FX round-up: US dollar gains on positive data, central bankers' remarks
The last session of the previous week saw risk appetite recover further on the back of better-than-expected economic data Stateside.
Housing starts grew by 6.3% month-on-month in September to an annualised pace of 1.02m, according to the latest figures from the US Commerce Department. Analysts had forecast 1m.
Soon afterwards on Friday afternoon the University of Michigan reported an increase in its monthly consumer sentiment gauge. The preliminary reading for October printed at 86.4, the best mark since July 2007 and up from 84.6 at the end of September (consensus: 84).
No less important, dovish remarks from Boston Federal Reserve president Eric Rosengren and Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane also helped to buoy market sentiment.
As such, the euro/dollar finished the day lower by 0.40% to 1.2760. Cable could also be seen lower at the end of trading, moving down by 0.12% to 1.6088.
Elsewhere, the Turkish lira ended the week with its best performance in six months. The recent slide in global oil quotes may help cut the country's energy bill and hence its current account deficit, or so the thinking goes.
Brazil's real bounced back following several days of losses on the heels of a good showing by business-friendly candidate Aecio Neves in a televised debate. However, on Monday the Financial Times reported on how the worsening drought conditions in Neves' native state of Sao Paolo could yet tip the balance against him in the upcoming second round of the presidential elections in Brazil.
The dollar/yen appreciated 0.44% to finish at 106.91.