Investing.com - The yen gained further in Asia on Friday after a flood of data pointed to a mixed picture with consumer inflation below expectations, but retail sales up more than seen and as President Donald Trump unleashed comments on North Korea.
The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, rose 0.02% to 99.04. USD/JPY fell 0.12% to 111.14 after the data and Trump remarks, while AUD/USD changed hands at 0.7468, up 0.03%.
Japan reported household spending, fell 2.0% in March, more than the 0.8% decline seen month-on-month, national core CPI rose 0.2%, missing an expected 0.3% gain in March year-on-year, March unemployment came in steady at 2.5%, avoiding a tick up to 2.9%, industrial production for March slumped 2.1%, compared to an expected decline of 0.8% month-on-month along with forecasts for April and May that came in weaker and retail sales rose a higher than expected 2.1%, compared to up 1.5% seen year-on-year in March.
Australia reported private sector credit rose 0.3%, below the expected 0.5% gain in March month-on-month.
Earlier in New Zealand, the trade balance deficit came in bang-on expectations of NZ$3.67 billion in March year-on-year. NZD/USD rose 0.03% to 0.6876 after the figures.
Overnight, the dollar traded higher against a basket of major currencies on Thursday, shrugging off the release of mostly downbeat economic data while the euro fell, after comments from European Central Bank President Mario Draghi.
The dollar continued its march higher for a second straight day, despite weaker than expected economic data as both Initial Jobless Claims and Durable Goods Orders were weaker than expected while pending Home Sales fell.
The National Association of Realtors said on Thursday, its Pending Home Sales Index, declined 0.8 percent to 111.4.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 14,000 to a seasonally adjusted 257,000 for the week ended April 22, the Labor Department said on Thursday.
Meanwhile, new orders for U.S. durable goods rose 0.7 percent in March, which was far less than the 2.3 percent rise in February and well below expectations for a 1.2 percent increase.
Elsewhere, the euro lost ground against the dollar, after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said the eurozone’s economic recovery is “increasingly solid” but tempered sentiment by insisting that inflationary pressure “remain subdued”.
Draghi’s comments came fresh on the heels of an interest rate decision from the European Central Bank. The ECB left its benchmark interest unchanged at a record low 0.00%, in line with expectations.