© Reuters. Dollar gains ground vs. other majors even as U.S. nonfarm payrolls disappoint

Investing.com - The dollar moved broadly higher against the other major currencies on Friday, even after data showed that U.S. nonfarm payrolls rose less than expected last month, while average hourly earnings increased in line with projections.

dropped 0.49% to 1.0874.

The Labor Departments said 215,000 jobs last month, disappointing expectations for an increase of 223,000. 231,000 jobs were created in June, whose figure was revised from a previously estimated 223,000 gain.

The remained unchanged at 5.3% in July, in line with expectations.

Data also showed that rose 0.2% last month, in line with expectations, after a flat reading in June.

The data apparently failed to waver expectations for a September rate hike by the Federal Reserve.

The dollar turned higher against the pound, with down 0.21% at 1.5480.

Sterling showed little reaction to report by the Office for National Statistics on Friday showing that widened to £9.18 billion in June from £8.42 billion in May, whose figure was revised from a previously estimated deficit of £8.00 billion.

Analysts had expected the trade deficit to widen to £9.30 billion in June.

Elsewhere, the dollar was higher against the yen and the Swiss franc, with adding 0.20% to 124.99 and with advancing 0.75% to 0.9878.

In a widely expected move, the Bank of Japan said on Friday that it will keep increasing the monetary base at an annual pace of ¥80 trillion.

The Australian dollar trimmed gains but was still higher, with up 0.27% to 0.7362, while slipped 0.11% to 0.6544.

Earlier Friday, the Reserve Bank of Australia said the economy could grow an additional 0.5% to 1% during two years if the local dollar falls another 10% from its present level.

Separately, data showed that rose 4.4% in June, disappointing expectations for an increase of 5.0%. Home loans declined 7.3% in May, whose figure was revised from a previously estimated 6.1% drop.

Meanwhile, rose 0.29% to trade at 1.3141 even after data showed that 6,600 jobs in July, compared to expectations for an increase of 5.000, after a 6,400 decline the previous month.

Canada's unemployment rate remained unchanged at 6.8% last month, in line with expectations.

A separate report showed that increased by 14.8% in June, beating expectations for a 5.0% rise. Building permits dropped 13.9% in May, whose figure was revised from a previously estimated 14.5% decline.

The , which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, was up 0.24% at 98.09.