Investing.com - The dollar pared back gains against the other major currencies on Friday as concerns over China continued to dominate market sentiment in spite of a robust U.S. jobs report for December.
The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, was last at 98.45, up just 0.16% for the day, off an earlier high of 99.3.
The Labor Department reported that the U.S. economy added 292,000 jobs last month, after increasing an upwardly revised 252,000 in November. Economists had forecast payrolls to rise by 200,000.
The unemployment rate held steady at a seven-and-a-half year low of 5% in December.
The report bolstered expectations that the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates at a faster pace this year. Higher U.S. interest rates would make the dollar more attractive to yield-seeking investors.
But concerns over slowing growth in China, which have been exacerbated by the swift rate of the Chinese yuan’s decline, saw the greenback trim back gains in late trade.
The People’s Bank of China guided the yuan lower against the dollar in the first four trading sessions of 2016, roiling financial markets.
While investors had expected the central bank to allow the yuan to fall further after last year’s 4.5% depreciation, the rapid pace of the devaluation has fueled fears that the world’s number two economy is growing even more slowly than expected.
The dollar erased gains against the yen, with USD/JPY sliding to 117.43 late Friday, down from a high of 118.81 earlier in the day.
The euro ended almost unchanged against the dollar, with EUR/USD at 1.0926, off an earlier low of 1.0803.
The dollar clung to gains against the Swiss franc, with USD/CHF at 0.9947 late Friday, down from the day’s highs of 1.0050.
In the week ahead, investors will continue to focus on economic reports out of China, with Wednesday’s trade data in the spotlight.
The U.S. is to release data on retail sales, producer prices and consumer sentiment later in the week, while Thursday’s monetary policy meeting minutes from the Bank of England will also be in focus.
Ahead of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a list of these and other significant events likely to affect the markets.
Monday, January 11
Markets in Japan will be closed for a national holiday.
The Bank of Canada is to release its quarterly business outlook survey.
Tuesday, January 12
Japan is to publish data on the current account.
The U.K. is to release data on industrial and manufacturing production.
Federal Reserve vice-chair Stanley Fischer is to speak at an event in Paris.
Wednesday, January 13
China is to release data on the trade balance.
Thursday, January 14
Australia is to publish the monthly employment report.
The BoE is to announce its latest monetary policy decision and publish the minutes of its policy meeting.
The European Central Bank is to publish the minutes of its December monetary policy meeting.
Canada is to report on new house price inflation.
The U.S. is to produce data on initial jobless claims.
Friday, January 15
Australia is to release data on home loans.
The U.S. is to round up the week with reports on retail sales, industrial production and producer price inflation, as well as preliminary data on consumer sentiment.