The FINANCIAL — NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — The ICE U.S. dollar index finished a volatile week slightly lower Friday as investors looked ahead to data from China, the U.S. and Europe next week, according to Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
The index (DXY), a measure of the dollar’s strength against a basket of six currencies, was at 85.2000 Friday afternoon, compared with 84.950
The euro, which accounts for more than half of the index’s value, finished the week slightly higher against the greenback. It (EURUSD) traded at $1.2761 Friday afternoon, compared with $1.2814 late Thursday. The dollar (US) traded at 106.87 yen, compared with Yen106.39 Thursday, according to Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Chines industrial production and GDP data for September are due Monday night Eastern, while China’s flash Purchasing Managers Manufacturing Index data for October is due Wednesday night.
U.S. existing home sales for September are due Tuesday morning, and the September consumer-price index report is due Wednesday morning.
In Europe, October flash PMI data for France and Germany is due Thursday morning Eastern, according to Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Elsewhere in currency trade, the pound finished the week up slightly against the dollar after dropping to an 11-month low on Tuesday following surprisingly weak inflation data out of the U.K. Matthew Weller, senior technical strategist at USForex, said the pound remains in a downtrend against the dollar on a long-term basis, despite its recovery this week.
The pound traded at $1.6092 Friday afternoon, compared with $1.6108 late Thursday, according to Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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