD/CHF fell 0.02% to 0.9397 while USD/CAD rose 0.02% to 1.0132.
In U.S. economic news, initial claims for jobless benefits rose by 28,000 last week to 385,000, the highest level in four months. That reading is well above the 353,000 claims economists expected. The less volatile four-week moving average increased by 11,250 claims to 354,250. The Labor Department delivers the March non-farm payroll report and U.S. unemployment rate Friday before the open of U.S. markets.
AUD/USD is lower by 0.16% at 1.0418 a day after Australia delivered some solid economic data. USD/NZD is off 0.19% at 0.8408. The U.S. Dollar Index is higher by 0.08% at 82.91.
