The dollar gathered pace against the euro on Friday as investors read over a mixed bag of US economic data.

The closely watched US employment report gave an early boost to sentiment after non-farm payrolls rose by 146,000 in November compared to expectations of 85,000. Meanwhile the unemployment rate rose to 7.9% to 7.7% over the month.

However the University of Michigan consumer confidence index dampened market sentiment later in the session after it fell from 82.7 to a much worse than expected 74.5 in December.

The ICE dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, advanced to 80.408 compared to 80.251 on Thursday. Over the week the index was up 0.3%.

The euro changed hands at $1.2933 from $1.2967 the previous session Thursday. Over the week it was down 0.4%.

The single currency was weighed down by the German Bundesbank's reduction of its 2013 forecast for the German economy, sparking concern about growth in Europe's largest economy.

Against the yen, traded at ¥82.44 from ¥82.38 on Thursday following an earthquake in the northeast coast of Japan.

Sterling bought $1.6042 from $1.6054 before. The pound showed little reaction to UK data showing factory output in October fell at the sharpest rate since June.





CJ

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