Investing.com - The dollar was little changed against a basket of other major currencies on Thursday, after data showed that U.S. jobless claims rose broadly in line with expectations last week.
In a report, the U.S. Department of Labor said the number of individuals filing for initial jobless benefits in the week ending October 18 increased by 17,000 to 283,000 from the previous week’s revised total of 266,000.
Analysts had expected jobless claims to rise by 16,000 to 282,000 last week.
EUR/USD was up 0.10% to 1.2662, off a two-week low of 1.2614 hit earlier in the session.
Sentiment on the euro improved after data earlier showed that manufacturing output expanded at the fastest rate in three months, while growth of service sector activity was unchanged from September.
Research group Markit said its preliminary manufacturing purchasing managers’ index ticked up to 50.7 this month from a final reading of 50.3 in September. Analysts had expected the index to slide to 49.9.
The services PMI held steady at 52.4, slightly above expectations of 52.0.
GBP/USD edged down 0.13% to 1.6028 after the U.K. Office for National Statistics said retail sales decreased 0.3% last month, disappointing forecasts for a decline of 0.1%. August retail sales rose by 0.4%.
Core retail sales, which exclude automobile sales, fell 0.3% last month, worse than forecasts for a 0.2% decline, after rising 0.3% the previous month.
Separately, the Confederation of British Industry said its index of industrial orders expectations dropped to minus 6 this month, from minus 4 in September. Analysts had expected the index to remain unchanged.
Elsewhere, the yen slid lower against the dollar, with USD/JPYgaining 0.57% to 107.76, just below a two-week high of 107.11, while USD/CHF fell 0.12% to 0.9526.
The commodity linked dollars were mixed, with AUD/USD edged up 0.09% to 0.8786, NZD/USD tumbled 0.96% to 0.7852, while USD/CAD dipped 0.01% to 1.1234.
The kiwi came under broad selling pressure after Statistics New Zealand reported that consumer price inflation rose 0.3% in the third quarter, confounding expectations for an increase of 0.5%.
Also Thursday, data showed that the China's HSBC manufacturing PMI edged up to 50.4 this month from 50.2 last month, above forecasts for 50.3.
However the report also showed that factory output fell to a five month low this month, adding to concerns over slowing global growth.
The US Dollar Index, which tracks the performance of the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, was steady at 85.87, just below the session peak of 86.02, the highest since October 15.