• The euro rose to its highest level since August 2015 in early European trades on Friday as the single currency's bounce prompted some investors to cover short positions.
The euro climbed 0.3 percent to $1.16650 as markets bet the European Central Bank would tweak its policy stimulus in the autumn even though ECB President Mario Draghi was careful to give away few hints about the bank's next move after Thursday's policy meeting.
The euro's nearly 2 percent rise this week pinned the dollar to fresh 11-month lows against a trade-weighted basket of its rivals. The dollar index hit a fresh 11-month low of 93.994.
• The dollar is crumpling under pressure, and there doesn't appear to be much to stop it.
European Central Bank President Mario Draghi was the latest catalyst, sending the euro higher with comments that the ECB would discuss when to start paring back its bond purchases in the fall.
While some viewed the central bank president as a bit vague, his words still drove the euro to a near two-year high against the dollar.
• As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump turned China's currency into a campaign issue, but Republican political stumbles are now strengthening the yuan.
Analysts said the newly resurgent Chinese currency, which has been slowly trending higher since May, was all about the dollar's sudden weakness.
• President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a $500 million investment that Corning Inc is making with pharmaceutical giants Merck and Pfizer to manufacture a new kind of glass for injectable drug vials.
• Clear indications of a recovery in Japan's consumer spending are expected next week, a Reuters poll has found, with June household spending seen increasing for the first time since February 2016 while retail sales rack up an eighth gaining month.
The poll showed household spending was expected to grow 0.6 percent in June from a year earlier with retail sales seen rising 2.3 percent for the month.
• Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso said on Friday the government would stick to its aim of achieving a primary budget surplus in the fiscal year ending in March 2021 despite its most recent projection for a $73billion (56.34 billion pounds) shortfall.
• Bill Gross is worried that central banks will lead the world into recession
Bond expert Bill Gross says the Fed and other central banks should use caution when raising interest rates.
The Janus Henderson fund manager has warned against stocks and bonds this year, though his fund is underperforming.
• North Korea's economy grew at its fastest pace in 17 years in 2016, South Korea's central bank said on Friday, despite the isolated country facing international sanctions aimed at curbing its defiant pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Gross domestic product (GDP) in North Korea last year rose 3.9 percent from the previous year when the economy contracted due to a drought and low commodity prices, the Bank of Korea said. The expansion, driven by mining and energy, marked the biggest rise since a 6.1 percent gain in 1999.
• Oil prices edged up on Friday ahead of a key meeting of major oil producing nations next week, but Brent held below the $50 per barrel level that was briefly breached for the first time in six weeks in the previous session.
International benchmark Brent crude futures were up 10 cents, or 0.2 percent, at $49.40 per barrel at 0658GMT.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 7 cents, or 0.2 percent at $46.99 per barrel.
Reference: Reuters
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