The dollar firmed against major currencies Friday on news that the U.S. housing and manufacturing sectors were showing signs of moving on from their post-recession doldrums.
In the U.S., new-home sales hit a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 315,000 in November, up 1.6% above October's revised rate of 310,000 and up 9.8% above 287,000 in November of last year.
Friday's figures come in wake of dipping initial jobless claims data and rising overall economic growth rates, all of which are fueling hopes that the U.S. economy will pick up its pace of recovery next year despite ongoing debt concerns in Europe.
The Commerce Department reported that orders to U.S. factories for durable goods rose 3.8% in November from October but core durable goods, which are stripped of volatile transportation items, came to 0.3%, below forecasts.
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