(BNN Bloomberg) The dollar was little changed against a basket of major currencies on Friday after conflicting U.S. economic data, leaving it on course for its largest weekly rise in 2017 amid a rise in expectations for inflation and U.S. interest rate hikes.
Analysts said the week’s rally was sparked by the German election last weekend in which the far-right Alternative for Germany won seats in parliament for the first time, leading to worries that anti-European political movements on the continent, including those in Spain and Italy, could be more worrisome than initially thought.
“Economically, the situation in the U.S. merits the fact that the dollar has gained,” said Juan Perez, currency strategist at Monex Inc in Washington.
“The political dissolution in Europe continues and now with the situation in Spain it symbolizes that there are separatist movements across the continent that cannot be ignored. On a geopolitical perspective, Europe is in a little bit tougher situation than we are.”
