Investing.com - The dollar was steady to lower against the other major currencies on Friday, as sentiment on the greenback remained fragile ahead of a U.S. consumer sentiment report later in the day, while concerns over tensions in Ukraine persisted.
The dollar was steady against the euro, with EUR/USD inching up 0.01% to 1.3833.
Market participants were eyeing upcoming U.S. data after a report on Thursday showed that U.S. durable goods orders rose more than expected in March, fuelling optimism over the strength of the country's economic recovery.
Meanwhile, investors remained cautious amid renewed tensions in Eastern Europe, after Ukrainian troops killed several pro-Russian rebels on Thursday, and Russian troops started military exercises close to its border with Ukraine.
In response, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Washington was drawing closer to imposing more sanctions on Moscow.
Sentiment on the single currency also remained vulnerable after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi on Thursday said the euro exchange rate is an "increasingly important factor" in monetary policy.
The pound was fractionally higher against the dollar, with GBP/USD adding 0.07% to 1.6815.
Official data earlier showed that U.K. retail sales rose 0.1% in March, beaing expectations for a 0.4% fall. Retail sales in February were revised down to a 1.3% increase from a previously estimated 1.7% gain.
A separate report showed that U.K. mortgage approvals rose by 45,900 last month, compared to expectations for an increase of 48,900. February's mortgage approvals were revised down to a 47,200 rise from a previously estimated 47,600 increase.
The dollar was lower against the yen, with USD/JPY shedding 0.31% to 102.00 and steady against the Swiss franc, with USD/CHF easing 0.06% to 0.8811.
Official data showed that Tokyo's consumer price inflation, which excludes fresh food, rose 2.7% this month from a year earlier, below expectations for a 2.8% increase, after a 1% gain the previous month.
Japan's national core consumer price inflation rose 1.3% in April compared to the same time a year earlier, confounding expectations for a 1.4% gain, after a 1.3% increase in March.
The greenback was steady to lower against the Australian, New Zealand and Canadian dollars, with AUD/USD rising 0.33% to 0.9293, NZD/USD gaining 0.32% to 0.8591 and USD/CAD inching 0.06% lower to 1.1015.
The US Dollar Index, which tracks the performance of the greenback versus a basket of six other major currencies, was down 0.08% to 79.79.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to release revised data on consumer sentiment.