· The dollar rose on Thursday, boosted by weakness in the euro after the European Central Bank's July policy meeting minutes, but the U.S currency was volatile as rumours swirled about the possible resignation of Gary Cohn, director of the U.S. National Economic Council.
Following rumours of Cohn's departure, the White House released a statement saying he "intends to remain in his position."
The dollar fell 0.55 percent against the yen to 109.60 yen. While the dollar index edged up to 93.628.
The euro was last down 0.25 percent against the dollar at $1.1736.
· The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits fell to near a six-month low last week, pointing to a further tightening in the labor market that could encourage the Federal Reserve to lay out a plan to start unwinding its massive bond portfolio.
· Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari said on Thursday that the Federal Reserve will take into consideration the state of government efforts to raise the federal debt limit in deciding when to start winding down the central bank's large bond portfolio.
"I think you would expect to see us also look at the debt ceiling negotiations that are happening in Congress," Kashkari said at a Rotary Club event in Edina, Minnesota. "I think we want to keep our eyes open to that process."
The U.S. government is bumping up against its debt ceiling, with the possibility that it will be unable to pay all its bills in October unless Congress approves an increase in its borrowing capacity.
· A Federal Reserve policymaker who has grown cautious in the face of weak inflation readings said on Thursday he would need to see evidence that prices will rise to a 2-percent target in the medium term in order to support another interest-rate hike.
"I don't need to see that we're going to meet that target in the near-term," Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan told reporters after a speech in Lubbock, Texas. "I just want to see evidence, or belief, that we're going to meet that target in the medium term."
· The United States plans to start negotiations with South Korea on Tuesday in Seoul on amending a five-year-old free trade agreement, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said on Thursday.
· Catalonia's regional head said on Thursday that Spanish police had arrested two people after a van drove into crowds in Barcelona city's center.
At least 80 people have been hospitalized and around 12 have died, Carles Puigdemont told a news conference. It was still not clear how many attackers had been involved in the incident.
· Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in which a van plowed into crowds in the Spanish city of Barcelona on Thursday, the group's Amaq news agency said.
· Oil prices rose on Thursday as renewed attention was put on U.S. oil stockpile declines after an industry report suggested oil inventories at the Cushing, Oklahoma hub were declining.
Brent crude LCOc1 settled up 76 cents, or 1.51 percent at $51.03 a barrel. U.S. light crude CLc1 was 31 cents, or 0.66 percent, higher at $47.09 a barrel.
Reference: Reuters, CNBC
Thai
Eng