2014.04.1717:13:00UTC+00Dollar Barely Budges Ahead Of Easter Break

The dollar was narrowly mixed in quiet dealing versus other majors on Thursday, as traders got a head start on the Easter holiday.

There was little reaction to the day's economic news, including a slightly downbeat reading on the U.S. jobs sector.

The dollar was steady at $1.3812 versus the euro, having withstood yesterday's dovish comments from Fed Chair Janet Yellen, who once again vowed low interest rates.

Japanese policy makers have pledged easing measures for their own economy, taking some of the steam out of the resurgent yen. The dollar was up fractionally at Y102.40.

Gradual afternoon gains helped the dollar to $1.6785 versus the sterling, nearly unchanged from the previous session.

According to the data released by the U.S. Labor Department, initial jobless claims was slightly up from the lowest level since 2007, coming in 304,000 for the week ended April 12, an increase of 2,000 from the previous week's revised level.

On the brighter side, growth in Philadelphia-area manufacturing activity has accelerated by much more than anticipated in the month of April, according to the results of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia's Business Outlook Survey released on Thursday.

The Philly Fed said its diffusion index of current activity climbed to 16.6 in April from 9.0 in March, with a positive reading indicating growth.