Manufacturing data lifts dollar against euro

US: The dollar rose against the euro on Thursday after a raft of August manufacturing reports from around the world suggested that the United States was in better economic shape than Europe.

The dollar was trading at $1.4260 against the euro at 2100 GMT, compared to $1.4374 at the same time on Wednesday.

Against the Japanese currency, the dollar climbed to 76.87 yen from 76.62 the previous day.

"There is a sense that US data is not as weak as people have been forecasting," said David Gilmore, of Foreign Exchange Analytics.

The Institute for Supply Management put the reading for its August survey of the US manufacturing sector at 50.6 percent, lower than in July but above analysts' expectations. A number above 50 reflects expansion.

In contrast, manufacturing in the eurozone slumped last month, according to a monthly purchasers' survey compiled by Markit.

"It confirmed the rapid slowdown, even in Germany," said Gilmore. "It's not a great day for the euro."

The dollar weakened against the safe-haven Swiss franc, falling to 0.7952 francs from 0.8054 late on Wednesday.

But it gained against the British pound, trading for $1.6181 against the pound on Thursday compared to $1.6239 a day earlier. AFP