Dollar gains further on Fed rate expectations
The dollar rose against the euro on Thursday on Federal Reserve rate expectations.
NEW YORK (AFP) - The US dollar added to gains against the euro Thursday as fresh positive US economic data followed a slightly accelerated monetary tightening outlook from the Federal Reserve.
At 2200 GMT the dollar was at $1.3779, compared to $1.3827 late Wednesday.
The dollar edged higher to 102.42 yen from 102.32 yen, while the euro slipped to 141.14 yen from 141.53.
The British pound fell to $1.6506 from $1.6536, while the dollar rose to 0.8835 Swiss francs from 0.8807.
The dollar got support from a positive report on weekly US jobless claims and an in-line report on February existing-home sales.
Meanwhile the Conference Board s Index of Leading Indicators and the Philadelphia Fed s manufacturing index both solidly beat Wall Street estimates.
On Wednesday the dollar shot up after Fed Chair Janet Yellen said that a rate hike may begin "around six months" after the Fed s stimulus program ends, which could put it in the first half of 2015. Many rate watchers had expected the hike to come in late 2015.
