Early trade in New York: Dollar advances; investors taking profits in short dollar bets

NEW YORK: The dollar rose on Friday, extending gains after upbeat data on US personal income and spending as well as manufacturing in the US Midwest, with market participants also taking profits on the currency’s short dollar positions this month.

The dollar index was down 2.4% for the month of April, its worst monthly performance since July 2020.

Data showing a 4.2% rebound in US consumer spending in March, amid a 21.1% surge in income as households received additional COVID-19 relief money from the government, supported the dollar. That led to a 0.4% rise in the core personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index, compared with a gain of 0.3% the previous month.

In mid-morning trading, the dollar index was set to end the week flat, although still down 2.4% for the month as a whole. It was last up 0.4% at 91.007.

The Canadian dollar climbed to a more-than three-year high of C$1.2268 per greenback on Friday, on track for a 1.6% weekly gain that would be its biggest since the start of November. The US dollar was last flat at C$1.2280.

Rising commodity prices earlier supported the Australian dollar, but in New York session it was down 0.3% at US$0.7740 because of broad dollar strength.

The euro traded 0.4% lower at $1.2071. It was up nearly 3% for the month versus the dollar and down 0.2% on the week. The dollar also rose against the yen, up 0.1% at 109.05, rising 1% for the week.