WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The dollar is turning in a mixed performance Friday afternoon, on a light data session. The buck is down against the Euro, but is gaining ground against the British pound and the Japanese Yen.
There was no U.S. economic data to drive the direction of trade at the end of the trading week. However, there were several important reports from the Eurozone and from Japan. The euphoria that followed the Federal Reserve announcement on Wednesday seems to have worn off. Trading activity was much more reserved that in the past 2 sessions.
With the September Fed meeting out of the way, traders will be keeping a close watch on any statements from Fed officials heading into the December meeting. No one expects the Fed to make any change to interest rates in November, due to the U.S. Presidential election.
The dollar has dropped to around $1.1240 against the Euro Friday afternoon, from an early high of $1.1194.
Eurozone private sector grew at the slowest pace in 20 months in September as services activity expanded the least since the end of 2014, while manufacturing gained strength.
The flash composite output index slid to 52.6 in September from 52.9 in August, data from Markit showed Friday. Economists had expected the index to fall marginally to 52.8.
Germany's private sector logged the weakest expansion in activity in almost one-and-a-half years, flash survey data from Markit showed Friday. The composite output index fell to a 16-month low of 52.7 in September from 53.3 in August. A reading above 50 indicates expansion.
Germany's new orders in the main construction industry declined in July, Destatis reported Friday. Construction orders dropped 4.6 percent from June. At the same time, orders advanced 14.1 percent on a yearly basis.
The French economy contracted in the second quarter on weak household spending and investment, according to the detailed report published by the statistical office Insee. Gross domestic product declined 0.1 percent from the first quarter, when it advanced 0.7 percent, Insee reported Friday. The preliminary estimate showed a nil growth for the second quarter.
The French private sector expanded at the fastest pace in 15 months in September, flash survey data from Markit showed Friday. The composite output index rose to 53.3 in September from 51.9 in August. The latest reading was the joint highest since August 2011.
The buck broke out to over a 1-month high of $1.2914 against the pound sterling Friday, but has since eased back to around $1.2955.
The greenback slipped to an early low of Y100.655 against the Japanese Yen Friday, but has since bounced back to around Y101.
The manufacturing sector in Japan turned to expansion in September, the latest survey from Nikkei revealed on Friday with a manufacturing PMI score of 50.3. That beat expectations for 49.2, and it was up from 49.5 in August.
Japan's all industry activity grew at a slower pace in July, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said Friday.
The all industry activity index rose 0.3 percent month-on-month in July, following June's 1 percent increase. Nonetheless, this was the second consecutive rise in activity and better than the expected 0.2 percent growth.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX