The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits dropped to a three-month low last week while layoffs fell 43% in December, data on Thursday showed.
It was last 0.03% higher at 105.15, and was on track for a weekly gain of more than 1.5%, the largest since September. Similarly, the euro tumbled 0.8% to a more than three-week low at $1.0515 in the previous session, and was last steady at $1.0519. “We could be in for an upside surprise,” said Goh. “This will keep the Fed adamant in continuing to hike rates.”
“The low inflation numbers, all the surprises that we’re getting, seems to be weighing on the euro,” said Ray Attrill, head of FX strategy at National Australia Bank.