Euro rose in European trade on Friday away from 3-1/5 month lows against dollar, while still heading for the second weekly profit in a row amid concerns about divergent monetary policies for US and Europe. 

EUR/USD rose 0.1% to 1.1780, with an intraday low at 1.1762, after closing down 0.2% yesterday to near 3-1/5 month lows at 1.1752. 

Euro is still down 0.3%% against dollar this week on track for the second weekly decline in a row. 

The European Central Bank voted to maintain interest rates unchanged yesterday, while carrying on its bonds purchases program valued at 1.85 trillion euros a month until next March.

ECB President Christine Lagarde warned the new Delta coronavirus strain could represent a new threat to recovery in the region, and asserting it's still too early to tighten the policies as inflation and recovery remain tenuous. 

USD/JPY tilted lower in Asian trade off March 2020 highs for the ninth session out of 15 amid a lack of data from Japan due to a national holiday and ahead of US data later today.

As of 07:09 GMT, USD/JPY fell 0.10% to 110.18, with an intraday low at 110.09, and a high at 110.30. 

From the US, unemployment claims for the week ending July 17 are expected down 10 thousand to 360K, while continuing claims for the week ending July 10 are expected down 141K to 3.1 million. 

US existing home sales are expected up 15.5% to 5.89 million in June, compared to a 0.9% drop to 5.8 million in May, while the CB leading index is expected up 0.8%, slowing down from 1.3% in May. 

Gold prices fell on Wednesday, as the US dollar rose near its highest level in 2021 against most of its counterparts, despite growing concerns about the coronavirus.

The World Health Organization stated that coronavirus infections have increased in the USs, Europe and Asia due to the new Delta strain, which has renewed fears of the pandemic spreading out of control.

The US government revealed that the average infection during the past seven days until Friday was about 30,000 cases, which is higher than June's average of 8,000 cases.

Several countries around the world are facing a new wave of infections, but some governments decided to start easing lockdown restrictions.

The dollar index rose against a basket of major currencies by 0.1% to 93.06 points as of 12:26 GMT, after hitting a high of 93.1 points and a low of 92.9 points.

Gold spot prices fell 0.7% to $1,799.2 an ounce as of 12:27 GMT.

Oil prices rose on Wednesday, despite the US dollar's rise against its peers, and ahead of the US inventories data.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) revealed yesterday in preliminary data that the US crude inventories fell 806K barrels during the past week.

The US Energy Information Administration will release its official report later today, amid forecasts for a drop by 6.7 million barrels.

The dollar index rose against a basket of major currencies by 0.1% to 93.06 points as of 12:46 GMT, after hitting a high of 93.1 points and a low of 92.9 points.

As of 12:52 GMT, WTI crude August futures rose 1.7% to $68.3 a barrel, after hitting a high of $68.5 and a low of $66.4.

Brent September futures rose 1.8% to $70.5 a barrel, after hitting a high of $70.7 and a low of $68.6.