Asian session review: the US dollar rose against major currencies

During today's Asian trading, the US dollar rose moderately against major currencies. The ICE index, which tracks the dollar's performance against six currencies (euro, swiss franc, yen, canadian dollar, pound sterling and swedish krona), rose 0.40%.

The dollar was supported by better-than-expected statistics on the US labor market and the news of the adoption of a $1.9 trillion stimulus package, while concerns about inflation eased.

The number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits for the first time last week fell by 42 thousand to 712 thousand people, according to a report by the US Department of Labor. This is the lowest level since the first week of November last year. According to the revised data, a week earlier, the number of requests was 754 thousand, and not 745 thousand, as previously reported. Analysts on average expected a decline to 725 thousand.

US President Joe Biden yesterday approved a new package of measures to support the economy in the context of the pandemic of $1.9 trillion. The signing ceremony took place at the White House.

Meanwhile, the European Central Bank (ECB) did not change the volume of the emergency asset purchase program (PEPP), leaving it at 1.85 trillion euros, following the results of yesterday's meeting. The regulator said it would significantly accelerate the repurchase of assets under PEPP in the next quarter compared to the first months of this year.

ECB President Christine Lagarde said the euro zone economy is likely to decline in the first quarter of 2021, but the risks have become more balanced.