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The dollar climbs in a more worried market

Around 9:15 p.m., the euro lost 0.62% against the greenback, at 1.1303 dollars.

The dollar rose against the euro and several other currencies on Thursday, in a market digesting the announcements of the day before from the American Federal Reserve (Fed) and worried about the increase in the number of cases of Covid-19 in the United States .

Around 19:15 GMT (21:15 in Paris), the euro lost 0.62% against the greenback, at 1.1303 dollars.

The dollar index, which measures the value of the greenback against a basket of other currencies, was up 0.74%.

On Wednesday, the Fed left interest rates unchanged, in the range of 0% to 0.25%, and said it expects to maintain that level until 2022.

The institution also estimated that the gross domestic product of the United States would drop by 6.5% under the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic and predicted that unemployment would rise on average over the year to 9, 3%.

“The dollar is finding buyers while the risk appetite is deteriorating,” added Neil Wilson, analyst for Markets.com.

As a sign of investor fears, European stock markets slipped more than 4%, while on Wall Street, the Dow Jones abandoned almost 7% within an hour of closing.

“The increase in the number of cases (of Covid-19) in Florida, Texas and California has raised some concern: while the economies of other countries seem to be managing the virus, certain pockets of the American economy could take much more time, ”said Michael Hewson, analyst for CMC Markets.

“Investors’ worst nightmare is coming true,” said Ipek Ozkardeskaya of Swissquote Bank.

Since the dollar is considered a safe haven, it tends to appreciate during periods of political or economic uncertainty.

Other currencies sought to protect against risks, the yen and the Swiss franc also rose.

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