Early trade in New York: Dollar slips broadly

02 May, 2019

The dollar fell against a basket of other currencies on Wednesday as a disappointing report on manufacturing activity rekindled worries about the US economy, which is track for its longest expansion on record this summer.
Most currencies traded within tight ranges, although the New Zealand dollar fell after weak jobs data raised expectations of a central bank rate cut.
Traders scaled back their exposure to the greenback before the end of the Federal Reserve's two-day policy meeting.
Trading was thin in much of Asia and Europe in observance of the May Day holiday.
"It's a combination of a thin markets and people waiting on what the Fed does," said Chris Gaffney, president of world markets at TIAA Bank in St. Louis.
The Fed meeting comes after strong US economic data last month pushed the dollar to a two-year high.
Hopes about the US economy picking up from a deceleration in late 2018 faded a bit on Wednesday as the Institute for Supply Management said its closely watched barometer on the US factory sector deteriorated to a 2-1/2 year low in April.
At 11:03 a.m. (1503 GMT), the index that tracks the dollar against a basket of currencies was 0.213% lower at 97.3.
It neared two-year peak last week, rising 0.36% in April.
Some of the dollar's gains last month came against the euro, the result of growing concerns about a slowdown in the euro zone's economy. However, relatively strong economic growth data in the euro zone on Tuesday prompted some short covering from hedge funds that have been betting against the single currency, lifting the euro above $1.12.
The euro added to those gains on Wednesday, hitting a one-week high at 1.1248. It was last up 0.26% at $1.1245.
The kiwi recovered from earlier lows and was last down 0.34% at $0.6652.

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