Forex: Thursday's review

The U.S. currency and the yen strengthened as equity losses boosted demand for a refuge. Data showed China’s economic growth accelerated, adding to pressure for monetary tightening. 
The dollar pared gains against the common currency before data that economists predict will show U.S. continuing jobless claims increased and home-sales growth slowed.
China’s economic growth quickened to an annual rate of 9.8% in the fourth quarter, up from 9.6% in the prior three months, the statistics bureau said. Consumer prices rose 4.6% in December from a year earlier, compared with 5.1% the previous month.
The People’s Bank of China will increase the key one-year lending rate to 6.81% from 5.81% this year and let the yuan strengthen about 6% against the dollar, Nomura Holdings Inc. forecast this week.
New Zealand’s dollar retreated from near the strongest this year. The government said consumer prices rose 2.3% in the fourth quarter from the previous three months, when they advanced 1.1% . Economists forecast 2.4% growth.
The euro gained against the pound and the yen as statistics showed German producer prices climbed at the fastest pace in seven months.