IForex Daily : May 05, 2014

 | May 04, 2015 03:08AM ET

The dollar regained ground on Friday after indications that the U.S. economy may be stabilizing after a recent loss of momentum. Reports on Friday showed that activity in the manufacturing sector was stable in April, after slowing in the five previous months, while consumer sentiment improved to its highest level since January last month. In addition, jobless claims on Thursday fell to 15-year lows. In the week ahead, investors will be focusing on Friday's U.S. nonfarm payrolls report, for a fresh indication on the strength of the economic recovery. Markets in Japan and in the U.K. are to remain closed for today while the euro area is to produce revised data on manufacturing activity and the U.S. is to publish figures on factory orders..

EUR/USD

The euro retreated from two-month highs against the dollar on Friday after reports showed that the U.S. economy may be stabilizing after recent weak data. The Institute for Supply Management reported that activity in the manufacturing sector was stable in April, after slowing in the five previous months..Another report showed that U.S. consumer sentiment rose in April to its highest level since January.The dollar had received a boost after a report on Thursday showed that the number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits fell to a 15-year low of 262,000. For today, investors will be focusing on revised data on manufacturing activity from the euro zone while later in the day, the U.S. is to publish figures on factory orders.