Investing.com - The dollar remained broadly higher against the other major currencies on Friday, as strong U.S. durable goods data added to optimism over the outlook for the U.S. economy, boosting demand for the greenback.
The greenback found support after official data showed that U.S. durable goods orders rose 0.7% last month, beating expectations for a 0.5% gain, after a decline of 1% in May, whose figure was revised from a previously estimated 0.9% fall.
Core durable goods orders, which exclude transportation items, advanced by 0.8% in June, compared to expectations for a 0.6% rise, after a 0.1% downtick in May, whose figure was revised from a previously estimated flat reading.
The data came after a report on Thursday showed that U.S. jobless claims fell to the lowest level in more than eight years last week, fuelling speculation over the timing of a possible rate hike by the Federal Reserve.
EUR/USD hit eight-month lows, shedding 0.23% to 1.3431.
The euro weakened after Ifo Institute for Economic Research earlier reported that its German business climate index fell to a nine-month low of 108.0 this month, from a reading of 109.7 in June. Analysts had expected the index to tick down to 109.4 in July.
A separate report showed that the Gfk German consumer climate index rose to a seven-and-a-half year high of 9.0 this month, from a reading of 8.9 in June. Analysts had expected the index to remain unchanged in July.
Elsewhere, the dollar was steady against the yen, with USD/JPY up 0.05% to 101.85 and higher against the Swiss franc, with USD/CHF rising 0.23% to 0.9047.
In Japan, official data showed that consumer price inflation rose 3.6% in June from a year earlier, after a 3.7% gain the previous month.
Excluding fresh food, Japan CPI rose 3.3% in June from a year earlier, in line with expectations, after a 3.4% increase in May.
Sterling remained near one-month lows, with GBP/USD down 0.09% at 1.6970.
Preliminary data earlier showed that U.K. gross domestic product rose 0.8% in the second quarter, in line with market expectations.
The New Zealand dollar was lower, with NZD/USD slipping 0.29% to 0.8549 after data showed that the ANZ business confidence index fell to 39.7 this month, from a reading of 42.8 in June.
AUD/USD edged down 0.08% to 0.9410, while USD/CAD gained 0.34% to 1.0780.
The US Dollar Index, which tracks the performance of the greenback versus a basket of six other major currencies, hit five-month highs, edging up 0.19% to 81.10.