Dollar Struggles Amid U.S. Jobless Claims Surge and Inflation Trends

The dollar made marginal gains on Friday, recovering slightly after previous losses spurred by a surge in U.S. jobless claims and modest inflation increases. This economic backdrop has heightened investor attention on expected Federal Reserve interest rate cuts in the coming weeks.

Economic data released on Thursday revealed a significant rise in new jobless claims, the steepest in four years, which overshadowed the latest consumer inflation figures. Despite inflation ticking up at its fastest rate in seven months, it remained broadly consistent with predictions.

Amidst these developments, monetary policy watchers are keenly focused on the Federal Reserve's imminent rate decisions, with market sentiment favoring a 25 basis point cut on September 17, as indicated by Fed fund futures pricing.

(With inputs from agencies.)