Dollar retreats on profit-taking and drop in US yields

The greenback took a breather on Thursday after rising to a fresh 16-months high on Wednesday as investors booked profits on usd's recent rally together with retreat in U.S. Treasury yields.  
  
Versus the Japanese yen, despite retreating to 115.31 in Asian morning, dollar rebounded to 115.42 at European open. Price then met renewed selling and dropped to session lows at 115.25 in thin North American trading in tandem with U.S. yields before trading sideways.  
  
The single currency gained some respite after falling to a fresh 16-month trough at 1.1187 on Wednesday and recovered to 1.1218 in Asian morning. Euro then ratcheted higher to session highs at 1.1230 in thin North American trading due partly to cross-buying of euro especially vs sterling.  
  
Reuters reported European Central Bank policymakers may not have all the data they need in December to take a firm view on the inflation path and must keep policy options open beyond what is likely to be a crucial meeting, the accounts of their Oct 28 meeting showed on Thursday.     "It was cautioned that the data available in December would not resolve all the uncertainties around the medium-term inflation outlook," the accounts showed.     "It was seen as important that the Governing Council should keep sufficient optionality to allow for future monetary policy actions, including beyond its December meeting," the ECB said in the accounts.  
  
The British pound also traded with a firm bias in Asia and gained to session high at 1.3353 in early European morning. However, the pair met renewed selling there and dropped to a fresh 10-month trough at 1.3306 in North American trading on broad-based selling in sterling.  
  
Data to be released on Friday:  
  
Japan Tokyo CPI, Australia retail sales, Swiss non-farm payrolls, GDP, France consumer confidence, Italy business confidence, consumer confidence and Canada budget balance.