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27.04.201814:42:00UTC+00Dollar Trading Mixed After GDP Report

The dollar is turning in a mixed performance against its major rivals Friday afternoon. The buck is slightly lower against the Euro and the Japanese Yen, but is climbing against the British pound after the disappointing UK GDP report.

Economic growth in the U.S. continued to slow in the first quarter of 2018, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Friday, although the pace of growth during the quarter still exceeded economist estimates.

The Commerce Department said real gross domestic product climbed by 2.3 percent in the first quarter compared to the 2.9 percent jump in the fourth quarter. Economists had expected GDP to increase by about 2.0 percent.

With consumer expectations dropping less than previously indicated, the University of Michigan released a report on Friday showing consumer sentiment in the U.S. deteriorated by less than initially estimated in the month of April.

The report said the consumer sentiment index for April was upwardly revised to 98.8 from the preliminary reading of 97.8. The upwardly revised reading exceeded economist estimates of 98.0 but still came in below the final March reading of 101.4.

The dollar climbed to over a 3-month high of $1.2054 against the Euro Friday morning, but has since retreated to around $1.2115.

Eurozone economic sentiment remained stable in April, survey data from European Commission showed Friday. The economic sentiment index held steady at 112.7 in April. The score was forecast to drop to 112.0.

Germany's unemployment rate decreased slightly at the end of the first quarter, the labor force survey from Destatis showed Friday. The jobless rate edged down to 3.4 percent in March from 3.5 percent in February. In the corresponding moth last year, the rate was 3.9 percent.

Germany's unemployment rate remained stable in April, data published by the Federal Labor Agency showed Friday. The jobless rate held steady at 5.3 percent in April, the lowest since reunification in 1990. The rate came in line with expectations.

France's economic growth moderated at a faster-than-expected pace in the first quarter, preliminary figures from the statistical office Insee showed Friday. Gross domestic product rose 0.3 percent sequentially in the March quarter, slower than the 0.7 percent rise in the previous quarter. The growth was forecast to ease to 0.4 percent.

France's consumer price inflation remained stable in April, in line with expectations, provisional estimate from the statistical office Insee showed Friday. Consumer price climbed 1.6 percent year-over-year in April, the same rate of increase as in March.

French consumer spending increased at a slower-than-expected pace in March, figures from the statistical office INSEE showed Friday. Consumer spending edged up 0.1 percent month-over-month in March, well below the 2.5 increase in February. Economists had forecast a 0.5 percent rise for the month.

The buck has risen to month and a half high of around $1.3785 against the pound sterling Friday, from an early low of $1.3934.

The UK economy expanded at the slowest pace in more than five years in the first quarter, the Office for National Statistics reported Friday.

Gross domestic product grew only 0.1 percent in the first quarter, the weakest since the fourth quarter of 2012. GDP was expected to rise 0.3 percent. The economy had expanded 0.4 percent in the fourth quarter.

British consumer confidence weakened in April, after improving in the previous month, survey data from GfK showed Friday. The consumer sentiment index dropped to -9 in April from -7 in March. Meanwhile, the index was forecast to remain stable at -7.

The Bank of Japan kept its monetary stimulus unchanged as widely expected on Friday.

The greenback reached an early high of Y109.536 against the Japanese Yen this morning, but has since pulled back to around Y109.085.

The unemployment rate in Japan came in at a seasonally adjusted 2.5 percent in March, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said on Friday, in line with expectations and unchanged from the previous month.

Retail sales in Japan were down a seasonally adjusted 0.7 percent on month in March, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said on Friday. That was shy of forecasts for a flat reading following the 0.5 percent increase in February.

Industrial production in Japan was up 1.2 percent on month in March, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said on Friday. That topped forecasts for an increase of 0.5 percent following the 2.0 percent gain in February.

Japan's housing starts declined for the ninth successive month in March, and at a faster-than-expected pace, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism showed Friday. Housing starts decreased 8.3 percent year-on-year in March, much faster than the 2.6 percent decline seen in February. Economists had forecast a decrease of 4.8 percent.

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