Investing.com - The dollar remained steady to lower against the other major currencies on Friday, despite the release of strong U.S. consumer sentiment data, as expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep rates on hold for longer continued to weigh on the greenback.
The dollar was lower against the euro, with EUR/USD up 0.14% to 1.3630.
In a revised report, the University of Michigan said its consumer sentiment index rose to 82.5 in June, from a reading of 81.2 the previous month, compared to expectations for a rise to 82.2.
In the euro zone, preliminary data on Friday showed that German consumer price inflation rose 0.3% this month, more than the expected 0.2% gain, after a 0.1% fall in May.
A separate report showed that Spain's CPI rose at an annual rate of 0.1% in June, compared to expectations for a 0.3% rise, after a 0.2% increase in May.
Official data earlier showed that French consumer spending rose 1% in May, exceeding expectations for a 0.4% gain, after a 0.2% fall in April, whose figure was revised from a previously estimated 0.3% decline.
The pound was little changed against the dollar, with GBP/USD inching down 0.06% to 1.7013.
The Office for National Statistics said U.K. gross domestic product expanded by 0.8% in the first quarter, in line with market expectations.
A separate report showed that the U.K. current account deficit narrowed to £18.5 billion in the three months to April, from £23.5 billion in the fourth quarter of 2013 whose figure was revised down from a previously estimated deficit of £22.4 billion.
Analysts had expected the current account deficit to narrow to £17.5 billion in the first quarter.
The dollar was lower against the yen and the Swiss franc, with USD/JPY shedding 0.32% to 101.41 and with USD/CHF slipping 0.20% to 0.8918.
In Japan, official data earlier showed that household spending dropped by an annual rate of 8.0% last month, compared to expectations for a 2.0% decline, after a 4.6% fall in April.
Data also showed that Tokyo core consumer price inflation, which excludes food, remained unchanged at an annual rate of 2.8% in June, in line with expectations.
In addition, a government report showed that Japan retail sales fell 0.4% in May compared to a year earlier, less than the expected 1.8% decline and after a 4.4% drop in April.
Meanwhile, the KOF Economic Research Agency said its economic barometer for Switzerland rose to 100.4 in June, from an upwardly revised reading of 100.1, compared to expectations for a decline to 99.1.
The greenback was steady to higher against the Australian, New Zealand and Canadian dollars, with AUD/USD down 0.03% to 0.9412, NZD/USD sliding 0.23% to 0.8760 and USD/CAD easing 0.03% to 1.0686.
Earlier Friday, official data showed that New Zealand's trade surplus narrowed to NZ$285 million last month, from NZ$498 million in May, whose figure was revised down from a previously estimated surplus of NZ$534 million.
Analysts had expected the trade surplus to narrow to NZ250 million in June.
The US Dollar Index, which tracks the performance of the greenback versus a basket of six other major currencies, was down 0.12% to 80.17.